If you're old enough, you might remember when working out meant lugging around a bulky Sony Walkman and sweating it out to "Eye of the Tiger." Over the last several decades, fitness and workout culture have changed dramatically. Gone are the days of neon sweatbands and VHS tapes.

Today you can wirelessly cast a virtual trainer to your smart TV and listen to your favorite music (you might still listen to "Eye of the Tiger" and that's OK!) using wireless, noise-canceling earbuds. And with the rise of virtual coaching and AI, the way you exercise will continue to change.

The Benefits of Virtual Coaching for Exercise

There are a ton of benefits that virtual coaching offers—from providing unparalleled convenience and delivering a high level of personalization with bespoke workout plans to fostering accountability through goal tracking and community-driven motivation.

Personalization Through Virtual Coaching

With virtual coaching, many people have kissed the dreaded gym commute goodbye. There are many online exercise platforms, like Aaptiv, Fitbit Coach, Nike Training Club, and Apple Fitness+, that offer a smorgasbord of personalized workout plans and live, on-demand classes that you can do from home.

The Flexibility of Virtual Coaching

Everyone is different—you have different goals, fitness levels, and workout preferences—so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to working out. Virtual coaches offer personalization and flexibility that even some human trainers lack. Apps like Stronger by Science's MacroFactor and Noom can help you develop and adapt personalized meal plans and track the number of macronutrients you need to meet your goals.

Virtual Coaching Provides Accountability

Lastly, there's no longer any need to feel like you're tackling new fitness challenges alone. In fact, with support from online communities, you might have more support than you can handle! There are many social fitness apps like Strava and Nike Run Club that can turn exercise into a group adventure. In addition to community support, many apps feature challenges and rewards to gamify exercise and keep you motivated.

The Rise of AI in Fitness

Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll no doubt be aware of the continuing advances in AI technology. AI is poised to take the fitness world by storm, and it may lead you to ditch your human trainer or dumb app for an app or service that is unbeatable in what it can offer.

First off, AI-powered technology offers individuals and enterprises personalized coaching and smart workout software. For example, the solutions offered by Vi Labs include customized fitness coaching, gamified health metrics, daily mindfulness, and smart reminders and scheduling.

AI-powered programs are also able to learn and adapt to your individual needs, which means they can recommend the type and amount of exercise you need to perform to get the most out of every minute spent working out. Say goodbye to wasted reps that take up your time but have little impact on your fitness goals.

Lastly, wearable devices will soon become integrated with AI-powered apps. Devices such as Fitbit fitness trackers, Garmin smartwatches, the Samsung Galaxy Watch, and the Apple Watch Series 8 will likely begin to use AI along with data from activity tracking, heart rate monitoring, and sleep tracking to transform into unbeatable fitness companions.

The Future of Exercise: Combining Virtual Coaching and AI

Thanks to virtual coaching and AI, the world is about to enter a technological era that revolutionizes health and fitness through various combinations of hardware and software.

Next-Level AI Personalization

By combining virtual coaching with AI, you'll benefit from fine-tuned workout and meal plans that will evolve with your ever-changing goals, body composition, and energy levels. You'll know exactly what to eat and what exercises to perform to maintain your fitness level, prepare for a sporting event, or stay in shape while recovering from injury.

As these technologies merge, you'll also see the disappearance of dumb apps that require you to follow a predetermined workout regime. Virtual coaches with an AI foundation will deliver personalized plans based on real-time progress and how you're feeling.

Imagine an app that can carefully choose its words based on your mood and motivate you to get up when you're feeling the laziest. It's an inevitability.

Then, there is the potential for virtual coaches and AI to create fitness and nutrition plans based on unique medical conditions. This includes tailoring its recommendations based on nutritional requirements—such as low sodium for hypertension, blood-sugar-friendly meals for diabetes, or gut-friendly meals for those with IBS.

AI Integration With Wearables

And as virtual coaches and AI technology continue to mature, you'll no doubt see features and applications emerge that were unthinkable even 5 years ago, especially as platforms integrate data collected from fitness trackers and smartwatches.

For example, you could receive workout plans and nutritional suggestions based on your real-time physical and mental state by funneling data about your activity levels, heart rate, sleep patterns, and other bodily metrics into AI-powered systems.

By tracking an ever-growing number of metrics—from hydration levels, muscle fatigue, and stress—AI systems will also be able to identify patterns that signal when your health is at risk, and then be able to adjust your routine to avoid injury.

Genetically Informed AI Fitness Coaches

Lastly, virtual coaches and AI systems could be able to tap into the vast storehouse of data contained in your genetic sequence to unlock unfathomable levels of personalization. By analyzing your raw DNA data from 23andMe or another third party, AI algorithms can create fitness programs tailored to your genetic strengths and weaknesses.

Genetic testing will also inform your future virtual coach how your body can process certain nutrients (or not), evaluate your predisposition to food intolerances, and even recommend meal plans that complement your genetic makeup. With genetic testing, virtual coaching and AI could deliver next-level personalization to help you achieve the healthiest, fittest, and happiest version of yourself.

New Frontiers of Cyber-Fitness

The fitness landscape has come a long way since the days of leg warmers and Walkmans. With virtual coaching and AI joining forces, we're venturing into a new era of hyper-personalized workouts, nutrition plans, and cutting-edge technology that will cater to your unique needs in ways you could only dream of before.

And as wearables, genetic testing, and medical data integration continue to fuel the cyber-fitness revolution, expect to see even more advanced, tailored, and effective health and wellness products designed to transform your life.