I’ve coached people in just about every format there is. Strength and conditioning with large groups and small groups, 1-1 personal training, and small group personal training, starting in 2013, with everyone from complete beginners to Olympians and Paralympic gold medallists at the University of Cambridge. If you’re trying to work out which one is right for you, this is my take, and why small group personal training is the one I chose to build personal training in Haverhill around at IGNYT.
What is small group personal training?
Small group personal training is personal training delivered in small groups of up to six people. One coach runs the session and adapts it to each person in the room.
Everyone works through the same plan, but nobody does it in exactly the same way. Your coach sets the weight on your bar, picks the version of each movement that suits you, and works around whatever you’re managing, from a sore shoulder to a bad night’s sleep. If you need an easier option, you get it, and if you’re ready for more, you get that too.
You’re being coached the whole hour, by someone who knows your name and what you lifted last week.
Is it still personal if you’re in a group?
It’s the first thing people ask me, and it’s a fair question.
In a small group of up to six, I can see everyone, all the time. I notice when your form starts to slip on the last few reps, when you’ve been on the same weight for a few weeks and you’re ready to go up, and when you need a lighter day. You get corrected, encouraged and pushed by name.
What the group adds is the atmosphere. Training next to people who know you, and who notice when you’re missing, makes it far easier to keep turning up and far more enjoyable when you do.
What a session looks like at IGNYT
Every small group personal training session lasts an hour and follows the same shape:
- Arrive and settle in. Your coach knows who’s coming and what each person is working with.
- Warm up together. You get your body ready, with your coach checking how everyone is moving.
- The main strength work. Your coach adapts the weights, movements and effort to you, and corrects your technique as you go.
- Finish and check in. A quick word about how it went and what comes next.
Small group personal training vs 1-1 personal training
I’ve coached 1-1, and it has its place. A small number of people, usually those with very specific rehab needs, are best served by a coach’s full attention for the whole hour.
For everyone else, small group personal training gets better results, and I say that having done both for a long time. You keep everything that matters about 1-1:
- A qualified coach watching your technique.
- Sessions adapted to your level, your goals and any injuries.
- Someone who notices your progress and keeps you moving forward.
Then you get what 1-1 can’t give you. You’re training alongside people working just as hard as you, sharing the energy, the accountability and a few laughs. People push harder with others beside them, and they turn up more often when a group expects to see them. Turning up week after week is what changes your body, and small groups are where I’ve seen people do that best.
We don’t offer 1-1 personal training at IGNYT, and that’s a deliberate choice.
Small group personal training vs large group classes
I’ve coached big groups too, and they have their place. We run them at IGNYT, with fitness classes such as IGNYT, MetCon, Engine and Move taking up to 18 people. Elsewhere, big group classes often have 20 or more. They’re great for fitness and conditioning, and the room has a real buzz.
The trade-off is attention. With one coach and a big room, everyone follows the same workout at the same pace, and nobody can watch every rep of every person. That’s fine for getting fitter and having fun, but it isn’t where I’d want someone learning to lift well or building strength safely.
That’s what small group personal training is for. The session moves at your pace, your coach watches every lift, and you won’t get lost in the crowd.
How my members combine the two
You don’t have to pick one. The typical week for my members is two small group personal training sessions for strength, with one or two fitness classes on top for conditioning.
It’s a potent combination. The personal training sessions build strength with a coach watching your technique, and the classes build your fitness with the energy of a bigger group, all in three or four sessions a week.
Small group personal training vs a gym membership on your own
A standard gym membership gives you the equipment and leaves the rest to you. That works for some people. For plenty of others it means wandering between machines, guessing at weights and quietly giving up when life gets busy.
With small group personal training, every session is planned and coached. You turn up, and your coach takes it from there.
Side by side: 1-1 PT vs small group PT vs large group classes
| 1-1 personal training | Small group personal training at IGNYT | Large group class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| People per coach | 1 | Up to 6 | Often 20 or more (up to 18 at IGNYT) |
| How the session is set | Around one person | One plan, adapted by the coach to each person | Same workout for everyone |
| Coach attention | Constant | Regular and hands-on | Spread across the room |
| Pace | Yours | Yours, within a group | Keep up with the room |
| Accountability | From your coach | From your coach and the group | Varies |
| Community | None | Small, familiar faces | Bigger and livelier |
| Best for | Very specific needs | Building strength with expert coaching | Fitness, conditioning and energy |
Which one suits you?
Small group personal training is likely to suit you if:
- You want expert coaching and the energy of training with others.
- You’re new to training, or coming back after a break, and want someone watching your technique.
- You’ve tried big gyms or classes and felt lost or invisible.
- You stay consistent when people expect to see you.
1-1 might suit you better if you need a very specific rehab programme, or you’d rather train with nobody else around.
Large group classes are a great addition if you want extra fitness and conditioning alongside your strength work, which is exactly how my members use them.
What about cost?
Your price depends on how often you’d like to train. We’ll go through the options on your intro call, so you can choose what fits around your life.
Complete beginner? Start here
You don’t need to be fit to start. Most of my members weren’t when they first walked in. Your coach adapts every session to where you are today, and you build from there at your own pace.
How to start small group personal training in Haverhill
We’re at Unit 14, Spring Rise, Falconer Road, Haverhill, with free parking right outside. Members come to us from across Haverhill and the villages around it, including Kedington, Withersfield, Steeple Bumpstead and Sturmer.
Getting started is simple. Fill in your details, and the team will be in touch to book a quick call. We’ll talk about your goals, answer your questions and help you decide if it’s the right fit, with no pressure either way.
Frequently asked questions
How many people are in a small group personal training session?
Up to six people, with one coach.
How long is a session?
Small group personal training sessions last an hour.
Do you run larger classes too?
Yes. Our fitness classes take up to 18 people. A typical week for my members is two personal training sessions plus one or two classes.
Is small group personal training suitable for complete beginners?
Yes. Your coach adapts every exercise to your level, so it works whether you’ve never trained before or you’ve been lifting for years.
Do you offer 1-1 personal training?
No. All our personal training is delivered in small groups of up to six people, because I’ve seen it get people better results.
What if I have an injury or a bad back?
Tell us on your intro call. Your coach will work around it, with movements and loads that suit you.
How many times a week should I come?
Most of my members do two small group personal training sessions a week, plus one or two fitness classes. We’ll help you find the right mix on your call.
How much does it cost?
It depends on how often you train. We’ll go through the options on your intro call.
Where are you, and is there parking?
Unit 14, Spring Rise, Falconer Road, Haverhill, CB9 7XU. There’s free parking right outside the front.
Come and see it for yourself
We’re rated 5.0 from 105 Google reviews by members across Haverhill. Fill in your details, and the team will be in touch to book your call.
