How Many Calories Do You Naturally Burn in a Day? Energy Balance
Calories are the units of energy we use to measure food.
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What is Semi Private Personal Training?
Semi Private Personal Training is a growing trend in the fitness industry. What makes it so different?
Simple Solutions Fitness is a semi private personal training only studio. What is Semi Private Personal Training? Find out the answer to that and more below.
This article will cover:
- What is Semi Private Personal Training?
- How Do You Structure A Semi Private Personal Training Session?
- How Often Should I See A Personal Trainer?
- Is 30 Minutes Personal Training Enough?
- How Long Should You Have A Personal Trainer?
- How Much is A Personal Trainer for A Month?
- How Can I Increase My Semi Private Training Attendance?
- What is a Semi Private Gym?
- Are Personal Trainers Worth It?
By the time you read all the way to the end, my goal is to answer any questions you have about Semi Private Personal Training. If you're interested in this type of training (or if I missed something), please feel free to reach out!
What is Semi Private Personal Training?
Semi-private personal training is involves exercising in a private environment with one to three other people.
The keys to this type of training are its size and individuality. No more than five people in a room at a time. You've got your own training programs.
If the clients are somewhat similar, it's writing similar programs is common.
This is very different from small group training.
In small group training, you're all doing the same workouts. These workouts are often scaled, men use different weights than women for the same moves. You see this in crossfit boxes or large gyms that can't truly separate out clients.
(Some gyms offer group training that attempts to seem more semi-private by providing the same 1: 4 or 5 trainer to client ratio - only you may be in a group of ten or more.) Ex. ten people working out with two trainers.)
(Semi-private training may also be defined at some businesses as groups of up to five people exercising.)
How Do You Structure A Semi Private Personal Training Session?
Semi private personal training sessions involve unique programs individualized by;
- Goals and Motivations
- Health history
- Skill level
- Current fitness level
- Number of exercises being performed
- Volume of exercise being performed (sets and reps)
- Time available
- Frequency of training
- Etc.
You may share a room with someone but, you're both getting a different program. In other words - Your friend might be performing squats today too but, maybe for different reasons or with a bar instead of a dumbbell.
How Often Should I See A Personal Trainer?
You should aim to exercise a minimum of twice per week. How often you work directly with your trainer can vary.
Are you good at learning new skills? Do you feel like you need more accountability?
If you haven't read, How Long Does it Take to See Results with a Personal Trainer?, I would recommend you do so now. It will help you figure out how long you might want to sign up for training.
The answer to this question depends on your goal(s), starting point, budget and how your trainer designs your program.
You're going to respond to your fitness routine differently than other people around you. It might take time to get to your first goal.
How often you see your trainer ultimately depends your budget and the amount of autonomy you want over your fitness routine.
Is 30 Minutes Personal Training Enough?
Maybe. This goes back to how you respond to training. If that stress you a bit, find comfort in the fact that something is always better than nothing.
Although every training session will look different, at least twice per week you should perform:
- An upper body push or press
- An upper body pull
- A Squat or Lunge
- A Hip Hinge
In 30 minutes, you should be able to warm up and perform a couple sets of each of these movement patterns.
Here's an example of what that might look like:
A 30 Minute Fitness Routine
Example of a 30 minute Semi Private Personal Training Workout
| Exercise | Push-up | Row | Box Squat | Goodmorning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sets | 2-4 | 2-4 | 2-4 | 2-4 |
| Reps | 6-15+ | 8-12 | 10-20 | 10-20 |
| Load | Bodyweight | 20 lbs | 30 lbs | 25 lbs |
| Rest | 1-2 min | 1-2 min | 1-2 min | 1-2 min |
Your trainer will work to make your fitness program around the time you both agree to set aside. As long as you're getting better, your program is working.
How Long Should You Have A Personal Trainer?
The answer to how long you'll want to work with your trainer depends on your core values. If you're not familiar with the economic concept of opportunity cost, it's useful here.
"Every time you make a choice, there is a trade-off to consider. You must analyze what you are gaining as well as what you may be giving up." What Is Opportunity Cost? By Joshua Kennon
- Are you hiring a personal trainer to get you ready for a specific event? (Wedding, graduation, reunion, etc.)
