Guest: Carrie Smith

Podcast Release Date: 8/15/2021

Welcome to Trulyfit the online fitness marketplace connecting pros and clients through unique fitness business software. 

Steve Washuta: Welcome to the Trulyfit podcast, I am your host, Steve Washuta, co-founder of Trulyfit and author of Fitness Business 101. In today’s episode, we speak about private group training, also known as small group training. By we, I mean myself and Carrie Smith. Carrie has been on the podcast before speaking about SR fitness. And now she’s going to help us break down what exactly is private group training, also known as small group training. We’re going to list the differences from private group training, comparatively speaking to a regular personal training session or a class, we’re going to talk about the different pricing options, the skill sets needed to run a proper version of one, various ideas of different types of private group training, advantages and disadvantages. As well as a lot of anecdotal stories.

From our experiences running private group training, I actually learned under Carrie how to run a proper small group training session, she has run one for years called Wow, she’s going to talk about that, and kind of go into depth about some details. And especially when we start talking about the various skill sets needed and the advantages, and the different pricing options. Let me quickly pitch you on why this is important.

Before we go into this, number one, if you are a group fitness instructor, and you feel like you’re going above and beyond, you’re putting all of your efforts into your classes, but you’re only getting paid for these group fitness instructors rates, well, maybe it’s time for you to narrow down, right? Have fewer people in those classes, but give them a little bit more and start charging more.

If you are a personal trainer who has been run ragged, and you’re doing, you know, 40-50 sessions a week, and you just can’t handle it psychologically or physically, well, maybe it’s time for you to start pushing your clients together who have similar goals and pushing them into these small group training or private group training, where you’re not charging as much as personal training. But even if you charge 60% of what you do, but you have four or five people on there, you’re obviously making more per hour. So we’re gonna go over how you do this, and the best practices, it’s a great conversation.

Carrie is the ultimate expert when talking about these things. with no further ado, private group training with Carrie Smith, and I. Carrie, good to see you. Thanks for joining the Trulyfit podcast round two! You were on previously, where we talked about senior fitness. During that episode, we hit on something that you do call private group training, some people call it small group training as part of your senior fitness. I want to really delve into that specifically because a lot of people don’t understand what it is that they can even do it that it’s a thing and how valuable it is both financially and to save us time. So why don’t you give your brief definition is of private group training or small group training?

Carrie Smith: Okay, so it is essentially the way that I am able to maximize my time. What I do is group setting, but they have to go through the same situation, they would, if they were training with me, so we do a console, we do an initial workout together. I’m aware of their abilities, their limitations, their injuries, and their desires.

Before they come into the small group training, I have a background on them. I know what they’re trying to do what they like and what they don’t like. And then so when I get them into the small group training, you can do a small group training with elderly with young, it doesn’t matter.

You can do it with a niche as far as just females, just males, we have both here at my club, you can do it with young and old mixed, you can do it with just young, you can have advanced, there’s a lot of different things that you can mix with it. But the key is to have a strategic plan in place that is geared toward the people who are coming at that time. So it has to be very well scheduled. And you have to know your people, you have to know who’s coming, what they’re trying to do, and have that in a group setting.

So in a small group training, unlike in a group class and a group class, you come in, you follow the instructor, she or he does the workout, you follow limitations, you know what feels good, what doesn’t. And a lot of instructors will say do this or do that. In small groups, I don’t do the workout with them. I am walking around preparing for the next exercise.

I’ve got everything well planned. I’m spotting those, I’m correcting people making sure that they’re doing the correct form, which they appreciate. And many people tell me that they come to small group training, not so much for the financial benefit because it is less expensive than personal training. But because they’re getting modifications and they’re getting an eye on them while they’re exercising. So if they’re doing something that’s going to hurt them later on, it might not hurt while they’re doing it that could hurt them later on then they appreciate me coming over and fine-tuning.

Steve Washuta: Yeah, that was a great definition. You hit on a lot of the points that we’re both going to expand on here. The first point I want to talk about is why it’s different from a class right what’s the difference between small group training and your average group fitness class. And the first thing is number one, a lot of times it’s the fact that they’re, they’re pre-signed up, right?

