Benefits of Small Group Personal Training
The Importance of Community
Community can be a big attractant when joining a gym. Crossfit has been at the forefront of this movement. Why? Thor Strength epitomizes community for many reasons. For starters, this allows individuals to develop an identity in the fitness space, and meet new people with similar goals. Also, there is an additional layer of support with a community. Not only is the coach providing guidance and motivation, but everyone else is there to help you succeed.
What Is Small Group Personal Training?
Small group training, generally, is a personal training session with up to 8 clients, where everyone in that group is following the same list of exercises. These exercises can be clumped together in a circuit style or a cluster of 2-3 exercises at a time. Here at Thor Strength, we try to limit our small group training sessions to 6 people maximum per coach. But what we provide to each of our clients is their own personalized program to follow. This personalized program directly correlates with each clients’ personal goals, as well as accessory exercises for any issues discovered in our assessment.
Who Should Do Small Group Personal Training?
Maybe we’re a little bit biased, but everyone should try it! However, we understand that not everyone is the right candidate right from the start. Got a 9-5 job? Those times before or after work are typically the most popular. We’ve also informed our current members that should someone new join in on their session, they will most likely get a little more attention until they feel like they are up to speed.
Nervous? No worries. We get it. The gym can be considered an intimidating place. Many of our members refuse to step into a big box gym because they feel lost. Not only are our coaches around to help set you up for success, but each of our members are excited to welcome newcomers and help show them the ropes.
At times, we come across new members that have a limitation that requires more attention or instruction. Whether they are brand new to exercising or bouncing back from a hip replacement, we strongly recommend starting with a 1-on-1 personal training session. But we’ve found that just about everyone can jump right in or work up towards joining our small group training.
Lastly, personal training can be expensive. But with small group training the prices are typically more affordable. And depending on the time of day, your small group training membership might occasionally turn into a 1-on-1. That’s a major win in my books.
The Benefits Of Training with Others
Over the last few years of coaching in a small group setting, we as coaches have found that we can provide almost everything to our members. Why almost? Well, we’re not the ones training alongside you. To this day, I still haven’t been invited to workout with a client. I’m still waiting.
Your colleagues are the ones who are also still waking up during the warm ups or have just finished a long day of work. They get it. But they also understand that you’re here because you’re committed. You’re in this together. And often, we find that taking on tasks alone can be more daunting than with others. This comradery gives each individual in a session a bit of encouragement. Sure work was tough, or you slept poorly, but if you see everyone else dealing with similar struggles, it gives us a sense of ‘I can do it too’, and the work gets done.
Tips For Finding Community
At first, finding the right community for you will take some time. What style of training are you looking for? There’s strongman, powerlifting, weightlifting, crossfit, bodybuilding and many more. If one of those styles sounds intriguing for you, then try it out. A simple way to start is to search what exactly you're interested in, on google. Search ‘strongman gym’, or ‘bodybuilding gym’ and your options will show up.
Another good idea is to read the reviews. Read what members have to say about it. Look at photos on their website or social media account. Do you prefer a clean gym? Do you prefer classic rock playing in the background? How intense is the wall art? Although these may seem silly, these will encompass your full experience and help you determine if that is the right environment for you to prosper. Also, don’t forget the schedule, pricing and if they offer drop-ins. The schedule has to work for you, and so does the price point.
Drop-ins are a great way to get the full experience without the commitment, and most gyms will have this offer. While there, you’ll be able to meet members and the coach or coaches. Are the interactions what you were expecting or wanting? Did you feel like you received the right amount of direction? Remember, you’re the newcomer and they’re the professionals and those members most likely have more sessions under their belt.
Keep in mind that any of these require a real commitment for a few weeks. Some styles are very technical that take time to learn, others use various pieces of equipment that may feel awkward at first. But over time you’ll either adjust or find out that it’s not for you. Either way, don’t worry about it. Enjoy that fact that you tried and move onto the next.
