How to choose a small group training program
Choose small group training by the size of the group, whether each person gets their own program, who is watching the live set, and what happens when you miss a week. A group of three or four with individual programs is coaching. A group of fifteen on one whiteboard is a class with a smaller room. The price should tell you which one you are buying.
Part of small group training in Morton Grove, $28 a person at my garage gym. Prices and booking, or call or text (847) 387-0244.
How big is the group?
Three or four is the most one coach can actually coach. Past that, the coach is supervising, not coaching, and the program has to be the same for everyone so the hour runs on time. Mine are capped at four, and I will not add a fifth because a friend asked.
Ask the number outright. If the answer is a range that goes past six, ask what happens to the person squatting at the far end of the room while the coach is at the near end. The honest answer is nothing, and nothing is what you would be paying for.
Four is the cap in my garage, and it stays the cap.
Whose program are you following?
Ask whether each person gets an intake and a plan, or whether the group follows the workout of the day. Both are legitimate products, but only one of them is personal training. In my garage each person has their own program built from their own intake, and I move between you.
Who is watching the set?
When you are under the bar, is the coach looking at you or at the clock? In a group of four I coach the set that is live, fix one thing, and rotate. If you need every rep watched, you are not ready for a group yet; start with 1-on-1 sessions and move over once the lifts are grooved.
What happens when you miss a week?
Packs should be per person, and a missed session should stay yours to reschedule. If the whole group loses the session because one person had a sick child, the pricing is built for the gym, not for you. Mine are per person, and the rest of the group trains as planned.
Does the group stay the same?
It should. The program builds week over week, and so does the habit of turning up because the others expect you. A rotating cast of strangers is a class. Bring your own three or four, or ask me to place you with a group that fits your days.
What does the price include?
$28 a person a session, $298 a person for a 12-pack, and the 13th free when the whole group buys the pack. That includes the intake, each person's program and the form guides in the library. The numbers are worked through in how much small group training costs, and the formats are compared in small group training against classes and 1-on-1.
The small group training page has the towns and the season. The way in is the application or the interest form on the in-person page.
Common questions
Do I need to bring my own group?
No. Bring one if you have one. Otherwise tell me your days and goal and I will place you when a spot opens.
What if my friends are at a different level?
That is fine. Each person has their own program, so a beginner and an experienced lifter can share the hour.
Is small group training good for weight loss?
Training builds the muscle and the habit; food does most of the rest, and nutrition coaching is part of every plan. Nobody should promise you a number on the scale, and I will not.