Personal Training & Group Fitness

Every now and then, I am asked, what do I like more… personal training or group fitness?..

I smile. When this question starts, I know right away that I really do not have an answer for it. I love them both! And they both create such an experience for me, albeit, not the same, but very similar in effect, and that is of gratefulness, humbling, excitement, and joy.

Let me get into the details of how both are for me and the magic that happens between the two for anyone who may be consider going into either field, if not both!

I will start with Personal Training... Why? Because this is what got my foot in through the fitness professional door.

At both, Gold’s Gym and Equinox, I was taken on board as a Personal Trainer and this I will forever be indebted to both organizations for. Even before this, I would train friends/clients in-person and from home, online from the basement and outside.

From day one, it never felt like work. It was more like growth and a focus on how I can help. A relationship would keep forming among each new client that I got... and amazingly, I realized that with clients that I had for over some time now, I still would learn so much more about them.

When it comes to Personal Training, it gets personal. There is a lot shared, and this is a humbling experience to be able to have this type of trust from clients. Along with the trust, is the special aspect that lending an ear, voicing feelings and opinions, and providing an outlet through exercise gives the client clarity and peace in many ways for any situation that they are currently dealing with.

Another special thing that I noticed with clients, especially when working out of multiple gyms is that no matter what the demographic is, where people are from, what their age may be, and any other variable – they are all human and have the same hope, excitement, despair, skepticism, questions, concerns, optimism, and on and on and on. This is humbling and shows us that we can always use a helping hand, regardless of how it may seem on the outside.

When it comes to programming, I love to start writing and creating one with the statement of an ‘Aim’. What is this person aiming for? Once I have this sentence written, the program comes together. I learned over time that sometimes, I would deviate and start incorporating exercises that I wanted, and then I quickly had to pivot and remind myself of the clients’ aim and this always helped me to help my client in the best way that I can.

Then there’s the potential, and this is limitless. One because it is ever evolving as people are always evolving and aiming to accomplish new goals after they crush the former one that is set. This is where communication is so big, and I learned that it is about honing in on this aspect of the training that will benefit both me and the client. It benefits me because it gives me direction and for the client, when they know that they are heard, and exercises are implemented to help in what is being asked for – the dynamic becomes super strong and effective.

As in any relationship, it gets nurtured and must be worked on, and this is the ultimate beauty in personal training – the developing, becoming, and seeing your client grow and achieve their goals. Even the failures become personal as you both are in it together. It is tough to put a word on this type of emotion and bond, but it is the utmost special, rewarding, at times challenging, and always fulfilling.

Now with Group Fitness –

More than one person. You leading in the room. Guiding. Teaching. Incorporating a lot of the same principles that are used within individualized coaching, yet here, you aim to spread the message to a vaster audience. What this leads to is teamwork, rhythm, energy that transferred amongst each participant.

First thing that comes to mind is there is a much more unexpected factor when it comes to group fitness. You know and/or have a good sense of the class you will aim to deliver, but you do not know (even if you have all names and faces available to you beforehand) the ability levels, what everyone is dealing with, their temperament, and so much more. A lot of these factors are also unknown in PT, even if you have been training a particular client for numerous years, each day is different. The difference is that a conversation can be had in the beginning and throughout a session as opposed to quick introductions and scanning of the room throughout a class.

This leads to a big mindset shift within Group Fitness that is tailored to teaching a broad spectrum of levels regardless of where you may feel the class is. I learned from a great friend, Ryan Beck, to “Assess and Address”. When it comes to reading the room, I believe this is the key.

The growth. In personal training, you very much see the individual go from point A to point B, and beyond! Group Fitness, it is an overall growth. What I mean by this is if there is a repeat class taker of yours, you can sense their energy, where their curiosity goes with the classes, what new things they search for, and new approaches they take to challenge themselves and learn. This is on the individual level.

There is also your growth as an instructor and the classes growth. You find new ways to engage, cues to deliver, formats to teach, and ways to challenge. Teaching the same and/or similar classes can also lead you to become monotonous at times (I know I am guilty of this), and this is where your imagination needs to come into play to help get you into new rhythms and trying new things. I have noticed that the class usually responds well to exercises and movements that are new yet directed well and given with purpose.

One of my favorite ways to go about this is asking members for requests – what they are working on, would like to work on, do they feel tight and/or limited in any areas, and so on. This gives me a chance to get to know the member, as well as gives me direction in how to lead the next class. The member feels heard and is given a reason to show up to the next class as there will be a focus that pertains to them.

Another way that I go about keeping a class fresh is by listening. And this is to that inner voice. There have been times in class or before class where an idea comes to mind, and it may even seem outlandish, but I know it is there for a reason. I give a second to think it over, and almost nine times out of ten, I go for it, and it works out great and I am so happy I did. The other time I do not go for it is usually because I did not feel ready which is a narrative in my own head and as I write this, I am confident to say that if I did, I believe it would have worked out.

It always does.

So, with that said, there is so much magic in both Personal Training and Group Fitness. If this piece has swayed you in any way, then I would say most definitely listen to that voice. It is not me talking, it is you with you. And if you believe that both are of interest, there is nothing more powerful than giving both a go.

Here is to helping… in all the many ways that we can.