Since the start of CrossFit and it’s popularity, group classes have come to the forefront of fitness, and personal training has slowly started to fall to the wayside. There are many reasons behind this, including: better training protocols, better trainers running group classes, effective workouts that are finished in a short duration - letting people get along his or her day, results, and in large part, the social aspect that comes along with group fitness classes. In fact, all of these things keep people training more frequently, for longer stints, and generally a participant of a group fitness class will see better results working with a group of peers along side them, instead of working with a personal trainer at a large chain gym.
With this being said, personal trainers and personal training has started to be painted as unnecessary, too pricey, and a waste of time by many attendees of group fitness and CrossFit classes. What I’m here to do, is tell you from my experience and hours/money spent on personal training, why this can be both a completely correct and incorrect assessment. CrossFit classes, at well coached affiliates, focus on form work and make the average and everyday person head and shoulders stronger, fitter, and faster than the average Joe or Jane at the grocery store. This is due to the amazing foundation CrossFit has been built on, pioneered by its founder: Greg Glassman. Greg Glassman set up a fitness program that, at its very core, is programmed to succeed. Not only has it defined fitness, more importantly, it’s measurable and observable. This gives CrossFit gyms and attendees something most regular fitness, outside of academics, has missed for years: data. Even better, now that CrossFit is no longer in its infancy, this data has grown and provided information that thousands, upon thousands of people have improved his or her fitness and overall health through CrossFit and it’s principles.
With all of that being said, I know what you’re thinking.. “So group fitness with a well developed plan and good coaching works fantastically well, will get people really damn strong and will prepare them for almost all of life’s demands? Well then, what gives with personal training if we have our health and fitness solution?” Guys, here’s the thing, when the rubber meets the road, this becomes an answer based off of individual goals, wants, and needs.
CrossFit can be adapted to fit anyone’s needs.. But if you have a disability, simply can’t figure a skill out, want to get good at a specialty within CrossFit, or even want to compete what do could make your training better? The answer to this question, is.. you guessed it, personal training. Your coaches at CrossFit want to help you master all of your skills, have you snatching tons of weight, and talk to you while you walk on your hands drinking your morning cup of joe (if anyone does this $20, must be hot coffee). However, in a group setting there are limitations, and in your training, you’ll get what the intent of programming for the day is. Of course, a good coach will always go out of his or her way to help you with your individual needs, but the needs and intent of the class must always come first in the grand scheme of things. So here’s the question you have to ask yourself: “what do I want out of training?”. If your goal is to compete at a high level, become a better Olympic weightlifter, or just learn a movement that has been beating you down for months, I highly recommend you look into personal training. Personal training should not be looked at as a thing of the past, but an opportunity to grow your fitness in the future. Working in a one-on-one setting will expedite your results and help you improve upon what you’ve been working on in your group classes. Evaluate your goals, and choose what works best for you. Either way, train hard, train smart and keep crushing it.