In today’s age of technology, we must wonder, is there anything Chat CPT can’t do? The artificial intelligence chatbot answers customer queries, writes content, and now people use it as a cheap alternative to a personal trainer. But is it safe to use?
ChatGPT Advantages
ChatGPT’s primary advantage is its price. The platform is free and offers some premium services. Its price makes it a suitable alternative to trainers that cost $100 to $350 per session.
Other AI personal training tools are also emerging as affordable options. Apps like Aaptiv and Fitbod cost under $100 a year.
The apps are versatile and customizable. You can program them to adjust to your schedule. You can ask them to target specific muscles. They provide instructions on how to do suitable workouts as a trainer would.
Another benefit is that the apps get you moving. It helps people understand the difference between training and exercise so they can make it part of their lives.
ChatGPT Disadvantages
Many trainers (who are in danger of losing their jobs if AI fitness apps take off) and health advocates warn that free and low cost isn’t always better.
The National Eating Disorders Association disabled its chatbot after it gave weight loss advice to users.
New York-certified personal trainer Jill Goodtree also found several flaws with AI apps. She asked an app to create a program that promotes upper-body muscle growth. She found that the workout would not be enough to build muscle mass.
She also noted that the tool cannot assess form. The lack of information presents safety issues.
Another personal trainer, Daniel Lucas, believes the app lacks specificity. He noted that one program recommended 5 to 10 minutes of stretching as a post-workout cooldown, but it didn’t state which muscles to stretch. He said stretching the wrong muscle could weaken it.
He also pointed out that an AI program recommended that users do 8 to 12 repetitions for planks. However, planks should be measured by time rather than repetitions.
Trainers also mentioned that AI personal trainers lack a personal connection. “There’s no substitute for human contact and human energy,” Lucas said.
Trainers Looking to Adapt AI
While some trainers dismiss AI-generated workouts, others are excited to adapt them to their services. 32-year-old online fitness and nutrition coach Thomas McGee states, “What I’m trying to figure out is how do I leverage this technology shift, which I think is amazing, but help guide it to give my clients personalized plans?”
McGee has been working on a free AI workout builder that requests user information, including age, gender, and weight. The tool will then generate a customized weekly workout and nutrition plan.
“What I found is a lot of people use it and then they don’t get the results they want. And then they come back to me and say, ‘Hey, I need more help.’ That’s where they end up typically working with me,” McGee said.
Are AI-generated workouts a blessing or a curse? What’s your take on it?