Bright white LED lights shine down on now-senior Jacob Kinsky as he reracks his weight after performing his first bench press. A video blares through his phone, explaining proper squat form for his next set of exercises.
“Especially when I was just beginning to work out, and I was learning how to properly do exercises and just learning what exercises to do, I used YouTube videos and online tutorials a lot as a very helpful resource for me to start lifting and getting better,” Kinsky, who is now a senior, said.
Similarly, PE and yoga teacher, Sheri Mulroe, said Peloton introduced her to online workout tutorials.
“A number of years ago, I became aware of Peloton, which is an online platform, and I utilized some of their content because I got the bike and thought that was fantastic,” Mulroe said.
According to Statista, the amount of people who use online fitness resources is set to increase by over 23% from 2024 to 2029. This growth is equivalent to almost 44 million users.
However, Luiz Lodino, head boys varsity soccer coach and Orange Theory Fitness coach, said after the COVID-19 pandemic, he has seen a decrease in the use of online workouts.
“During the pandemic, we accepted the fact that we have to work together with others on screens and that’s what it is, but at that moment that you can have someone physically present coaching through a hard workout or getting through a hard workout with you, the majority would choose the latter,” Lodino said.
Mulroe said this rise in the use of online workouts can have positive benefits on people who are uncomfortable working out in public gyms.
“I see it being amazing, because there’s a significant population of people that don’t want to work out in front of people,” Mulroe said. “So in that regard, I think it’s really good.”
In addition to those benefits, Kinsky said gym influencers and fitness videos have led to a greater awareness of good health.
“It’s definitely brought a lot more publicity and recognition and just a lot more awareness to working out,” Kinsky said. “It’s probably a lot of publicity, a lot of awareness, a lot more people are working out and getting healthier and achieving their goals.”
However, Kinsky said gym influencers can have a negative impact on the community through setting unrealistic expectations.
“I think there is a little bit of this gym culture that has been created, of body dysmorphia, and people thinking, they, after six months, are gonna look like this very famous gym influencer who has been lifting for 10 years that has this really great body,” Kinsky said.
It is not just these standards that can have negative effects on the gym culture and industry. Mulroe said online workouts can bring up safety issues, especially for beginners.
“My major concern is the injury risk,” Mulroe said. “Again, on the Peloton platform, they have a lot of strength classes, and a lot of them move really fast. So you’re picking up these dumbbells that could be 35 pounds, which is not insignificant, and swinging them around.”
In addition to safety issues and unrealistic standards, Lodino said it can be hard to be consistent with online fitness journeys.
“In my experience, it is very hard to stick with a solid, solely online fitness routine,” Lodino said. “I used to coach via zoom, and this service is no longer available. For instance, if I need to coach someone in Hawaii, and I do have clients there, I have to fly there to make it happen.”
Despite the strengths and weaknesses of online fitness, Lodino said he thinks in-person gyms will continue to thrive.
Lodino said, “The fitness industry is growing by the minute, and gyms won’t (be leaving anytime soon).”
