Benefits of Small Group Training for Athletes
There are about 100 reasons why one-on-one training for sports performance is dead: awkward silences, wasted time talking, lack of competition and lack of camaraderie are just a few. I'm sure many of you know exactly what I'm referring to. But no worries—there is a solution that will help you steer clear of the trainer-athlete awkwardness, kick your results into high gear and get the best bang for your buck.
The solution: small group training for athletes.
The ideal small training group is 3-10 athletes. Steer clear of facilities with groups with 10 or more 10 trainees and only one strength coach, unless the trainer has a solid track record and awesome results.
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Benefits of Small Group Training
1. Competitive environment. You work harder next to someone you see as competition. Now imagine all of your training sessions supercharged by being surrounded by multiple athletes with similar goals and mindsets, each competing to outwork the other. That is an environment conducive to building serious strength and power!
2. Camaraderie. Every now and again a workout can seem impossible to complete. You feel tired, worn down and struggle to keep your breakfast down. In a one-on-one setting, your racing mind and your trainer are all you have to push you to kick it into high gear and get you through the workout. In the group training setting, you have a bunch of people supporting you, cheering you on and forcing you to get that last set. It's often said that the last rep can be the "transcendent" rep, completely changing the game for an athlete mentally. In the group setting, you'll get to that last rep and get through it!
3. Saves time. Although this may seem contrary to common sense, you actually waste more time in a one-on-one training session than in a group session. Why? Because of the competitive environment, everyone wants to work harder and faster than the guy next to him or her. This keeps things moving along and helps you get in more quality work in the same period it would take you to small talk with your personal trainer one-on-one.
In the end, it's like this: If you want to become a better athlete, surround yourself with athletes who want what you want and are willing to work to get it—and get a great coach to lead you.
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This article originally appeared on STACK.com: Benefits of Small Group Training for Athletes
