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IHRSA EUROPE UPDATE


NEWS Small group personal training


‘SGPT’ can drive penetration of personal training in your club, says a new IHRSA report


personal training (PT), but most of these have sold PT to fewer than 10 per cent of their members. Step forward small group personal training (SGPT) as a way of further penetrating the member base. It’s really only during the past five or


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so years, since bootcamp-style classes came into their own, that many clubs have begun offering SGPT. Because the format is so flexible and dependent on the creativity of the trainer, individual programmes may vary dramatically, but certain elements remain consistent: class size, frequency, and a strong focus on each participant’s progress.


creating exclusivity Small groups range in size from four to 20 participants, all engaging in the same activity simultaneously, or in different activities in a circuit-style format. Unlike group exercise classes – which don’t limit the number of participants and which are open to all members, at any time, on a drop-in basis – SGPT typically requires students to take part two to three times a week over a series of weeks. Because a commitment is necessary – in fact, it’s what members are often paying for – they tend to form tight, cohesive groups, and receive personalised attention that they wouldn’t enjoy in a standard group class. Most SGPT uses equipment that can be


employed as a USP. “Why would someone be willing to pay for a small group programme?” asks Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist and spokesperson for ACE. “Well, you get to use equipment that isn’t normally available on the floor. It’s like VIPs in a nightclub: they get to go into the roped-off section. You’re giving your clients a special area to hang out in and special equipment for them to use.”


measurable progress Visible and measurable progress is the third critical component of the SGPT


24 SGPT gives your members the results they want, as well as improved revenues for the club


class format. To facilitate and document this, McCall suggests that assessments be conducted both at the beginning and end of the series. “Each workout should be a little more difficult than the previous one, and there should be a progression toward a certain training goal,” he recommends. Constant improvement is one of


the many reasons that members stick with, and return to, SGPT classes, and what makes them such a success. Because they’re motivated by the group environment, the friendships SGPT fosters and the camaraderie it creates, the participants see results. “Through small groups, the club becomes, in reality, that third place the industry is always talking about. It’s not the office and it’s not home – it’s the club, and people get really connected to it,” confirms McCall.


select your trainers One challenge posed by SGPT is training to different levels of participant experience. Often one class has to accommodate both beginners and high- level athletes simultaneously; in such a situation, a trainer has to be hyper- vigilant to provide a more personal experience. This, in turn, makes


Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital


identifying and training SGPT trainers critical. Not every one-on-one superstar makes a good small group trainer. In choosing an SGPT trainer, clubs


are advised to look for someone who: is concerned about, and appropriately trained on, safety measures; is a creative programmer; is adept at teaching to different levels; is able to foster inclusiveness; and who possesses an engaging and motivating personality. Few club programmes place such high demands on a trainer’s skills as SGPT.


driving revenues By maximising your club’s personal training programme, you can give members the results they want and expect – and the result for your club will be more revenue and improved member retention. IHRSA’s Guide to Personal Training: How to Generate Profits and Improve Member Satisfaction, Second Edition, sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), will get you started on the path to both.


To acquire a pdf copy of IHRSA’s Guide to Personal Training: How to Generate Profits and Improve Member Satisfaction, log on to www.ihrsa.org/personal-training


april 2012 © cybertrek 2012


ccording to The 2011 IHRSA Profiles of Success, 91 per cent of IHRSA member clubs offer


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