Affordable Online Coaching Reviews 336

Having followed James Smith on social media since 2017 and taken advantage of his excellent free and informative content over the years, I finally decided to join the James Smith Academy 5 months ago and chose the premium membership. I’d moved to a new country and decided home workouts were going to be my future, but what I really needed was a professional and customised program. 
For a fraction of the price of a personal trainer in a gym, I receive a personalised program, which can be changed at any point. Mine was customised according to the equipment I have at home. I am now on my 3rd program and over the months, I’ve made so much progress. 
Along with the personalised program is the invaluable support, knowledge and encouragement from the most wonderful coaches/trainers who are available to chat via message. They are there to answer any questions about training/nutrition/etc... and they're all so friendly and motivating!
The app itself is used during training as it has the program on it along with tutorials for each exercise. There are also many training/educational videos and tons of fantastic recipes. I have recently renewed my premium JSA membership and will continue to do so!

I have been an on and off gym rat for years! It wasn’t until I joined JSA that I found the consistency and motivation I needed to really see results.

I’m thrilled and keep recommending JSA to others.

Well, that's 12 weeks! I genuinely can't believe how fast it has gone.

I threw myself into this challenge. I signed up on a whim whilst I was out in France with family just after Christmas and it was the best decision I've made in a long time.

Previously, I was trying to do x5 80mins weights sessions a week, plus x3 20 cardio sessions on top, plus rugby... looking back, no wonder I kept failing. I would get annoyed that I couldn't stick to my programme and then give up, being in a negative cycle. Repeat.

Welcome to JSA. I was assigned x4 weight sessions a week.

Was my 12 week journey easy. No.

I had surgery in week 4 after lacerating my finger attempting DIY. My wife was admitted to hospital in week 7 for 5 days. My 2 sons needed me more than ever. My job has been relentless and throwing a new challenge almost each week. But... the Coaches were there for me. Every step. I felt guilty on multiple occasions where I was too busy to respond and I got back to then when I could. They were always there for me, when I needed them. Questions, support and cheering. When I felt I wasn't making progress they assured me to trust the process.

I stuck to my calories, mainly focusing on my protein intake of 180 to 200g a day. Did I eat out? Yes. Dominos during the 6 Nations. Curry night with my rugby lads, Nandos and whatever social occasion came up. Everything in moderation.

Just 12 weeks... no. A lifestyle change.

Thank you to the Coaches, this group of like minded people and of course James.

This app provides all the tools for success, offering informative videos covering fitness, mindset, nutrition, and workouts/exercises. It enables users to track and measure various metrics, including calories, meal macros, bodyweight and size measurments, which serve as excellent progress indicators. Additionally, the coaches included in the premium plan are highly knowledgeable, supportive, and diligent in providing check-ins.

The coaches on the app are great, very flexible with my needs in writing programmes and are generally very supportive and friendly

Couldn’t say enough good things about this app and the coaches on it!
It is reasonably priced
It has knowledgeable coaches who will give you personalised plans and check in with you as much as you need
There a challenges included in the premium membership that really hold you accountable and help you to lose weight or build muscle etc alongside lots of other members
The support is really second to none the coaches really do everything they can to help you nothing is to much.
The app is also easy to use and excellent it attaches to your mfp and Apple Watch so minimal effort required to track.

I have paid for full online coaching and to be honest this is just as good and I personally prefer the approach 😊

The app has everything you need to succeed. Information videos on fitness, mindset, nutrition and workouts/exercises.

You can record and measure everything from calories to your calf size which are great markers for progress

And the coaches in the premium plan are super knowledgeable, helpful and great at checking in on you

I have been with James and the JSA team for 4 years. I now consider them my external support and gurus for life long accountability and ensuring my health and strength are at the forefront of my mind as much as possible amongst life itself. For me it just has to be present. Advice...be patient and consistent and you will feel the benefit physically and internally with your wellbeing. Thank you James Nicole Stu Erin Fi Hazel Rachel Monique and all the team. Sorry if I missed a name. You are all just brilliant 👏 ❤️

Great coaches, really supportive and helped me set realistic, achievable targets.

I've been with JSA for 15 months now, and what I'll say is the coaches are what really makes this so great. No question or comment is seen as stupid, and they really help you hone in on what can help you achieve your goals. They're like having a little cheerleader in an app, always rooting for you to do your best. The amount of knowledge the team has means they are equipped to support you in almost everything to do with your health and fitness.

I also love that the training program is customised to you, they really listen to your gosls. They're there to tweak the program for you if for any reason it doesn't quite work for you, and are always happy to offer advice on form.

I would recommend JSA to everyone!

I’ve now been using James smith academy for just over 3 years. I started as a complete beginner and wanted to finally take my health and fitness seriously.
Since then I have completely changed my physical appearance. I’ve lost a majority of my body fat around my waist and increased my muscle mass considerably.
This has been down to the fantastic workout programs and coaches. They check in with me weekly and keep me on track.
They have helped me with my nutrition and training programs. They are all awesome

Got back into training in my mid 40s after many years on 2023… did the programme myself and consistently trained 3-4 times a weeks, even during holidays.
12 months later I had put on mass, but I’d put it on everywhere. A little frustrated I subscribed to JSA as couldn’t afford an PT and took some advice.
Here’s what changed:

Physically quite a lot in that time . In 8 weeks I am genuinely down numerous % in body fat, maintained mass where it’s wanted and started to lose the love handles .

