Online Personal Training for ADF Applicants

​All ADF applicants must meet the PFA standards if they’re to be accepted. As a consequence, you need to improve your fitness levels, strength & conditioning, and ensure you hit the targets set. To do this, you may benefit from the help of an online personal trainer with a background in the Australian Defence Force and proven methods to help applicants pass the assessment. 

You've heard of online fitness coaching before but not sure how it could help with your fitness assessment goals? ​Online personal training has grown in popularity in the past few years, thanks to its convenience and effectiveness.  The Barracks Gym has compiled a list to help you understand how online personal training can be your best shot when training for the PFA and preparing for basic and officer training.

What is Online Personal Training?

The concept of online training is relatively new to the fitness scene. Traditionally, people would seek out a personal trainer and meet them in the gym to work out. With online personal training, you get all the assistance you need - but everything is delivered online.

Your coaching team will assess your current performance before designing your workouts. Your lifestyle and available resources will also be crucial for your plan. With all the info, they then create a plan that not only aids your goals but also considers your training environment and military service needs. 

The Pros & Cons of Online PT For ADF Applicants

Hiring an online trainer can be extremely beneficial for many reasons. Check out the list we've put together to understand the pros and cons.

1. Flexibility
When you sign up for online personal training, you don’t receive a strict schedule to follow. You’ll be given workouts to complete, but when and where you do them can be flexible based on your lifestyle. By contrast, one-on-one personal training and group sessions work around the trainer's or gym's schedule. You can only train when they’re available, or you don’t train at all. When everything is delivered online, you have the freedom to work out at your convenience. 

2. Traceable Results
All of your workout information and training details are stored online for you to look at whenever you want to check your progress. Keeping an eye on your results has never been easier. ADF applicants will find this benefit particularly useful for tracking how the beep test, push-ups and sit-ups are improving as they're getting fitter.

For example, in your first week, you may only do five full push-ups. Then, a few weeks later, you manage ten. By looking back and seeing your previous results, you get a real sense for how much you’ve improved! The best is that everything will be available for you at your fingertips, 24/7 via an online app.

3. Get Help from People with Experience
A massive benefit of online personal training is that you’re not limited in your search. If you wanted a one-on-one trainer, then you have to choose from whoever is available nearby. You will have a limited pool of personal trainers, and you may not find one that's specialized in exactly what you need. 

​Online training puts no geographical restrictions in place, meaning you can find the best and most experienced trainers. For instance, ADF applicants in the Brisbane area have the opportunity to train at The Barracks Gym in person by trainers with military experience and enjoy all its benefits. 

If you live in Western Australia or Victoria though, coming to see us at our gym may not be achievable. Because we offer online services, you don't need to do your training for the ADF without TBG's expert help. ​

4. Affordable
Traditional personal training can be quite expensive. You can sometimes keep the costs down, but most people won’t be able to afford multiple sessions a week, for an extended period. Group training requires less budget, but that may not be available at times you can train.

By comparison, online personal training is more cost-effective and efficient. The critical difference is that you don’t pay for sessions, you pay for a programme and coaching. Therefore, prices tend to work out at a better rate. Plus, online personal training can be done from anywhere - even your home gym. With in-person training, you might have to pay for a specific membership at an expensive gym, so that you can meet with the trainer.  

5. Motivation and Accountability
If we compare an in-person training and an online training session from a motivation and accountability point, personal training comes out higher. Your trainer will be physically present and can encourage you throughout based on how you feel in session. However, most times outside your workouts, you don't interact with them.

Online training can be different in that you can contact your coach anytime, get questions answered and receive advice to keep you motivated. They will come back to you in a timely fashion. You will also become part of an online community full of like-minded people on the same journey of joining the Australian Defence Force.

With us, you can talk to other ADF applicants and hear how their training is going, share your struggles and motivate each other. There’s a sense of accountability as well. If you start slacking, you may feel like you’re letting all the other people down. In reality, you'll realise everybody has bad days. One day you help someone to stay on track, on another day you'll receive the support you need to keep going.

6. Stay Connected
As we just mentioned, online personal training gives you a convenient way to communicate with your trainer. Traditional personal trainers will typically give you their number, but you rarely speak to them outside of arranging sessions. It just feels a bit rude, and you don’t want to overstep your boundaries and keep pushing them. Usually, you only speak if they speak to you first. 

