Picture these two different scenarios in your mind:
1- A personal trainer holding a clipboard shouting "COME ON, YOU CAN DO MORE!" while sweat drips off your nose as you perform lunges.
2- You are in the middle of 15 men and women bouncing up and down, performing burpees, to the sound of the personal trainer's whistle.
Which sounds better?
Probably neither.
They both sound awful to me!
Especially the clipboard and the whistle. I refuse to use either of those.
But anyway, let's dig a little deeper into this topic.
So the question today is about Private Training Vs. Group Fitness, and which is better for you.
Private Personal Training
Benefits
Focus. There are no distractions. It's just you and the trainer. You can concentrate on the workout. The trainer can make corrections to your form, instantly.
Quality. With private training you can get a lot of quality work done in less time than a group fitness session.
Communication. Share your concerns with the trainer and have your questions asked on the spot. You can get coaching on nutrition in between sets.
Programming. With private training you will get more attention to your individual needs, compared to group fitness.
Drawbacks
Cost. You will invest more cash for private training which is one of the few negatives, or it can be a positive for people who are held accountable with more "skin in the game".
Conversation. One of the positives OR negatives, as it depends on how the relationship between client and trainer. If the connection is strong then it will be a benefit. If not, it can be a negative as you may have some silence and/or awkward moments.
Group Fitness
Benefits
Fun. Being in the group brings out competitive nature. Some guys feed off this energy and it brings their performance to another level.
Affordable. The cost of group fitness is often be half of private training.
Friendship. Develop connections with like-minded people.
Drawbacks
Chaotic. If the group is big enough, the session can seem pretty crazy, depending on space. For big groups it seems there is NEVER enough space for everyone to work out comfortably.
Not personalized. If you need personal attention, don't expect to find it with group fitness.
Which Is Better for YOU? Private Training or Group Fitness?
Only you can decide. Some trainers offer both services (myself included) so you can try them both and experience first-hand which is better for your needs.
Often I will have a client start out with private training to get them stronger and into a better groove with fitness habits.
Then they can join a group or even train with a friend or two. That way you get the personal attention that most people need in the beginning.
After that you can try out group fitness.
Whatever gets you motivated to train is the right choice.
If you want more information on my personal training services check out this page here