Personal Training vs Group Personal Training in Sphere Fitness

1-1 Personal Training has been revered over the years as the luxury of the rich and those who could afford it.

It has been for those who sought a tangible (and often faster) result, those who lack the will power to work out by themselves or for those who simply find that investing in high level coaching brings a better outcome.

For some it is absolutely necessary. Injury rehab for example requires a focused eye and approach in the more acute stages. You wouldn’t, for example, throw a 2 week post operative knee surgery into a group class!

Yet over the years this has been challenged and with the emergence of the Group Personal Training or Semi-Private Personal Training working more people can find the expert level of coaching that they seek in a group environment.

Both have their pros and cons. Let’s look at them in more detail.

Personal Training

This normally happens in Sphere in a private 1-1 setting and by appointment. The level of attention, detail and support is far greater than in a group setting which is why we tend to see a faster and better result.

Working 1-1 with a coach can be a rewarding experience. Learning curves are shortened, situations, circumstances and schedules are individually tailored and suited.

As you place more focus on the client, more things come to light which means a better outcome in terms of program design. Programmes can be personally adapted and shaped with what is going on in front of the coach.

Perhaps you are working out and your form in an exercise becomes ‘off’. In a 1-1 setting, under an experienced coach, this should be picked up straight away and modified. It is why this approach works well for injury rehab and for an individual who is learning basics of training.

You may have heard the expression ‘would you go into a dentist and pull out your own teeth?’. Yet so many of us venture into gyms without any form of guidance and continuous assessment or support. This becomes even more exaggerated when you are looking for a tangible result. If have a crown or a filling, a ‘youtube how to’ video isn’t going to get the job done!

When you invest more you tend to get more out of it. Maybe it is the level of conscious decision to put ‘skin in the game’ which heightens discipline and a more focused approach.

Group Personal Training

With the perks of 1-1 it is easy to see how results come faster in a safer and more organized format. I mean when you have someone standing right over you for a period of time you tend not to slack off – right?

However if you are looking at taking your training, diet and lifestyle onto another level, and are not sure about the cost or the personalized approach of 1-1, then group personal training maybe an option.

After all, if it is ok for some of the best sporting organizations in the world (everything is organized into groups) then it is ok for Mary or Tom who are looking to lose a bit of weight.

The biggest precursor is the starting point. If you have some degree of physical literacy which means you know your way around a gym, can perform some basic movement patterns and are open to learning, then groups can work very well. You have an idea but just need that extra push, that extra support and that extra eye to ensure you doing things correctly.

If you are new to the gym investing in some 1-1 for a period of time is a great starting point though. It gives you that chance to ask questions, learn much faster and shorten the learning curve.

There is something about the motivating aspects of working in a group which works well though.

Programmes are still tailored but not as bespoke as in a 1-1 setting. Why? The ratio of the group is normally larger – in some cases 1:6-8 at a time. This still works but be prepared to work off your own back whilst coach’s keep an eye on the group.

So what works for you?

It depends. Would you prefer the individual approach or the group format? Only you can answer that question. Both bring pros and cons. And to that extent that is why we offer a ‘hybrid’ approach combining the two.