People are not coming willy nilly out of nowhere, you know who’s already signed up for your class, you don’t always get that in group fitness, right? People come out of nowhere. And, and a lot of group fitness, we both teach it. It’s, it’s really about the instructor, unfortunately, right? I’m doing movements, I’m running the class, you keep up or you leave.

The problem with that is, well, it’s good and bad, they’re usually the cheapest version of fitness that you can get, right? You’re not paying a lot for that. But because you’re not paying a lot for that the instructors are not looking at all the different modifications, you might have someone in that class that is 64, who has a bilateral hip replacement, you might have someone who is who has 24, and is a CrossFit athlete, right. So it’s hard to keep up with both of those people. But that’s why you’re paying seven or eight or $12, as opposed to higher rates. So let’s expand on that anything that comes to mind, that’s different from personal group training or private group training, rather than a group class.

Carrie Smith: So I will say one thing, though, if you have a background in group fitness, it does help to transition into a small group training.

Steve Washuta: Agreed,

Carrie Smith: When I pursued it, I had no background in group fitness. I had to struggle with trying to deal with a group dynamic. But once you’ve learned the group dynamic, it helps but I taught group fitness for years, and like you said, anybody can show up. You may or may not know them, you don’t know a thing about them unless you teach them all the time. You don’t know their background, you don’t know which injuries they have.

So you pretty much have to teach in the class. As if everybody has an injury, or you just teach your thing and they hang on or leave, like you said, in a small group training session, everyone is well known every like and dislike, and it takes I literally take notes, and I don’t let anybody else see those notes.

But before I set up my workout for the day, I have in my iPad, and my registration, and my roster. I have [them fill out if] she likes a fan on her, or she doesn’t like a fan. If she likes to be in the left corner. I mean, or if she’s afraid of being near the window. There are all kinds of things that you have to consider in small group training, because not only are they paying more, but they’re looking for that individualized attention that you get in a personal training setting.

So I do keep the group small. I will admit, COVID changed things a little bit. But I will take 10, sometimes 11 or 12. It’s more like a group fitness class. Also, nobody’s going to want to pay more for that. So the ideal number is eight. And when they come in, I’ve learned a lot doing this tape wipe-off board with the workout written on it, but they would have to walk over there and look at it and then walk back to their spot. So I found that in my particular group, they like to have their workout, pinned to the wall or to the mirror with everything they need to know. So that means I have to plan a little better. And I can’t change it midstream.

But it’s customer service. So a small group training, personal training is customer service. But I also know who’s coming. So if I have a say I have squats planned Well, some people have knee replacements, or they have back issues and they don’t want to do a squat, I better have something else ready for them that makes them feel like they’re still doing the same thing as everybody else. So that’s a challenge on my part. And like I said, it helps to have a small group background in group fitness pro helps to know your body parts, those particular muscle groups.

So when I put a workout together, I have large groups to small groups, muscle groups, I have to push and pull, I have balance and agility I have all of that thrown in there. But then I also in my head and I’m sometimes on the sheet, I have an option that you can do. If this doesn’t work for you, then this would be good. But it doesn’t isolate the person it makes everybody feel like they’re doing the same thing but just a different modification of it. So it’s a lot like small it’s a lot like a group fitness class. However, like I said, I don’t do the workout with them. I’m walking around, spotting and correcting and handing things than getting out towels and just catering to them and pampering them and they love it

Steve Washuta: I forget the name of this graph [Venn Diagram], you know those two circles that crossover and in the middle. When you’re comparing something in the middle you compare everything that is like I forgot the name of that having a brain but basically, it is a crossover between both of these right you can take almost equal parts from both you have the personal training concepts in so far as I know I know the client already I know any of their issues all the people in the class, I’m catering it to them it is there’s unlike a group fitness class, the group fitness classes mine I’m doing my workout. I’m doing what I planned for the class but In these private group training, these small group training, they’re paying more not necessarily personal training prices, we’ll talk about pricing in a minute.

