You can now get a training programme written by an app or AI in a matter of seconds — and for some people, that’s enough to get started. But a programme is only part of the picture, especially if you’re in your 40s or over.

What apps can’t do is coach. They don’t see how you move, notice when something isn’t quite right, or adjust the plan when life, stress, lack of sleep, old injuries, or work pressures get in the way, which they inevitably do. Apps can’t tell the difference between “this is hard but fine” and “this is how people get injured.”

Experience matters.

After years of coaching real people, you learn when to push, when to hold back, and when to change direction entirely. You learn how bodies respond differently with age, how recovery becomes just as important as effort, and how consistency beats intensity every time.

Good coaching isn’t about having the most complicated programme. It’s about making sure the right things are done at the right time, for the right reasons. Especially if you want to stay strong, capable and pain-free for the long haul.