Small Group Training vs Regular Gym
Obesity and disease levels are on the raise despite an increase in gym use and awareness regarding health and fitness.
How many of us have joined a gym, stuck a programme for 4 weeks and then left our membership unused for months on end?
How many people are left feeling like a failure for not being able stick to their new health goals?
What if it wasn’t your fault? What if it was just the wrong option for you?
Now I’m the first to be excited about seeing more and more people joining gyms and adopting a healthier lifestyle but maybe a regular gym membership isn’t what you really need.
Regular exercise is vital regardless of the form it takes but maybe the gym isn’t the best for you.
Walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes and sitting on the leg adductor machine (what an awful invention) for 20 reps isn’t exactly going to light you up with excitement 3 times a week. Pretty soon it becomes a battle of willpower just to show up for your workout.
What if there was a better solution?
Maybe small group training is for you.
So what is small group training?
Well it’s different than your regular old school bootcamp style workouts. These were designed to leave you exhausted and not necessarily better. Beating large groups of people into the ground with random workouts has led to injuries and a hatred of exercise.
Small group training puts a focus on quality, improving your technique and helping you feel, look and move better. Sure it can be tough, but under a watchful eye you can make progress in a safe manner at the level you are comfortable with.
8 reasons why group training is better:
- Group Dynamics. We are social creatures by nature and training in a group of like-minded people can make exercise fun and enjoyable. Going through a workout and looking over to see friends going through the same thing as you can spur you on the keep going when it starts to get tough. I have also noticed that the chat and banter here while resting between rounds is a hugely important element in enjoying your exercise. Training in a group is a lot more fun than an isolated walk on a treadmill.
- Your workouts are planned for you each day. There is no need to walk in clueless wondering what to do today. No need to walk up to a gym instructor and feel like you are bothering them by asking to have another program written for you. In group training you just turn up each day and your workout is already waiting there for you!
- Exercises can be personalised for you. Everyone is at a different level with their fitness and injuries so the same exercise won’t be suitable for everyone. With a class of smaller numbers each exercise can be progressed for you depending where you are at and workouts can still flow seamlessly with adjustments made for you
- It’s not boring. One of the biggest complaints I hear is how boring people find the gym. Running on a treadmill or sitting on machines is hardly the most exciting hour of your day. A mixture of different workouts involving kettlebells, TRX, barbells, bands and bodyweight keeps workouts fresh and boredom at bay
- Individual attention. We aren’t machines (despite some of thinking we are!) and your body differs from day to day. A good coach should be able to spot your mood on a given day and alter the workout for you. Getting to know each person on a more personal level lets you know what’s going on in their lives and how this may affect them day to day. A busy parent who has had a stressful day and only 3 hours sleep with a sick child doesn’t need to be killed with burpees that day or set a new deadlift PR. The fact that they are here is a testament to their strength. This attention can really only be given in small numbers.
- Accountability. Knowledge isn’t the issue, accountability is. Too many gym sign up members, take their cash and then it’s left to them to keep training and turning up. Keeping people accountable is key. One of the big secrets to success is just showing up each day and doing it consistently. Having a coach who keeps you accountable and on track is massively important. Also its human nature to want to keep promises so when you commit to a coach to turn up the chances are much higher that you will. This keeps you consistent and gets you results!
- Community. Small group training has a lot more of a community feel to it. Training together brings people closer, creates friends and builds a real tribal feeling. While training is important the social aspect of a group can really keep everyone together. Charity runs or nights outs can help build that family feeling and makes it feel like you are part of something a bit bigger.
- More than just exercise. Training hard and with correct technique is important in getting to your goals. However nutrition and lifestyle can play an even bigger role in getting you there. Part of a good small group training program helps members with nutrition and focuses on educating people in food and lifestyle choices too. Workouts are only one piece of the puzzle.
So maybe a regular gym membership isn’t for you. Maybe you want and need the accountability, individual attention and community feel that small group training provides.
Group training won’t be for everyone but for those who have tried and were left feeling like they “failed” with a regular gym it could be time to look at a new option.
Interested in trying out our small group programme for a week? Simply click here for more information https://unlimitedfitnessireland.wufoo.com/forms/free-trial/