Want to Work Out With a Personal Trainer Wherever You Are? There’s a Fitness App for That Now.
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Working out is hard. That goes without saying. But it’s more than the physical strain you put on your body each day—whether it’s lifting weights, running, cycling, or doing yoga or pilates. Sticking to a routine takes time and dedication, especially in a city like New York, where you’re go-go-go from the time you wake up until your head thumps on the pillow each night.
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The Inconsistency Problem
I grew up playing sports—soccer and golf mostly—but it wasn’t until after high school when I realized the importance of working out. We stretched and ran a lot for soccer, but rarely were we ever in the weight room, which was reserved for the football team. Once I entered college, a lightbulb went off that I had to do something besides 12-ounce bicep curls in order to shake my freshman 15 and stay in decent shape, especially since I wasn’t playing soccer anymore. I did dabble in intramural soccer, but that hardly had the same commitment and demand as a school-backed program.
At first, my friends and I would go to the gym when our schedules permitted, which would vary depending on the day. Then they decided to start going before class, which meant setting an alarm and waking up early. As a college sophomore? No thank you! I can be a morning person if I have to—early flights, interviews, etc.—but seldom do I voluntarily wake up early, especially to work out. Thus ended that short-lived relationship with physical fitness.
After graduating, I gave it another go, relying on the buddy system as my friend and I held each other accountable. Like it had before, my workout regime eventually fizzled out. It’s not like I was training to be a professional athlete or run a marathon or anything, so it wasn’t a massive loss. Since moving to New York City in 2015, I’ve had a sporadic relationship with the gym, going here and there when I can squeeze it in. I hardly made it a top priority. I clearly feel better about myself after I go, but getting out of the door is the hardest part.
Finding Future Fitness
So here I am, 37 years old and coming off a recent knee injury from playing soccer one weekend. With multiple torn and strained knee ligaments as well as a fractured orbital that I amassed throughout my amateur career, I begrudgingly realized it’s time to hang up my boots (that’s what they call soccer cleats in Europe) and focus on my golf game. Rather than needing to run until my legs gave out like I used to do to prep for soccer, my fitness goals these days are about prioritizing flexibility and mobility in the hopes of a) improving my golf game, b) hoping to avoid knee replacements when I’m 50 and c) to keeping this dad bod—even though I don’t have kids—from turning into a dad blob.
That’s when I discovered the Future app. Rather than trying to map out my own fitness goals and routine while holding myself accountable—which clearly hasn’t worked—I’m able to work one-on-one with a coach on my personal goals, which is more of my speed than feeding off motivation from someone in a spin or boxing class yelling positive reinforcement over loud techno or hip hop music. Did I mention I’m almost 40?
Almost two months to the day since my partially torn ACL and torn MCL, I begin yet another fitness journey bright-eyed and optimistic. Downloading the Future app felt different.
Trust the Process
The whole shebang starts with a quiz. Nothing superfluous or too intensive, but a short, three-minute series of questions about my relationship with fitness, prior obstacles, potential obstacles, my goals, and even which type of coach best suits me.
Unsurprisingly with my athletic (and injury-laden) background, my suggested coaches are all strength training experts and injury-prevention specialists, most of whom have worked with athletes. Doug J. is listed as the “top pick” for me, and when I open his bio, I can see why: He’s even-keeled (I definitely don’t need a drill sergeant yelling in my face), has an extensive background in sports medicine (great for my injuries), and loves golf. A match made in fitness heaven!
After downloading the app and building out my profile, the next step is to meet Doug. We schedule a FaceTime to learn more about each other and my fitness aspirations. Before our first chat, Doug sends me a short video on the Future app, expressing his excitement in helping me on my fitness journey as well as some of the things he’s looking forward to discussing. When the day arrives, Doug sends another friendly message to confirm our call. As someone who is super organized, I appreciate Doug’s positive persistence and communication, which feels reassuring and not overbearing.
I spend most of my days on video calls conducting interviews and having various meetings, so it was nice to spend this time getting to know Doug—a former college football player and trainer based in Washington—and tell him about myself, which isn’t just limited to my fitness journey and goals. He promises to ask me more questions about being a sports journalist, because he’s a big sports fan. After the pleasantries, we get down to the nitty-gritties.
Why did I join Future? I’m fond of the personalized, one-on-one training, because there isn’t a one-size-fits-all model that works for everyone and I believe having someone like Doug will hold me more accountable.
What are my quantifiable goals? To become more flexible and mobile, especially as I recover from yet another knee injury and slowly approach 40.
