1-on-1, large group class, or small group training? What is the best way for your student athlete to receive training?
There are pros and cons to the different types of training so let's explore.
1-on-1: One might assume this to be the best route. Yes, you get individualized programming and attention from a trainer, but there are some downsides.
The first is cost. Without other athletes to offset the cost, hiring a personal trainer can be much more expensive than training in a group.
Next, finding a qualified performance coach. Many performance gyms do not offer 1-on-1 so parents look to large corporate gyms (24-hour Fitness, Crunch, etc.). Because the average age of clients is considerably older, and the wide variety of goals at these types of gyms, trainers qualified with experience working with athletes are often hard to come by.
Lastly, 1-on-1 training eliminates the element of working as a team. There is no community support from their peers to encourage, challenge, and motivate them.
We do offer 1-on-1 training at The Athlete Factory but we typically only recommend this to athletes coming off injury or those who simply cannot find the time to make it to our regular classes and are willing to pay a premium for one on one attention.
Large Group Training: This type of training may be great for teams, but consider the following when signing your individual athlete up for a gym with large training classes. (10+ participants per coach).
Lack of coaching. Athletes may find themselves getting lost in the shuffle in a large group with only one coach. They may not get pushed, or on the flip signed exercises modified, therefore hindering results.
Generic programming. Performance gyms with large classes often use generic programming, having athletes of various ages, sports and genders all doing the same thing.
Risk of injury. Because of lack of coaching and a one-size-fits-all approach to training, athletes in larger groups like these run a higher risk of training injuries.
Our large group training is offered exclusively to teams in house or on site. We provide multiple coaches for the teams, and take into consideration the individual needs of the athletes. For 16+ years, The Athlete Factory has provided performance coaching to local HS teams, youth travel teams, and even professional teams.
Small Group Training: We are firm believers in this type of training, and offer it in house at The Athlete Factory.
We restrict our class sizes to only a handful of athletes per coach. This way each athlete's form, technique and progress are being closely monitored, getting them results.
We also take into consideration that not all athletes are created equally nor have the same goals. Thus with the smaller groups, we are able to adjust programming depending on the individual needs of our athletes.
And with multiple groups and coaches in our facility at a time, the energy and community helps excite and motivate our athletes to push themselves and each other to constantly get better.
If you'd like to learn more about our training programs at The Athlete Factory, give us a call or text at 407-476-5862.
