From the start of AJR, the majority of my clients have all trained solo with me - which is great; I get to know them on a personal level, hear the in's and out's of their week, and focus solely on their training goals. As much as I love working 1-2-1 with clients, I also love the idea of group training, yet many people aren't so "up" for the idea.
There are many benefits to group training, which can greatly impact the work that is completed in solo sessions. So here it is, my Top 8 Benefits of Group Training...
1. TRAIN WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE
Turning up to train with others in a group means that you're all there for the same reason - to get healthier, fitter, stronger and more toned. Simple as.
2. GREATER VARIETY OF EXERCISES
Training within a group means that you can cover a wide variety of exercises, usually in a bootcamp or circuit style session. Before you know it, you have widened your knowledge of new exercises and methods of training that you can now utilise in your own sessions, therefore making greater improvements to your fitness. This also leads on to my next point...
3. INCREASED MUSCLE ACTIVITY
A greater variety of exercises will generally mean a greater use of muscles, therefore the potential to metabolise more efficiently and build more muscle strength and tone. Discover muscles that you never knew existed... it's not just me that gets stuck going down the stairs after leg day, right?!
4. IMPROVED ENERGY LEVELS
So many times I've turned up to train with a client and they've said to me, "I almost rang to cancel our session today, I'm reaaaally not feeling it." yet by the end of the session they thank me and tell me they're glad for having completed the session. The reason behind this...? Endorphins, among other hormones, are released when we start to exercise and provide a feeling of happiness, help to reduce stress and can help us sleep better - in turn, we feel more relaxed and ready for the day ahead.
5. HEALTHY COMPETITION
In my group sessions, I always try to include a little exercise towards the end to encourage some healthy competition (for example, who can hold the longest plank, or perform the most squat jumps within 1 minute). You end up working a little harder, sweating a little more, or pushing yourself to just finish one extra repetition... over time, this adds up and your overall fitness has improved. With that in mind, build each other up at any moment possible, as that may be the little push someone needs to improve their health further!
6. IMPROVED MOTIVATION
Similarly to above, group training can improve your self-motivation. As much as having a 1-2-1 session with a trainer can help you to achieve your goals, we can all hit that brick wall at times, which can be more easily avoided with group sessions. We are all on our own fitness journey, and training among others can remind you of how far you have come, or where you're aiming to get to.
7. STAY ON TRACK TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
In addition to benefits 5 and 6, staying on track to achieving your goals is important, as we can otherwise become discouraged when we don't achieve something as quickly as we may have hoped. Staying motivated goes hand-in-hand with achieving a target, and sometimes you may even find yourself pushing harder when you can see someone on the same fitness page as you... team work makes the dream work, don't "they" say?
8. TIME TO SOCAILISE
All points seem to loop back to this point - group training sessions are a time to socialise. With mental health becoming ever more prevalent, do we need any more of a reason to train in a group? Many people don't realise that this is the boost that they need, yet training with others is so simple. It may not always be your strongest session, or it may not be your most energetic session, but sometimes all we need is to clear our heads and talk to someone new. A smile is worth 1000 words, so if you leave an AJR group session with a smile, then I consider my job well done.
If after reading this you're still unsure of group training, the best thing I can suggest is to try! Pair a group training session alongside your own 1-2-1 sessions with me, as well as solo work at home, and the benefits that you'll notice will be unbeatable.
Keep an eye out for more advertised sessions on my Instagram @ajrpersonaltrainer.
Keep smiling,
AJR x