But they’re paying more than group class. So they need to be involved. Right? At some point, if they go, you know what we hate using the Bosu? Well, guess what, maybe you just can’t use the Bosu anymore, right, because they aren’t paying more than they would in a regular group fitness class. So you do have to take their feedback much like you would a personal training client. So earlier. We went over some of the differences between private group training, also called small group training and personal training, and then also in group fitness, right now it’s sort of a hybrid between the two of them. Now let’s talk about the advantages in pricing, right, the different pricing options, and why you believe it’s an advantage to both the trainer and the client, potentially,

Carrie Smith: For instance, at the wall, I taught at the YMCA for years. And so the group fitness classes were included in your membership, so you just showed up. So to pay extra, you’re going to have to get extra, so you really have to go the extra mile. So if somebody is paying for a session of personal training, let’s say at $65 an hour, they pay $8 to come to a class, well, then a small group training would be somewhere in the middle of that.

But you’re going to have to give them a little more than they would get in a group fitness class. As far as I said, catering it to them. But it gives them the ability to work out more often, especially if money is an issue. And so they don’t have to pay quite as much, they still get the attention. And the beauty of work, especially in mine, I do a women’s small group training, the dynamic of working together, it becomes a social setting, and it becomes something that they look forward to doing, even if it’s like exercise is actually secondary, which is part of what I really try to encourage them to interact with each other.

Unlike in a group class where you have to be quiet, you have to watch the instructor, you can’t distract everybody. In my class, it’s in my sessions, it’s more like herding cats because they’re talking enjoying each other. And it makes exercise more fun. Because exercise can be boring and repetitive and hard.

The more I can incorporate that social element, the better for the trainer, I’m not getting any younger. I really have to maximize my time in the club. So really, this is where I make my money. Personal Training is almost a second there. But to service and have them pay me for it, then I can maximize my time rather than work smarter, not harder. So it works really well for me, but nobody is going to want to come and pay extra for something unless they’re getting extra. So that’s what’s really important in a small group training.

Steve Washuta: Yeah. And to add to that, with the small groups I talked about earlier how you have to ask them what they want sometimes, right, it’s not just us putting on a show for them. And that also is incorporated with who comes to the class.

Unlike a group fitness class, when random people show up and private group training your one on one or a duet, who they’ve already agreed to. When you invite these people in, even if you’re not going to ask everyone in the class, which I believe you should, in some respect. If you can add people to this class, you should have a good feel for the dynamic of your class.

And if these new people that you’re going to be inviting into the class are going to change that group dynamic, whether it is inviting somebody in who is at a totally different athletic level, or somebody who is just very different from that current group that could change that dynamic. Because those people much like a personal training session expect a very particular dynamic between trainer and trainees, right or client and they don’t want that to be disrupted.

Carrie Smith: So that’s a good point. So I the way I do my business model, and I will share that with you. When I first started, I took this over from a girl who had everybody sign up at the beginning of the month, whether they came or not, they paid for however many like eight sessions or 10 sessions or however many they were going to be that month, they paid one fee. And then if they didn’t come they didn’t come? Well. I found that the people that I work with a very busy, they are involved in a lot of charities and a lot of activities.

They get involved in sports. So if they couldn’t sign up for the whole month if they were going to be gone for a week, why then they said well, I’m just not going to sign up. So to me, that was counterintuitive. If I send out an email or text at the end of the month, and I asked them to send in their availability, they send in the exact days and times that they want to come I have five a week. And then I plugged them in when I reach 10.

I start a waiting list and there’s a 24-hour cancellation policy so they can commit to one for the entire month. They can commit for 22 the month that’s up to them. They if 24 hours to cancel. If they don’t then I have to charge them and they understand they sign off on that.

