Last week I had the opportunity to participate in the 2024 IDEA & ACSM Health and Fitness Summit in Chicago. For the last several years I have attended this IDEA Personal Trainers’ Institute in Alexandria, VA; this year the event was combined with ACSM and featured over three days of lectures, workshops, classes, and workouts for people in the Fitness Industry.
Like doctors, lawyers, and many other professionals, personal trainers are required by their certifying agencies to engage in continuing education. I try to take one continuing education class on-line each month to meet that requirement. Attending one of these events allows for a high volume of credits, hearing the latest innovations in the field, as well as opportunities to network. I was only able to be there on Friday, but I did attend four sessions. The next few blog posts will be about what I learned.
The plenary session on Friday morning featured Dr. Ted Vickey on the topic: Future of Fitness: A Deep Dive into AI’s Dual Impact on the Business of Fitness. I was curious to hear his remarks because my wife works in “Corporate America,” in a company that is heavily investing in Artificial Intellegence as a way to help employees better serve customers. I know that many people fear AI, but I believe it is just like any other technology; it has the potential for both good and bad. I wondered how this all could be applied to fitness.
Vickey shared some of the ways in which AI can benefit those working in the field and those whom we serve. Although the talk was listed as a “deep dive,” it sort of hung out in the shallows; I am not sure how deep one can go in a 30-40 minute talk! He did give us some sense of where AI might assist us: communicating with clients more effectively, building business more quickly, and even assisting with the programming that we do (the actual exercises, number of reps and sets, weight, etc.) one-on-one or in a group setting. The time saved can potentially permit trainers to take on more clients and/or build business in other ways.
Sadly for my clients, AI will NOT do the exercises for us. It is also unlikely that AI will be able to replace the human interaction that makes working with a trainer so special. It can be a valuable tool, though, that can make the experience of exercise better and enhance the trainer/client relationship.
I do plan to learn more about AI and how I can use it in the work that I do. As Vickey suggested, not all people in the industry will use AI, but those who will survive and thrive will be among those who do. I feel like I have glimpsed the future and it is exciting!
Kosher Fitness 