- Are you looking to learn as much as you can and then set out on your own?
- Are you looking for a long term relationship?
The answer to those three questions will help you decide how long you plan on having a personal trainer. Your answers will also help you determine the type of personality you look for in your trainer.
Some clients want direction while others want to take more personal responsibility for their own fitness.
How Much is A Personal Trainer for A Month?
Semi Private Personal Training cost varies by city and by the location.
What makes it so hard to nail down a cost for semi private personal training is that it can all be so different.
Some trainers charge for every session and check in while others include everything in one price. Some trainers work with you on your nutrition while others bill separately.
On top of all this, training spaces and equipment available are drastically different.
Training may be performed in a number of locations including:
- Gyms
- Private training studios
- In-Home gyms (Trainer's home)
- Parks
- School and university gyms (In a private room)
- Remotely via Skype or similar means
- On Location
Each location assumes a different set of overhead and costs.
I've worked with a couple of business coaches in the past that directed me and other clients to start a semi private training session rate at no less than 60% of what you might charge for personal training.
In Columbia, Missouri, a one on one personal training session may cost anywhere from $35 to $70 and up per session. At 60% of personal training, we can estimate that semi private personal training maybe range anywhere from $21 to $42 dollars and up per session.
Honestly, In my experience, I've never heard of training cheaper than $200 per month. You'll have to call around to find out what each gym and trainer charges.
Some gyms and studios offer a discount (I do) for signing up for multiple months at a time.
It might help to estimate your personal trainer costing you around a car payment every month.
How Can I Increase My Semi Private Training Attendance?
Many clients enjoy semi private personal training because they're working out with more than just a trainer in the room.
I hear this from my own clients what seems like every week. Often, people comment on how it's nice to see familiar faces that are also working on bettering themselves.
From a motivational standpoint, this makes sense. Relatedness is one of the three principles of self-determination theory the leading theory of motivation.
If you want to get to know people at the studio, try to be more social. There's no pressure either way.
Having a trainer in the room allows the social aspects to stay in balance with exercising.
Your fitness journey starts today
You've found the training solution that can help you achieve your goals.
What is a Semi Private Gym?
A semi private gym is a type of boutique fitness studio. Specializing in small group training only, these facilities are typically smaller and may be aimed at one type of fitness training program.
Some of these specialty gyms offer aerobic training only while others are aimed at strength training only or calisthenics.
Here in Columbia, we have a few small studio fitness programs.
For example:
Depending on what you want to get out of exercise, there is a place for you.
Smaller studios began out of necessity. In larger metropolitan areas, commercial lease spaces can be very expensive while space is limited.
When I first began looking for studio space in 2015, the average price per square foot in downtown Columbia was around $16. For comparison, commercial rents in Chicago's newest and best-located office buildings averaged $32.40 in 2015.
What originally began as a trend bourne out of cost and space saving necessity, actually ends up benefiting you.
No longer is your only option pay rent (a gym membership) to a large, sometimes intimidating gym space - you can workout at a small, local community space with familiar faces.
Are Personal Trainers Worth It?
Don't believe that semi private personal training can be effective?
On a college team, small group and semi private training is a necessity.
When I played at The University of Missouri, NCAA rules limited the number of strength coaches per athlete. The limitation stemmed from larger colleges potentially having a competitive advantage.
Smaller sports teams often had to work around the Football schedule and coaching staff. Despite the size, the quality of coaching must be kept super high.
Here's What Semi Private Personal Training Is:
- Individual training programs with a group of one to three other people training at the same time.
- Keeping groups small allows quality to be kept high, without intimidation, at a lower cost that traditional training.
- How often you train depends on your schedule and opportunity cost.
- You can increase your attendance by making friends.
Working out alone can be intimidating for some people. Even experienced clients from time to time can feel intimidated by the fact that they are the center of attention.
If you want to connect with other people, you have the option to do so. That's the benefit of small studios. I try to host a quarterly social event, oreo and taco themed of course.
If you want to remain private, there is room for that as well. Not everyone comes to the gym to connect.