And then I have a waiting list and I can call people when they cancel I can call people and get them So that’s wonderful in a busy dynamic like we have here, the demographic here is very busy. But then when I want to bring in other people, that’s a good point, it is on me to the person that in the dynamic and more I find not so much their athletic ability, the mess, it’s up to me to make everybody feel like they’re getting the same workout. And at the end, it’s more about their personality, do they enjoy being in a social setting, or do they like things more on their own, and that’s where I am, because it doesn’t matter if they’re super fit, or pretty disabled, I can still get them in the group as long as they want to interact with others.

So that’s where this particular we have a women’s small group training, it’s called women on weights. Wow. And then we have a men’s small group training, which is very different. And it wasn’t going to be men on weights, because that would be now that’s kind of dumb.

So we call it studs, which is strength training under direction, and it’s adorable, and they have the shirts with the bicep on them and say I’m a stud. It’s great. And they are all men. It’s a different social dynamic. So what the girl that does that one, her job is not so much to get them all my I keep my ladies in one room, there is no way I’m taking them through the club, I will lose them. It’s like I said, it’s like herding cats.

On the other hand, she works with men who tend to be very channeled in one direction. So she takes them to the pool, she takes them to the fitness center, she takes them in the cardio room, she takes them and expands their horizons and exposes them to new things. It’s just a different dynamic, but they love it, and they pay the fee to come to that. So if you’re working with a younger population, my girls are anywhere from 40 to 100. I have had that mixture that spread.

But if you’re doing a small group training with a younger version of participants, and it’s gonna be different, it might be more Bootcamp ish, it might be more cardio involved than in jumping and swinging, then it would be in mind. And again, you’d need to know your people. I will say, that when you work with an older population, they usually have the desire, they have the time, and they have the resources. So with a small group training, and you want to make sure that you’re filling those slots, you want some but you want a group that has time to come.

They’re not tied down with family and jobs and, and children and absolutely loved children. But it does preclude them from coming to a set class time. You want to make sure that they have the desire. And a lot of times when you reach 5060 years old, you start to monitor but you still want to stay in good shape. You want to stay doing your sports, so they have to have the desire and then the resources, you have to really position yourself in a community where people have the extra income that they’re willing to pay to come to something like a small group training which is the same as private group training.

Steve Washuta: Yeah, I want to hit on that second last point that you’ve talked about. And I think making this schedule of how you book these classes based on the demographic is important. So I did one if you remember called mama moms in martial arts, right? Yes. And the young moms love it. They love putting on boxing gloves. They love learning how to kick. I taught them all my Muay Thai techniques, they loved it.

Now the issue was, I when I first started, right, I tried to schedule it in a very similar manner as a lot of the other group, excuse me, the small group training or private group training, why that doesn’t work with moms, is because they have young kids. And at any time, they’re going to be 15 to 20 to 30 minutes late, because something goes wrong with the kid in the car, the kid poops himself three times in a row, the kid runs into the sprinkler on the way to the car, you know, whatever’s happening with these kids, I’m dealing with it now. So that just doesn’t work having that they don’t want to be handcuffed and tied to these prices and have these 24 hour things pulled on them and have to pay and pay upfront.

So I had to find another way. And another way in which I tried to do that is okay, I won’t do that. But I’m going to charge more. So when you do come, it’s not going to be let’s say 1516 $17 I’m charging 28 because you’re not coming enough in order for me to do this. And thankfully, a lot of these moms had the money, right. So I knew my demographic.

I knew they had the money. I knew they cared less about the money they spent, and as long as it was going towards actually being trained as opposed to $15 going out the window they rather pay $35 for one session than to pay 15 each. But not make it right. So you have to understand your demographic when you make your schedule. But let’s talk about that a little bit because we talked about the seniors, senior men, senior women, I just talked about young moms.

There really is endless. groups in which you can do this, right? It’s not about the group, it’s just about structuring it so that you can use that group if for some reason you have, like I started, I started another one when I was in Oklahoma City for a short period of time. And basically, it was really busy dads who couldn’t work out during the week.

So we did a Saturday and Sunday session. And it was guys who were really used to like lifting heavy, and they didn’t understand like things like static stretching and yoga, and like light floor Pilates and that sort of thing. They didn’t feel comfortable doing it maybe with their wives, but they were okay with me teaching it to them. So, you know, understanding your demographic and finding where your niche is, in any given area is is important. And it doesn’t matter who you feel comfortable working with, you can sculpt some way in which you can do a private group training.

