February 2, 2026 //
Thomas Conway //
Training //
8 min read
How Group Training can help you get results
Now I must start this article being completely transparent. I’m likely biased when it comes to this topic because I own a group training facility.
But, I also have a perspective that very few have. Because while I’m the owner I’ve also spent the greater part of the last 10 years also being a coach in the training sessions that we run.
Because of this I’ve been able to witness how people respond from group training and I’ve also had personal training clients and have been able to see how they respond to training in a different environment.
What I will also lead off with is this:
Group training is NOT for everyone. And I will also say that our gyms, Project 13 Gyms, is not for everyone and to be honest, we don’t want to be.
So let’s start with who group training is not for.
A person that has hyperspecific goals
I’ll be honest. If you’re wanting to build some hyperspecific training skill, you’re likely better off finding a coach online that only trains people within that realm.
Examples of this would be Handstands, Olympic Lifting, specific flexibility goals, specific calisthenic goals, or you just want to be extra dialed in and have every little thing tracked by someone that’s not you (i.e. nutrition, body comp, lifting metrics, etc.).
With most group training, you’re going to be taking a generalist approach which essentially means you’re going to be working on a wide variety of things.
And this is not bad. In fact, I personally have found that when I take that approach in my own training that I have the best balance in terms of enjoyment, progress and sustainability.
Someone that doesn’t like people
I actually have a client that’s like this and she would never want to work out in a group which is totally fine.
But I would say for most people. There is a lot of benefit to getting some socialization in your day. A lot of our clients are white collar workers which means they have jobs in which they are isolated to a computer and zoom meetings. Even more, some of them are fully remote in which their hour at our gym may be the only time they interact with people IRL.
But I do know that there are some that really just want to go to the gym, put some headphones on and crank out their session. In fact, I’m often this person. But remember that I’m sometimes coaching 4 group classes per day of 10-12 people so I get plenty of filling up of my social cup and often need some solitude to keep things balanced.
So who’s it for?
I would say that group training is for anyone that wants direct coaching and guidance while also being able to get to know new people and be surrounded by positive individuals that are also trying to better themselves through fitness.
And again, the average person would fit this description. Why?
Well here’s what group training provides that you can’t get on your own or with 1-1 personal training:
Guidance and accountability from a coach
Let’s be real, most people are not great at self motivation. Add into it that this day and age there are countless distractions.
Work
Being tired
Relationships
Technology
Travel
Just to name a few.
And it’s very easy to get derailed. When you have no one to answer to or no one that’s going to check in on you then you can just slip into the abyss of laziness.
That’s why at a gym like ours you not only have coaches but gym buddies that you make that act as that voice of accountability.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from members that they’ve texted one another to plan their gym visits.
A structured Done For You Program to follow
We have many people that come to our gym that have trained on their own for a while. And they may have seen fine results, but their routine is stale.
And then we also have people that have never trained in any way or have very limited experience so they have no idea where to start.
With both of those individuals they save a lot of time, energy and thought by coming to us. They know that every time they step into the gym they are going to have a well laid out program that is also provided to them by a knowledgeable coach that knows them.
And I’ve heard from many people over the years how valuable that is to them after they’ve gone at it on their own and been stuck.
The benefits of the social element
I get to witness this daily and it’s so cool to see how this impacts people. Number one, the enjoyment people get from being around each other. There’s no question that social wellness is important for overall wellness.
And what makes our specific gym special is that everyone is so welcoming and inclusive and I’ve seen a lot of people get pulled out of their shells or even get pulled out of a depressive episode because of that.
I’ve heard from people that the response from people when they showed up (People being excited to see them) has made their day. And that’s bigger than any PR or big lift can do.
Then add into that the extra push that you get when training with someone that may be stronger than you. I always have to urge caution and remind people to focus on doing what’s best for them but there’s no question that I’ve seen people get personal bests simply because they saw someone else get a personal best.
Inspiration is contagious and the effect is real.
Cost
This one is a little more objective and less magical but instead is very practical.
Now I know many people may be reading this and have either seen our prices or seen other small group training prices and think, Thomas is crazy it’s all expensive.
But hear me out.
I know that $150-200 per month can be a lot. But when you factor in that cost vs personal training and then also consider the value both present and future, it’s really a reasonable price to pay for what you get (And what you can avoid).
When it comes to personal training I can tell you my rate is $110/hour. And that’s likely on the cheap side. I know some trainers that are $300/hour which I just can’t ever justify charging.
But say you want to train with me 3x/week. That’s 12x/month which ends up being $1,320/Month.
Now for some people they can afford that. But for most they can’t AND they shouldn’t need to. Because again go back to what I think most people NEED. Most people are looking to improve fitness, strength and health overall without hyperspecific goals.
And with that there’s no question that group training will be able to provide that and you’ll be able to pay for it long term which is also important.
Now, think about how much you can save on future health care costs by investing in your health.
And with healthcare costs rising, the more you can avoid them, the better off you will be.
Let’s take two of the most common conditions as an example.
Type 2 diabetes costs a single person on average $16,752/year or the equivalent of $1,396/Month.
Heart Disease costs a single person on average $19,000/year or the equivalent of $1,583/month.
So…
Back to that $150-200/month for training…doesn’t seem too crazy.
And that doesn’t even account for non-material cost like feeling better, being able to enjoy life more, being free of pain, enjoying time with kids more AND longer, being happier, the list goes on and on.
So, I think there are clearly many benefits to training in a group. But why don’t you find out for yourself and come try us out.
Check out the link below to see how we can help you!
