Is The Small Group Training Model Replacing Traditional PT?

As the global fitness industry continues to boom, the number of qualified personal trainers entering the market is also set to hit a record high. By 2020, forecasts predict that in the US alone there will be over 300,000 personal trainers, and employment in the sector is projected to grow 13 percent by 2022.

Overall, the fitness industry is being driven by continued growth amongst low cost providers like The Gym Group in the UK, which filed for IPO in November, and Planet Fitness in the US. Membership offerings like ClassPass and virtual guides are also luring consumers into more flexible arrangements with their no strings attached appeal.

So for this influx of personal trainers, and the operators hiring them, looking beyond the commercial limitations of one-on-one training sessions, which in the UK can be chargeable between £50-150 per hour, is a business strategy that could help maximise revenue potential.

For London-based personal training boutique, SIX3NINE, expanding their offering beyond PT to include small group training was a logical decision.

After analysing the services currently available in London for individuals ready to invest in their health and fitness, the team decided to merge the customised approach of their one-to-one training sessions with a more progressive group format, tailored towards achieving individual goals.

Classes, such as the recently launched ‘Ladies that Lift’ – a six week course dedicated to mastering the fundamentals of weightlifting – gives groups of up to eight participants access to quality personal trainers with the morale boosting benefits of working out with other committed participants.

“We have witnessed first hand how tracking the individual progress of participants in classes like Ladies that Lift can lead to improvements in their exercise technique, mobility, strength and confidence,” Russ Harris, Head of Education told Welltodo.

Leveraging consumer demand for more social and engaging ways to workout, small group training classes like these have become an intrinsic and highly brandable part of the fitness market.

And for small studios like SIX3NINE who charge £300+ per person for two one hour weekly classes, which must be purchased in six week blocks, it means increasing revenue without additional overheads.

Similarly, for studios that already offer larger class-based workouts, introducing small group training sessions can act as a powerful tool in boosting membership retention rates.

Bridging the gap between one-to-one and group classes, the level of expertise and individual attention found in small group training classes can offer existing clients the guidance and accountability they need in order to increase motivation and ultimately keep them coming back.

At bespoke Chelsea fitness studio, Lomax, in affluent West London, the introduction of small group training classes focusing on specific muscle groups, gives clients the option to take their training to the next level, as well as the opportunity to interact with like-minded members.

Encouraging clients to take part in cleverly branded sessions such as ‘The Ass-Assinator’, ‘The Ripper’, or ‘The Core-Set’ is a simple but effective way of boosting the overall sense of community – a component that is recognised as one of the keys to success for any boutique fitness provider.

As highlighted by the phenomenal popularity of workouts like CrossFit, that have forged tribe-like groups of participants who follow the movement almost religiously, for studios looking to keep members engaged with the facility, creating social connections is a priority.

Lomax Head Trainer, Olu Adepitan, believes one of the key reasons demand for these personalised classes is on the rise, rests on the fact that a growing number of consumers are focusing on becoming more informed. Small group training sessions, he says, are stepping in to fill the gap.

“People are becoming increasingly focused on technique as well as wanting a more tailored service,” he says. “With only 4 people allowed in our classes, individuals receive more attention and the trainer can start to develop a relationship with the clients as they would in a one-on-one PT session.”

In 2015, digital fitness guides might have become the norm, but despite the popularity of ‘‘one size fits all’ exercise programs and virtual trainers, in a space filled with fads and fluff, some consumers are demanding more.

Speaking to Welltodo, Lee Mullins, founder of the Workshop Gymnasium in the Bulgari Hotel in London, highlighted the pitfalls of generic fitness plans, that leave participants to fend for themselves.

“Despite the creators of many of the online programs having good intentions of creating programs that help people, the reality is many of the programs don’t, and actually add more dysfunction to the way people move,” he said.

Mullens runs classes which encourage participants to leave with more than just physical improvements. The sessions, which have maximum capacity of 10 participants, allow him to provide meaningful corrections and coach each individual.

However, larger health clubs and fitness chains that have adjusted their models to incorporate these small group training classes, including the globally recognised Les Mills brand which licenses its classes to the likes of Fitness First and Virgin Active, have had to consider the transition carefully before committing.

Steven Renata, CEO at Les Mills (West Coast, USA), argues that despite the brand’s small group training classes, known as Grit, being one of the most popular formats in the gym, like any provider looking to branch out, they had to find the right business model instead of just jumping on the bandwagon.

Talking to iClubs, Renata argues that club owners must “ensure systems are in place for scheduling, registration, recruitment of coaches, initial training and ongoing education.”

Expertise is key and unlike larger class-based workouts, where it has become commonplace for instructors to be more ‘jack of all trades, master of none’, often teaching anything from spinning to combat, in small group training classes where consumers are paying higher price-points, specialised knowledge is paramount.

Finding experienced trainers willing to specialise is difficult, but as the market for small group training continues to flourish, operators who overcome this challenge will see strong results.

Similarly, for personal trainers looking to increase revenue traded on hours, and differentiate themselves in an increasingly saturated market, it’s a sweet spot worth investigating.