Recently I had a conversation with a personal trainer that owns his own studio. He came to me troubled, asking questions about how to best compete with AI in thinking that many of his clients would simply ask ChatGPT for a new workout program and meal plan, threatening his client base and competing with him directly at no cost. As you likely already assumed, my response to him was not validation of his fear, but it also wasn’t a “don’t worry about it” pep talk either.
Instead, I encouraged him to consider how he can evolve his business to take advantage of what’s available to him. You see, the fitness industry has never lacked trends. What’s changed is the speed at which they show up, and how quickly trainers feel pressured to react.
AI, wearables, online coaching platforms, influencers, new certifications, new tech stacks and new promises seem to be all over our social feeds. From the outside, it can feel like the ground is constantly shifting under your feet. But from the inside: from years spent working with trainers, studio owners, franchise operators and multi-unit businesses, here’s the truth:
Most trends don’t change the fundamentals of coaching.They only change who executes them well.
The real skill today isn’t chasing every new idea; it’s knowing what actually matters, what’s noise and where trainers should invest their limited time, energy and money, so let’s break it down:
TREND #1: AI IN FITNESS
Pay attention, but don’t panic
AI is the real deal. It’s not going away and if we are honest, most of us use it on a daily basis in one way or another. And yes, it will change parts of the industry.
But it’s not coming to replace great trainers. AI is exceptionally good at: Writing generic programs, tracking data, automating reminders and answering basic questions broadly. AI is terrible at: reading human emotion, building trust, creating accountability under pressure and adjusting in real time to life stress, injuries and mindset. The reality most trainers miss is that AI replaces information. It does not replace interpretation, coaching or leadership.
Trainers who are vulnerable to suffering due to AI are the ones that: rely solely on generic programming, don’t build relationships and don’t coach behavior, habits or consistency. Trainers who thrive use AI to save time, automate administrative work, improve follow-up, communication and planning, and spend more time coaching with the time saved by leveraging AI.
What to do instead of panicking:
- Use AI for programming drafts, emails, check-ins and scheduling
- Double down on human coaching skills: communication, motivation, clarity
- Become a guide, not a PDF distributor
TREND #2: “EVERYONE IS A COACH ONLINE”
Ignore the noise, and focus on outcomes
Social media has created the illusion that everyone is a fitness expert. It seems like every other reel you scroll through is another person promising you results in 30 days or your money back guaranteed. What this phenomenon hasn’t created? Consistent results. Online competition looks intimidating until you zoom out: Most online coaches struggle with retention, don’t deliver long-term adherence and actually burn out their audience with constant content. Meanwhile, trainers who coach real humans, build real habits and create real accountability continue to win.
Clients don’t leave great coaching for cheap content. They leave unclear systems and inconsistent support. If you’re losing clients to “online competition,” it’s rarely about price. It’s about perceived value and clarity.
TREND #3: DATA, WEARABLES & TRACKING EVERYTHING
Pay attention, selectively
More data isn’t the same as better coaching. As a matter of fact, more data points often create more inaction in humans than actually creating impactful insights. Heart rate, sleep scores, recovery metrics and step counts are tools can help when they’re translated correctly; however, the mistake trainers make is showing clients numbers without context and tracking data without changing behavior, which turns into overwhelming instead of empowering your clients.
The best trainers use data to reinforce consistency, celebrate progress, adjust intelligently and create buy-in over time, which turns into momentum for your clients. The worst trainers use data to impress, not improve.
If a metric doesn’t clearly change what a client does tomorrow, it’s just flashy stats, not helpful information.
TREND #4: NICHE EVERYTHING
Pay attention, but don’t overcomplicate it
Yes, niches matter, but no, you don’t need to invent a hyper-specific identity to succeed. The most successful trainers I’ve worked with didn’t start with: “I only train left-handed golfers over 42 with desk jobs.” They started with a population they understood, a problem they could solve and a system they could repeat. Clarity beats cleverness every day of the week. If your niche helps you speak more clearly, solve problems better and deliver consistent outcomes, it’s useful. If it just limits your confidence and opportunity, ignore it.
TREND #5: TECH STACK OVERLOAD
Safely ignore
More software does not equal more success. Most trainers don’t have a tech problem, they have a process problem. You don’t need five different platforms, constant upgrades and every new feature to keep your clients engaged. You need a simple system, clear communication and consistent follow-up. If your tech doesn’t enable one of these things, get rid of it.
THE TREND THAT ACTUALLY MATTERS
Coaching behavior, not just bodies
Believe it or not, the biggest shift happening in fitness isn’t AI and it's not online competition.
It’s the fact that clients don’t struggle with workouts, they struggle with consistency. The trainers who win long-term are the ones that coach habits, not just movements, set expectations clearly, track adherence, not just effort, and lead clients through life stress, not around it. These skills will never be automated.
FINAL THOUGHTS
You don’t need to chase every trend, but you do need to interpret the right ones correctly.
Ignore fear-based narratives, ignore hype without execution and, most importantly, ignore anything that pulls you away from coaching people well. Pay attention to tools that save you time, improve clarity, strengthen accountability and help your clients stay consistent. The future belongs to trainers that coach the best, and that’s a trend worth betting on.
Ben Ludwig currently serves as the growth pastor for CrosspointNow network of churches across Kansas, acts as the subject matter expert in sales for Fitness Revolution, sits on the Advisory Board for the International Strength Training Organization and works in a consultant role with the fastest-growing fitness franchise in the world, F45 Training, as well as working a hand in many start-up businesses. He has held multiple upper-level management roles within the fitness industry and has developed curriculum for certified personal training programming as well as standard operating procedure for gym businesses around the world. Ben can be reached at bcludwig8338@gmail.com.
