As a reader of our Fitness Business Blog, you will not be surprised to hear that we love fitness tech. From apps like our own, to connected at-home fitness tools like Peloton, to wearables and connected devices like Withings scales and watches, we believe technology empowers healthy living.

And we’re not alone! Since 2016, wearable technology has been among the top trends in the fitness world… and while we’re on the topic, personal training is there too! So how are the two linked? And what’s the best way to put wearable devices to work for your clients?

It’s all about a lifestyle shift: integrating fitness, data, and tech into daily life to empower healthier living. Read on for more about why this integration is essential and how to boost your personal training services using wearable devices.

Integrate active living into your clients’ routines

All too often, people think of fitness as a 30-minute workout that needs to be checked off their to-do list. While a regular sweat session is better than nothing, true fitness is a lifestyle. You know with your clients that it’s not just about the training program, it’s about making healthier choices, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Coaching your clients to adopt healthy habits can be a way to help them shift into that fitness mindset… and wearables can help.

As their trainer, you provide motivation to your clients. To some extent, your existence is probably motivation enough! But more data will empower you to do your job even better. And even though your clients know you’re monitoring their progress without wearable data, using a wearable device to track their daily stats will probably give them a little extra boost. Plus, you’ll access a data stream that confirms their successes and underlines their struggles, helping you make smarter choices and get results faster. That’s what we all want for our clients, right?
Take full advantage of the data by reviewing the stats with your clients. Explain to them what it means for their health and how the information is impacting their training plan going forward.

Run daily fitness and activity challenges

Encourage those active minutes by giving your clients little goals or challenges—it’ll help them see that a healthy lifestyle goes beyond workouts and gym time. Maybe a daily step challenge, or a number of active minutes to hit each day? Even during COVID times, your clients might easily walk two miles a day just by walking around the house or the block.

Alternatively, you can challenge them to better consistency in their formal workout time. With a wearable device tracking their workouts, they’ll know they can’t stretch the truth! You’ll have the cold hard data to prove it.

Build healthy habits

There is a common belief that if you can do something for 21 days, you can make it a habit. This isn’t quite true—research shows the average time needed to make a task automatic is more like 66 days—but 21 days is a good start! But part of the difficulty of building that habit is actually remembering to do it at all. That’s where wearables come in.
Tracking habit development using wearable devices will help your client prioritize healthy habits they want to adopt… and once they are locked in as habits, more can be introduced! Plus, as behaviors become automatic, your client will enjoy a higher level of fitness and a healthier lifestyle.

Wearables track activities, movement, heart rate, and sleep cycles to help users build and maintain healthy life habits. For example, with the data in front of them, your clients can see they didn’t take as many steps as they thought and need to be more conscious of their efforts to reach their goals.

Encourage wearing devices 24/7

If there’s one thing to impress upon your personal training clients with wearables, it’s to wear them all the time. Obviously, to get the data you need, your clients must wear their devices!
If your clients need a little motivation, Withings creates stylish hybrid smartwatches that look like normal watches… but with built-in wearable fitness technology. Your clients can find one that fits their personal taste—and then there’s no excuse not to wear it! With wearables, you’ll help your clients shift their lifestyle—creating a longer, healthier relationship with fitness.