How is my knee? I’m still not running or jumping yet, so please don’t include anything too crazy in the first few weeks.
Like a surprisingly good first date, the conversation is easy. I explain my checkered history with fitness, so our initial goal is to develop a habit. Without putting too much pressure on doing so, we settle on working out two to three times per week for 30 to 45 minutes, but allot an hour to include the walk to and from the gym as well as a shower. That didn’t sound too hard. Doug tells me that he will map out my personally tailored regime in four-week phases. Workouts will be uploaded into the app via prescribed sequential exercises with appropriate weights and reps—all of which can be adjusted on a whim based on my real-time feedback, results and constant communication with Doug rather than going off some set-in-stone “PDF approach,” as he calls it. I’m instructed to rate each workout from 1 to 10 based on difficulty as well as leave written comments, which helps Doug adjust each session as needed: less reps, increased weight, etc.
With a plan in place, Doug asks if I have any questions for him, so I throw a few his way.
Physiologically, is there an ideal time to work out? There is none. With each workout and fitness plan, it varies from person to person.
How many clients do you have? There are “several hundred coaches” like himself who do this full-time and not as a hobby. In fact, he mentions he’s been with Future for 2.5 years and the company has grown by like 500 since he first joined.
Reassured that I’m not just a number—which I’ve felt in other workout classes or trainers stretched too thin trying to hit certain quotas or incentives—I’m ready for my first workout. Before we sign off, Doug tells me his hours of operation and that even if I message him when he’s not online, he’ll get back to me as soon as he can. He also tells me to “use me as a resource,” whether I find a new fitness trend on social media that piques my interest or I have questions about my form during a certain exercise or protein shakes.
The Experience
Each day before my scheduled workout, Doug uploads a 30 to 45 minute routine into the app. Curious what I’m in store for, I browse the exercises to mentally prepare myself for what’s to come. I’ve had a regimen—focusing on specific muscle groups, whether it’s back/biceps or chest/triceps/shoulders—that I’ve used on and off for nearly two decades that clearly isn’t working, Doug says the “bodybuilding” model won’t be beneficial for me because if I blast my chest on Fridays, I don’t work it out for another week. So, he insists on a more well-rounded routine, which takes some time getting used to. I’m accustomed to working out on my own time. If I need 30 seconds before sets or two minutes, I determine that, so following a more regimented workout was a bit of a change for me at first, but practice makes perfect.
Following the app is a piece of cake—I only wish actually working out was this easy! After pressing “start” Doug appears with some positive reinforcement as we gear up for my first session. Complemented by voiceovers explaining each exercise as well as video demonstrations, off I go on a routine full of lunges, dumbbell presses, step ups, dumbbell rows, Turkish sit ups (which was new to me) and other exercises. As I go through each activity, recorded voice notes from Doug pop up sporadically, offering words of support or explaining how and why he included a certain workout in the day’s routine.
Upon completion, I’m sweaty and definitely feel the burn, but not to the point where I can’t lift my arms or walk. Doug and I exchange messages about the difficulty, which I rated down the middle with a 5. He says it “sounds like the difficulty was about right,” so clearly we’re on the right track.
With an off day in between each workout, I’m refreshed and raring to see what Doug develops for me to follow the next day. They say it takes 21 days to create a habit, so I’m looking forward to working with Doug on a consistent basis to make fitness a larger part of my life.
The Future of Fitness is Here
Every body type is different. Genetics coupled with environmental upbringing differs drastically from person to person. Which is why workouts need to be catered to each individual, not just “women ages 30-45” or “former college athletes.” While similarities and trends certainly exist among those specific groups, nothing is one size fits all.
Future provides that personally tailored workout in the palm of your hand. Rather than prescribed workout templates like “45-minute leg workout” or “30-day ab challenge” that you rinse and repeat with other fitness apps or personal trainers, Future is a constantly evolving resource that caters to your lifestyle.
Not only do you not have to worry about your trainer’s schedule, let alone his or her credentials and expertise like you would at your local gym, you also don’t have to stress about an antiquated, carbon copy workout that might not be optimal for you.
Future also gives you the ability to set your schedule based on your fitness goals, which, like your individualized workouts, aren’t set in stone. If you’re going on vacation, get sick, or just need a break, a simple message to your virtual trainer can help make whatever adjustments you may need. Everything on the app is able to be changed to your specific preference.
Future offers flexibility, credibility, and personalization through a personal trainer in your pocket.
Sign up for Future today, and click my link to get your first month for 50 percent off. Plus, you can cancel any time with no commitments!
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