Two main reasons.
1) I understand far more about nutrition and just working in a calorie deficit (with targets) provided from insights from the app, supporting material and the coaches

2) The programmes were far more blended than I’d set myself - which created more accountability to do exercises I may have swerved or not considered

There are actual trainers working with JSA who are regularly in contact and who will provide programmes to you. Advice is on hand via a chat function. I believe you can also upload video to get tips on form etc.

There are also 12 weekly challenges - nothing more than a method again to make you (the user) more accountable to meeting a target.. tracking progress weekly which just helps you keep an eye on both the small wins and the longer term goal.

Basically - it’s simple, easy to follow advice - from real trainers (not influencers) - you put the work in but they provide a tailored structure for you to meet that if followed has given me more progression in a few months than I made - thinking I knew how .
It’s also really simple. None of this 5-2, Atkins nonsense… just eat the right amount of calories to be in deficit (or slight surplus) and follow a programme .

Last point - there are no hidden fees or sales that I’ve seen… always a win

I spent over 5 months working out without skipping a training day and saw no results...I tracked every meal like the trainers asked me to as well as walking 7000 to 10000 steps per day. I asked them in many occasions to please not give me chest exercises as I have implants and they still would and often they would give me the same exercise twice! It felt like they were copying and pasting routines from one client to another instead of giving me a bespoke routine. Every time I had questions a different person would answer instead and I would have to start from the beginning to explain where I was at, what my goals were, etc. Definitely not worth it

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with JSA Academy. The app is great. The coaches are fabulous and they kept me on my toes. The support from the team has been amazing and I feel like I have made new friends. We have been chatting about everything under the sun.
I am now saying good bye and the only reason is that I have found a trainer locally that I am going to give a try. I will miss each and everyone who has supported me.

The program is amazing. I learned so much and I love that everything is flexible. Everything was adapted to my lifestyle and I do not feel anything like a burden. The coaches are amazing, I received so many tips and support for them. I have to admit that I didn't expect it and results are really showing without any struggle. Totally recommend!!! From a girl who tried everything and got sick of trying and being fat.

I was a bit skeptical at first but what is there to lose with the free trial?
Was very impressed with the first week, programme was sent within 2 days of completing personal details like height, weight, goals etc. I've an umbilical hernia requiring surgery so need to lose weight however with people charging hundreds per month for online coaching it isn't feasible in a cost of living crisis. "An investment in your health" is always the catchphrase but many in the online coaching industry do not live in a real bubble and its dealing with attitudes like that which stop people asking for help. I needed help and these guys have really offered that for a great price. I've since lost 11lbs. The coaches offer 24/7 support essentially and they will respond to any messages in my experience in a few hours but generally within a day. They offer practical advice and guidance. Very patient too but will also be straight to the point if its needed! An approach I like lol. Very human responses as well, they're people with a common focus to help others. They've managed to design a plan around my condition and if you need adjustments there's no problems at all! What I will advise to people is they give you the calories to follow and it's up to you to design a meal plan accordingly. If that is a service they offered the price would need to go up. (Saying that if they offered that as a surplus charge people would likely pay it as an additional extra as and when needed). I'm on the £48 monthly plan but they've other memberships available for as cheap as a fiver. You get what you put into it people is all i'll say. You will need to be disciplined when following any online plan as they can only guide you so far but for what you're getting, the JSA is defo worth it. Thanks for everything so far guys, you're all ace but big shout out to Fi, Nicole, Maja Erin and Rachel who've I've spoken with the most! If patience was automatic Sainthood you's would get it 🤣

I am so impressed with JSA. The app is excellent. Really easy to use. The training programmes put in place take into account everything you tell the team (injuries, previous experience etc) and the work outs are very good and will change up every few weeks.Personally, I have had alot of experience with PTs in the past and was initially sceptical about an online program. However, I didn't need to be concerned. You have a team of really supportive and helpful people that are there 24 hours a day. If there are any questions regarding your training or nutrition, one of the team will get back to you within a few hours and the advice is spot on. With the level of service I receive from these guys, I actually think it's really good value all round. I have tried other apps previously and just haven't had the motivation to navigate through them. This app has been great. You can also try 7 days free of charge with no payment details needed to be taken, so you don't get stung with cancellation issues, like you might with other apps on the market. I recommend JSA to all levels of fitness. The team are great.

Awesome programme with amazing coaches.
Super supportive team checking in and offering guidance and support without being intrusive or overbearing!
Programmes themselves are tailored to gym equipments/specifications/etc. which is brilliant.
The apps intuitive and easy to use, most importantly delivering great results!

Awesome! I was already a very active individual when joining JSA but I used to only attend classes (which used to cost me around £80/month). I was heavily relying on cardio in various forms.
With the JSA coaches I have developed a healhier approach to fitness/food and noticeably changed my physique.
If you get easily bored of your gym routine, your programme gets redeveloped every 4 weeks so there's always something exciting to look forward to!:) couldn't recommend more

I love this program. You have access to a lot of coaches with different specialties so you get a lot of knowledge. It feels a little weird at first taking to do many different people but a year in and I really enjoy it. Having custom built workout plans at you fingertips and access to talk to James directly if you want to has made this last year a success for me. At some point I think I will get to a place where I don't need the help all the time to, as their goal seems to be too make you self sufficient. For now though, it's a small price to pay getting the help I need to live a healthier life.