The benefits of training virtually

Training virtually can be just as effective as training at an exercise facility (gym) or outside. In fact, it has great benefits, many of which can be seen to be better than training at a gym or outdoors.

Benefits of virtual training:

Ultimate convenience

Virtual training means you can basically do it anywhere and at your own time. There’s no need to roll out of bed at 5am to rush to that 6am bootcamp or personal training session at the gym.

The convenience of virtually training means you can fit it into your schedule at the time that most suits you. However, you will need extra discipline to schedule your sessions and stick to your training plans.

Flexibility and comfort

Virtual training offers you the flexibility to train in your own time and to do it anywhere you want.

You can train in the comfort of your home, at a friend’s house, while on holiday, during a work trip, inside or outside, or wherever suits you. You can tailor your training to your flexibility and comfort.

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Cost effective

Virtual training can cost you a little bit of data for streaming online exercise videos on platforms such as YouTube or a once-off fee from purchasing an exercise app.

This is definitely a lot friendlier to the pocket than a monthly subscription or costly monthly gym fees, which can add up to a lot of money annually.

Multiple options

There are various virtual training options to choose from. There are personalised ones and generic ones available.

For example, now that I don’t feel like training outdoors in winter, I’ve started doing a variety of generic yoga and pilates sessions on YouTube. There are many different ones available that are as short as 10 minutes to as long as 45 minutes.

The only cost for each session is the data I use to stream each video. Another form of virtual training I also use weekly, is Zwift, which is an online indoor cycling app that offers me a variety of different cycling routes.

I link the app to my smart trainer indoor bike and can literally cycle on different routes and terrains. My Zwift sessions are part of my personalised programme from my cycling coach and the cost is a monthly subscription that is under R300 for access to all the routes.

Weather-friendly

The great thing about virtual exercise sessions is that they are weather-friendly. During summer, sessions can be done outside in the garden, your patio or even indoors with a fan or aircon on.

In colder weather, they can be done indoors in the comfort of your warm home. In winter, when it is exceptionally cold, I sometimes switch on the heater to warm up the room I am going to exercise in before my session.

In this way, my session can be comfortable. I hope these benefits will motivate you to keep moving this winter. It’s going to be a cold one but you don’t have to hibernate until spring. Let’s keep moving.

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