IS GROUP TRAINING THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOU?
One of the reasons many trainers decide to switch to group personal training from one on one personal training is to make more money per hour. The logic is that it may be easier to get 10 people to pay $15 than it is to get one person to pay $150 per hour. If group personal training is still “personal” and the trainer works with each individual based on their personal goals, it seems logical that since they have up to 4 to 5 times the number of clients of a 1 on 1 trainer, they wouldn’t be able to give you nearly the attention you would need, both on the design of your program, and during the class itself. While no one can argue that group personal training is less expensive than 1 on 1 training, it may not be worth the extra money you’re saving.
Group training has many appealing features that may draw both avid exercisers and beginners. It can be a fun environment, more socially engaging, and less expensive than one on one training. One of the major draws to group training is that the other participants around you encourage you to push harder and get a better workout. But does it come at a cost? In this post, we’ll take a look at what group training is and the potential risks of participating.
GROUP TRAINING VS GROUP PERSONAL TRAINING 
Before we dive into comparing group training to one one training, we need to define the differences between group training and group personal training. They may sound similar, but there are some differences. In a group training or group exercise class, the exercise is more synchronized between all of the participants (zumba, spin, step). The entire class is doing the same exercises at the same speed with the same rest time. Group personal training is training in a group setting where the participants may be doing completely different exercises with different weights, exercise times, etc. There is now more of a trend away from group training towards group personal training because it is more personalized for each person attending. However, does that mean group personal training is the right choice for you?
INJURIES
If you have an existing injury, you may (and should) be doing a completely different workout than those around you. If you’re injured and those around you are not injured and you’re still doing the same workout, you as a participant, are drastically increasing the risk of further injury. One of the major aspects of group training is to the motivation that the group gives you to work hard and keep up with the rest of the group. If you’re doing a different workout because you have an injury, that motivation is non existent since the workouts look completely different from one another, thus losing one of the biggest appeals of the group training atmosphere. This doesn’t need to be a major injury like a torn rotator cuff or sprained ankle either, something as insignificant seeming as a “bad knee” should cause the trainer to give you different exercises from the “healthy” participants.
LESS EXPENSIVE, BUT AT A COST
One of the reasons many trainers decide to switch to group personal training from one on one personal training is to make more money per hour. The logic is that it may be easier to get 10 people to pay $15 than it is to get one person to pay $150 per hour. If group personal training is still “personal” and the trainer works with each individual based on their personal goals, it seems logical that since they have up to 4 to 5 times the number of clients of a 1 on 1 trainer, they wouldn’t be able to give you nearly the attention you would need, both on the design of your program, and during the class itself. While no one can argue that group personal training is less expensive than 1 on 1 training, it may not be worth the extra money you’re saving.
FORM
In a group setting, whether everyone is doing the same exercise or not, how closely can the trainer pay attention to your form? If there are 6 people in a class and 2 need help on form at the same time, can the trainer really help both of the clients at the same time and still have an effective workout? Correct form is crucial to ensure that the correct muscle groups are being engaged and that injury is being avoided. Incorrect form can cause both acute and chronic injuries, meaning having bad form even just once can cause injury, but so can having bad form over the course of several weeks of workouts.
PHILLY PERSONAL TRAINING AND ONE ON ONE TRAINING
At The Summit Fitness Studio, the only training service we offer is one on one personal training. This ensures all clients get personalized attention with correct form, individual motivation using exercise psychology techniques that motivate that specific client, injury rehabilitation and prevention techniques, and a personalized workout program designed specifically for that client. Other benefits include workouts on your schedule, not the class schedule, more consistent support from a trainer who isn’t bogged down by 60 other clients they also need to take care of, and working out in a facility that is not overcrowded with large groups. The Summit Fitness Studio is the most private, exclusive personal training experience in Philadelphia due to the fact we do not have large group training or boot camps. If you’re interested in working with one of our talented personal trainers in Philadelphia, contact us today at our Rittenhouse Square location.
In a group setting, whether everyone is doing the same exercise or not, how closely can the trainer pay attention to your form? If there are 6 people in a class and 2 need help on form at the same time, can the trainer really help both of the clients at the same time and still have an effective workout? Correct form is crucial to ensure that the correct muscle groups are being engaged and that injury is being avoided. Incorrect form can cause both acute and chronic injuries, meaning having bad form even just once can cause injury, but so can having bad form over the course of several weeks of workouts.