Time-poor Aussies are swapping personal trainers for tablets by embracing living room workouts, aided by the growing wealth of online tools and how-to videos, according to new research commissioned by nbn. 

Clicking their way to a healthier lifestyle, more than half of Aussies surveyed (53 percent) would use the internet to help improve their training techniques, research nutrition and map their fitness progress. Of those who’d looked online for fitness inspiration, almost two-thirds would watch online video tutorials (63 percent) and just under half admit to researching the latest fitness trends online (48 percent).

The research also reveals almost two-thirds of those surveyed (62 percent) prefer to exercise in their living room than in the gym, with majority admitting they train at home because it’s free (95 per cent) and convenient (94 per cent). 

To provide the nation with some homegrown inspiration, nbn has teamed up with fitness expert, Tim Robards to create a series of nbn Virtual Trainer workout films. Combining Tim’s fitness prowess with the latest trends from animalistic moves to Bollywood-inspired dancing, these 30-minute long workouts are designed to be streamed from the comfort of your home over fast broadband.

Virtual Trainer, fitness expert and chiropractor, Tim Robards says:

“Whether it’s stiletto aerobics streamed in from Brazil or the latest Hollywood workout, there is now a wealth of information at our fingertips, using technology to help make fitness fun and easy. With the research showing half  of all Aussies start increasing their exercise in Spring in preparation for the summer months, it made perfect sense to launch the nbn Virtual Trainer sessions while exercise is top of mind for the nation. The workouts are designed to give busy, on-the-go Aussies no matter where they are, the chance to connect with health and fitness  expertise online from the comfort of their home.”

“The nbn Virtual Trainer workouts I’ve created use some of the most popular and interesting fitness trends available online at the moment, including some from my very own The Robards Method fitness program. 

“They will get you growing, stretching and sweating all at the same time. Whether you’re stuck behind a desk all week long, you’re an exercise novice or fitness junkie, there’s something for everyone to adapt to their own level. The most important thing is to keep challenging your body with new skills and routines, as well as keeping it fun and fresh, in ways that work for you.”

Additional research findings include:

• Toning and strength top of the list: The top three fitness trends Aussies are turning to online are Yoga (28 percent), weight training methods (25 percent) and Pilates (23 per cent);
• Motivated Millennials: Millennials are most inclined to turn to tech (69 percent) to help them get the best results from their exercise. They are also the most likely to be intimidated working out in the gym (67 percent) and are the most motivated by getting ‘beach-body ready’ for summer (63 per cent).
• Age is just a number: When it comes to learning fitness trends online, Millennials are most inclined to get their hearts racing with High-Intensity Interval Training (69 percent) at home;
• Game-on: Just under a sixth of Aussies (15 percent) are interested in trying out fitness-based video games online.

Visit nbn blog series to access the nbn Virtual Trainer workouts and learn more about how the network is helping Australians reach their fitness goals.