I have been training clients now for three decades. Since my days of training for bodybuilding competitions I have known from experience that it is always more motivating to train with a partner, or even two training partners. There is no doubt that training with others is more motivating than training alone.
An audience always provides for extra incentive to perform. When you train with others you always want to step it up so as not to be seen as a slacker in front of others. One decision that you will be faced with in fitness is whether to workout by yourself, train with a partner or a small group “session”, or take a “class” with a large group.
As a trainer for many years, I have found that the most productive group size is three. And this group size is most effective with professional instruction. With a small group of three the most logical term for the workout is “session”. In fitness, larger group exercise is almost universally known as a “class”, but for one-on-one training and small intimate group training it is most relevant when referred to as a “session”.
Think about it like this. Large group fitness is a class and a small group workout is a session. Another way to look at it so as not to confuse the two is to note that small groups of two or three clients with an instructor is personal training and therefore is most relevant when referred to as a small group training session, not a class.
A “session” is more personal, and therefore, more valuable!
You never hear anyone refer to tutoring as a class. It is always more personal with one or two students and is known as a session with a tutor. The same applies with fitness students. When there is more personal and intimate training it should be referenced as a session, not a class so as not to confuse the two. Google around and you will see that tutoring is a session.
One example of workout sessions is the schedule offered at a HOTWORX 24hr Infrared Fitness Studio. HOTWORX offers a variety of infrared sessions with small groups of up to three clients per workout inside of the patented HOTWORX infrared workout sauna. These sessions are semi-private and intimate with close up virtual instruction.
A fitness class is larger and less intimate.
A personal training workout is a session because it is more intimate like that of a tutor to a student!
The bottom line is this. While there are certainly some very good large group fitness classes available, they will always be less intimate and less private. This is why they tend to be less expensive when compared to small group, private or semi-private personal training. A typical small group or one-on-one training session ranges from $50 to $100 per session whereas most large fitness classes range from only $12 to $25 per class. That is a big difference in value, and further reason to distinguish a class from a session. A session is always more valuable.
Seek out a more intimate workout and you just might see better results!
Maybe it is time to try a small group infrared training “session”.
