As more and more people leave their gym memberships for the convenience of an online fitness program, there is a growing interest among customers to feel accountable. One of the ways to keep customers engaged in an online fitness program is to personalize it. GymGO has addressed this need with an intriguing new offering – real-time online personal trainers.

Employing personal trainers have been a popular way for people to get started with a fitness routine, or to train for a specific goal. Trainers are also an effective way to keep people engaged as they progress, because they can measure results, adjust routines, and hold people accountable.

As more trainers enter the fray, they are looking for ways to expand their customer base, which includes offering their services to online clientele. This is especially helpful to trainers in that it reduces travel time to get to clients, offering them more opportunity to reach a larger audience.

The main attraction for clients however is the one-on-one interaction with their trainers, which hasn’t been practical or available in an online environment. Many online fitness programs offer classes and workouts but without feedback or observation. In other words, you follow the instruction without accountability, so it’s easy to get distracted or lose motivation.

But GymGO is aiming to differentiate itself by incorporating a two-way video system that allows trainers to not only provide instruction, but to observe and correct the client, which also reduces injuries and keeps them focused on their training regimen.

GymGO founder Donovan Cox told website Technical.ly that it “was important to have a platform that enabled true accountability between a trainer and a client.”

“They’re looking at you and communicating with you similar to how they would if they are in your presence,” said Cox, who has been in the fitness business for 25 years, according to the website.

Cox hired celebrity personal trainer Gunnar Peterson (from the reality show Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian) to come on board as Chief Training Officer, another draw for potential clients.

"I think that people often look at fitness through a blurry lens. They can't quite make out what it really is. GymGo is going to clear it up, it's going to bring it into focus. It's right at your fingertips. It puts fitness on your doorstep."

Pricing is set up on a per-session model, with the trainer getting a percentage that is reportedly higher than in-person classes, which would be a good incentive to participate.

The service launched in May, and is available at gymgo.com.