4 Must-Have Tools for Today’s Fitness Pros

Four Tools That no Fitness Pro Should be Without

Maintaining a fit and healthy lifestyle can be a challenge for anyone. But, when you work as a fitness professional, it’s your job to get your clients in shape, as well as feeling healthier and better about themselves. Staying on track is part of your and your clients’ livelihood, so make sure you have the tools you need to be the best at all times.

Whether you’re a personal trainer, group fitness instructor or gym manager, having the right technological tools can ultimately help you become more efficient and effective.

Here are four tools that no fitness pro should be without.

4 Must-Have Tools for Today’s Fitness Pros

#1. Activity Monitor

In a recent SparkPeople poll of fitness professionals about which essential items are in their gym bags, activity monitors were one of the most mentioned tools. While these gadgets help track calories, sleep and heart rate, they can also play an essential role in your day-to-day work as a health and wellness pro.

“By tracking my heart rate, calories burned, distance traveled and other stats, [an activity monitor] enables me to combine fitness and technology for the perfect workout,” explains trainer Franklin Antoian. Knowing this, try adding an activity monitor to your arsenal, so you can better quantify the effectiveness of your workout sessions.

Additionally, investing in an activity monitor will make it easier to craft the perfect workouts for your group fitness classes or individual client sessions. You can also use these monitors to offer valuable information about whether your clients are reaching their target heart-rate goals while you monitor their feedback.

#2. Smartphone

Fitness pros should also consider using a device they likely already own: a smartphone. While every fitness pro will need a tool to connect with their clients, smartphones can obviously do so much more than taking calls. In fact, you can use your smartphone’s camera to snap photos and/or record video of your clients performing various exercises to more efficiently critique their posture and technique.

Many fitness professionals also use smartphones to send motivating messages to their clients, as well as check in with them to review progress. Not sure which device is the most ideal for your professional fitness needs and overall lifestyle? Compare features and identify the ideal smartphone — both in and out of the gym.

#3. Smartwatch

While smartphones can help you accomplish many things, as a fitness professional, you should also consider investing in a smartwatch. Using your smartphone while working with clients could send the wrong signal. Even if you’re fully engaged and using the device on your client’s behalf, it could look like your attention is divided.

A smartwatch is a great compromise. These types of devices allow you to set timers, control the playback of your music and remind you about which activities are next in your set — all by glancing at your wrist. As a bonus, smart watches also let you see incoming text messages, track your personal fitness activities and goals and receive other smartphone notifications.

#4. Fitness Software

One of the biggest mistakes fitness pros make is failing to track their clients’ health information. But by employing fitness software, you can more easily conduct regular fitness assessments and chart client workouts. Ultimately, having this information will also help you provide better training advice and develop exercises to help your clients meet their goals.

Additionally, you can use fitness software to take your health and wellness practice digital. Like many people, your clients likely use technology for a host of functions and have come to expect apps to more easily book workout sessions, as well as track their progress and results.

The Bottom Line

Ultimately, employing the right technology will help your fitness practice become more successful. Not only will you be able to connect with your clients more efficiently, but you’ll also be able to gain greater insights that will help you better tailor your group fitness classes and personal training sessions.