The skills of the successful personal trainer should be easily adaptable — transferable from client to client and environment to environment.
Right now, one of the most requested types of sessions is group personal training, and it’s time for you to shift your skills and take advantage of this market shift.
As the economy continues to struggle, personal trainers may see a decline in member retention due to a lack of expendable income. Group personal training allows you to reach more people at once, bringing in cash flow while still accommodating your clients.
“Clients get the motivation and expert training from a trainer, but at a lesser cost,” says Ron Holland, owner of SWAT Personal Fitness in Tucson, Ariz. “In this economy, it’s a win-win situation. The more people you train at one time, the more money you can make.”
Holland’s gym specializes in group personal training using functional movements and high-intensity training. He notes that this type of training is not for every trainer or client alike, but trainers can easily adapt their personal one-on-one skills to work with groups.
Whether working with 4 clients or 60, personal trainers can find success by following these tips on implementing group personal training into their business model.
Adapt your training. “A lot of trainers are so accustomed to doing the one-on-one interaction, that when it comes to working with five or six, they really have to adjust themselves,” Holland says. In group training, your role shifts from an instructor of one to a motivator of many. Be sure to be entertaining, encouraging and fun.
Familiarize your clients with the routine. “We always list all of the session’s exercises on a board so clients know what they are going to do that day,” Holland says. Using this technique, clients can prepare for the workout and keep up in case they missed a cue.
Arrange your clients with safety in mind. “We have a line of fire with the kettlebells,” Holland says. “We set clients up so the kettlebell swings aren’t going to be directed toward anyone.” Make sure all clients have enough room to move safely without invading other people’s space.
Measure exercises by time, not repetition. Instead of instructing clients to perform 15 squats, give them a time span, Holland says. Not all clients will perform exercises at the same speed, so ensure a smooth flow by switching exercises after a certain time period has passed.
Use functional exercises. You probably don’t have five leg press machines, so don’t count on using a lot of weight machines during group training sessions. Instead, focus on body-weight exercises and use tools like kettlebells, dumbbells and resistance bands to give clients a killer workout.
Dynamically correct movements. Concentrate on all of your clients by walking in front of, behind and to the side of them as they perform the exercises. Make sure you have enough room in your gym or outside to accommodate this necessary step.
Use multiple trainers. When the group gets too large, the clients deserve more than one trainer in order to ensure safety and sufficient instruction. Holland says his trainers can work with 15 clients each before they add a second one.
Offer group options. Some people will want to train with their families or friends. Others may not mind to work with strangers. Make sure to offer both options in order to give your clients freedom, Holland says.
Set your rates accordingly. SWAT usually charges $75 per one-on-one session. In small group settings, Holland says they charge $25 to $30 per person, and the client ends up saving approximately $50 each time. The studio, on the other hand, makes more money in that hour than they would have compared to a single client. SWAT also offers large outdoor personal training which can reach up to 50 clients. For these sessions, he charges a $199 per month fee for unlimited classes.
