After doing my Diploma in Functional Performance with FASTER I was excited about the prospect of using my new skills in functional training methods. The techniques I learned enabled me to obtain results far quicker than I ever had before in relation to movement and function. I found this enhanced the clients training experience leading to faster results and far more referrals than previously experienced.

After developing my skills in one to one personal training situations and FASTER giving me the skills and the confidence to target a greater audience, I wanted to reach as many people as I possibly could without losing the quality of service. The logical step was small group training sessions. I have discovered there are a multitude of benefits for both the trainer and the clients involved.

From the trainer’s point of view:

The main benefit of small group training is that you get to reach more people at one time whilst still being able to focus on individual needs. Plus, because of reduced costs a client can afford to come to see you more than once a week in a group session, whereas with one-to-one training a client may only see you once. Additionally, for one-to-one clients, if a second one-to-one session is not viable they can join small group sessions maximizing their potential for success. This leads to more clients achieving their desired goals which helps grow your business to new heights. The members find a way to motivate themselves as they have an ‘affiliation drive’, which means they like to be part of a group, community and have interaction with people which creates a sense of self motivation. As a trainer dealing with small group of people at one time enhances your skills in assessments and communication but still enables you to maintain the high level of service required on an individual and group basis, taking you to the next level in your career.

From the members’ point of view:

We surveyed our members to see what they believed to be the most beneficial aspects of small group training sessions. From the feedback there were 3 main areas that the member felt they received most benefit:

1. Enjoy working in a small group: Working in small groups gives motivation and gives an aspect of healthy competition leading to greater work rates and a sense of being part of a team. This makes the workouts far more enjoyable and make results far more attainable in a fun environment.

2. Quality of attention, motivation, feedback: As the numbers are small members still receive enough personal attention from their trainer helping them with adjustments, motivation and feedback, both as an individual and as a group as a whole. The workouts can also be structured to the individual whilst in a group environment.

3. More affordable than one-on-one training: The price is far more appealing to the member than one-on-one training, which gives them the option of attending more classes for the price off individual sessions. So for these members this option offers value for money whilst still achieving great results.

So, looking over my findings, small group training is a win-win situation for both trainer and members -why not try it out for yourself and see how both you and your clients benefit from the experience?