With online personal training, you have a chance to speak to your trainer whenever you see fit. You can message them 24/7, and even have video calls as well. In fact, with The Barracks Gym’s online personal training for ADF applicants service, we can message via Facebook or our coaching app, offer monthly video chats, and weekly phone calls as well. The point is that you’re never short of communication options. 


When you compare online personal training with regular personal training, there aren’t many disadvantages. The main one is that you don’t get the guidance and help while you’re working out. If you’ve never attempted certain lifts before, online personal training may not be for you. Having a trainer with you in person can teach you the correct technique and ensure you are performing the lifts safely.

Who is Online Personal Training Ideal For?

While there are many benefits to online personal training for ADF applicants, it might not be ideal for everyone. 

We find that it’s best suited to people who are motivated to train but would benefit from expert workout design and extra coaching. If you’ve applied for the ADF before but failed your fitness test, then this could be perfect for you. By receiving guidance from an experienced coach with a military background, you can learn a few vital tips that ensure you pass this time around. 

We'd recommend that you have a little bit of training experience if you want to try online personal training. While all the lifts and workouts will be explained clearly, it is helpful to have some prior understanding.

If you have never trained a day in your life, and you want to get ready for an ADF PFA, I recommend you come down to the gym for an assessment and consultation first. Here, you will get guidance on how to start lifting. Whether you train with a personal trainer one-to-one or join a group setting, learning correct form should always be your first priority before progressing onto more advanced workouts.

How Does It Work?

The TBG online personal training service for Australian Defence Force applicants is very straightforward. In this section, we’ll walk you through all the different stages to demonstrate how it works. 

Step 1: Choose a program
The first step is finding a plan that’s right for you. We offer a variety of online personal training program based on your experience and needs. Mostly, the less experience you have, the more comprehensive the recommended online training system is. You’ll get more resources and assistance to help you get started, but the costs will be higher too. ​

We design each program with a particular type of ADF applicant in mind. So, we advise you to read through each one before selecting the one that suits you best.

Step 2: Sign up
Next, you can sign up for your online personal training program. It’s effortless to do; fill in a contact form or give us a call, and you will be put through to one of our team members. 

Step 3: Connect with your trainer
When you’ve signed up, you will be able to connect with your trainer. This part is exciting as it means you can talk more specifically about your goals and aims. Be sure to provide as much information as possible, including weaknesses, strengths, lifestyle factors that can affect your training and so on.

Your trainer then will take all that information and create an individualized program that’s specific for you. It will consider your environment, lifestyle, military goals and aid your key improvement areas.

Step 4: Access your training via TrueCoach app
Your training program will be available via the TrueCoach, a free app that you can access on desktop and mobile devices. Conclusively, it shows you all the workout routines that you have to do. You can put in details such as the weights used and reps completed, run times and beep test scores - which helps with tracking your progress. It also includes videos with each workout so you are never left unsure of what each exercise is. 

Step 5: Get advice from your coach and connect with others
The beauty of online personal training is that your coach is always there when you need them. We offer 24/7 guidance so that you can contact them through a range of methods. 

​Our programmes also come with regular check-ins: a monthly FB group video chat and a weekly phone call. You also get access to a closed community of ADF applicants and serving members via a closed Facebook group. Here, you can talk to other people in the same position as you, and seek guidance from people serving in the Forces for added support to succeed in your application. 

Step 6: Put in the work
Of course, you need to put in all the work! Make sure you follow your programme to the letter for best results. Listen to the advice your coach gives you and maintain nutrition habits that support your training as well. No matter how good your online personal training plan is, it won’t work unless you put in the effort.

Step 7: See the results
Eyes on the prize they say. If you follow the plan, then you will start to see results in just a few weeks. By the time the programme finishes, you should be in a position to tackle your ADF application and pass all the relevant tests. 


To summarise, online personal training is an excellent alternative of personal training for ADF applicants. If you’re looking for a convenient and affordable way to train for your assessment, then this is it. At The Barracks Gym, we provide you with access to military training experts who can devise the ideal plan for you.


Feel free to contact us today to have any more of your questions answered about online personal training and see how we can help you get that pass on your PFA.