The Most Engaging Personal Trainers of 2023, According to ABC Trainerize
These fitness coaches led the way when it comes to app engagement, staying close to their current clients and attracting new ones
ABC Trainerize, a mobile and software platform for coaches, personal trainers and fitness companies owned by ABC Fitness, recently unveiled the winners of its 2023 Best Trainer Awards. Presented during the TZ Collective online event in December, these awards recognize the exceptional dedication, client success and business acumen of personal trainers and fitness businesses.
Candidates were shortlisted based on a year’s worth of usage data from the ABC Trainerize platform. Specific metrics assessed included the number of active client members, completed workouts and habits tracked, meal plans created and meals logged, and messages exchanged between trainers and clients.
Sharad Mohan, chief platform growth leader at ABC Fitness and co-founder of Trainerize, told Athletech News that these award recipients “are actively transforming the industry—and the lives of their clients—and we are proud to celebrate their accomplishments with this recognition.”
The diversity of workout programs offered and client adherence to these plans were critical factors in determining the top performers across all award categories. This data-driven approach enabled ABC Trainerize to identify coaches and studios with outstanding app engagement.
Best Overall Engagement
Steve Shaw of Massive Iron earned the Trainer of the Year award for stellar client engagement, evident in sending 85,000 messages to clients in just one year. Shaw, an online powerbuilding coach and YouTuber who also specializes in body transformations and ultrarunning, topped a competitive field to take the best trainer honor.
“I’m extremely excited to receive this recognition,” said Shaw, who considers the app his “coaching rock.”
“The messaging system alone is worth every dollar to me,” he added. “Communication is my training cornerstone and having the ability to message, view videos, and photos/screenshots all in my feed has allowed me to be ultra-efficient. This feature has allowed me to scale.”
Studio of the Year
Fit For Golf clinched the 2023 Studio of the Year award, showcasing exceptional service and client dedication. With over 30,000 active clients and more than 157,000 workouts completed, owner Mike Carroll demonstrated significant business growth since 2016. His studio has garnered attention from PGA players due to its niche in golf fitness and its associated app. Carroll said his custom-branded app from ABC Trainerize has been key to his studio’s success.
“The app delivers the programs, scheduling, and tracking that our clients need—and streamlines the business operations side, too,” Carroll said.
Excellence in Fitness, Nutrition & Habits
Kris Gethin Coaching was honored with the 2023 Remarkable Results with Fitness award. Gethin’s unique approach to fitness, featuring diverse programming and creative video workouts, has kept more than 10,000 clients engaged and motivated throughout the year, highlighting his ability to make fitness accessible and enjoyable for a broad audience.
In the nutrition category, Hebe Hiom Coaching emerged as the winner of the 2023 Remarkable Results with Nutrition award. This recognition comes in light of Hiom’s support in helping clients make healthier food choices. With over 200,000 daily meals tracked and a plethora of custom foods and meal plans, Hebe Hiom Coaching has played a pivotal role in guiding clients towards better nutritional habits with the tagline, “Changing women’s lives physically and mentally without fad diets or restrictions.”
Body Smart Fitness received the 2023 Remarkable Results with Habits award. Catering to nearly 700 active clients, they helped facilitate the completion of around 350,000 habits in 2023 alone, and added 14,000 custom habits. Their science-backed approach to focusing on small, consistent actions led to significant results for clients.
Co-founder Jaymie Moran said that the company’s focus is on helping busy women over 30 lose weight, build a healthier lifestyle and regain their confidence.
“Our unique weight loss program guides [clients] through a proven curriculum with 1-1 coaching support, personalized training plans, weekly check-ins, and community support — all enabled through ABC Trainerize,” Moran said. “We are so happy to be recognized.”
Rising Star
The Rising Star award of 2023 went to Plant Forged Physique, a newcomer to the ABC Trainerize community with a focus on vegan coaching. Their progress in the first year, marked by the highest average monthly growth rate for new clients, exemplifies the potential of new businesses in the fitness industry. Over 9,000 messages sent to clients further highlight their dedication to client engagement and growth.
View the full ABC Trainerize Best Trainer Awards 2023 here.