Carrie Smith: Yes, absolutely. It can be young kids. If you have a desire to work with kids, and the parents have the resources and the desire to send their kids, you just have to have to be very different, it has to be so much more fun and play-oriented. If that’s the thing you want to get involved in Absolutely. For me, because I am an older woman.

And I do inner well with the older women, it covering their younger daughters when they’re visiting in town, and they get a fine workout too. I know they’re coming. So I make sure I have some tougher things that are involved in the workout, or in the group you’re working with. And make sure you position yourself like I said, and where you’ve got the resources, the time, and the desire, and then you can, the sky’s the limit. And as long as you’re offering a service that people are willing to pay for it, and they’re enjoying it. sky’s the limit. I love it.

Steve Washuta: All right, well, I’m gonna, I’m gonna make this hard on you now. Because I’m, I’m going to take the easy route. I’m going to give you the hard route. And you can correct me if you don’t think I named all of the advantages, but I’m going to name the advantages. And I want you to try to name some disadvantages. Okay, of course, we could add to each other’s list here. Advantage number one, if you’re the client, you’re paying less than you would for a personal training session.

But you’re essentially getting the same, I would say energy from your trainer, right now, of course, there are other people around there, but you’re getting the same effort and energy from your trainer, right, that’s an advantage. Number two, the advantages which sort of just hinted on it, you get to work with other people who have maybe similar goals, as you or, you know, are in that similar network as you. So it’s, it’s more fun, and you don’t have to worry about the randomness of a class, right? the big advantage from a client standpoint, from the trainer standpoint, you have the advantage of the financials, instead of working with one client, let’s say for $65 an hour, you can charge $18 ahead, but you have 10 of them in there.

Well do the math, that’s a lot more money. And, again, they’re willing to pay it because of how you position yourself as more than just a regular class. Right. And those are, those are some of the advantages. Can you think of disadvantages potentially, just to play devil’s advocate?

Carrie Smith: Oh, yeah, there are disadvantages. So some of the disadvantages, if you’re not if you’re not an organized person, is going to be tough. If you don’t, if you don’t have accurate records, if you’re not able to keep a structured roster, and accurate records of your workouts, I found that when I work with women, women don’t like to do the same thing over and over again, as a rule, I know that’s a big generalization. So you have to be able to modify and change.

And every set, they’re different, I keep it I keep every single workout I’ve ever done on my iPad, and then I’ll flip through, I’ll go back six or seven months, pull up one, we did reformat it, and then we’ve got a brand new workout. And they are always amazed at how I can come up with new stuff I don’t, it’s the same stuff, it’s just reworked. It’s either timed or counted. So a disadvantage would be if for the trainer if you’re not willing to be very, very scheduled, very structured.

And remember, if you’re not able to remember or at least take notes on different personalities, and you can end up with some personality conflicts, and that is hard to resolve. Another disadvantage is if you’ve got a group, small group training, and there is a lot of conversation, steering the conversation away from things that are controversial without taking the atmosphere into a deep, nasty, dark place. So in other words, we never talk about politics. We never talk about religion, and we don’t talk about low-carb diets.

That’s it. We’re not talking about it. But I don’t say that I can. I can steer a conversation away from things that are uncomfortable, and that’s a learned skill and an art. And in order to do that, you have to be able to understand personalities and dynamics and know how to do that in a nice kind, easy way. And I usually just yell at them. Do my push-ups or something silly. But those are the things that can be a disadvantage because you get a group of people together and they start talking uncomfortable stuff, or, or controversial stuff. So you have to kind of watch that to keep the atmosphere fun and energized.

Another disadvantage which I’ve, I’ve had people come and if, for instance, again, I work with women and women tend to be they say they’re not, but they tend to be very competitive. So I’ve had women come and try the while for a while and then say they just can’t keep up. And no matter how often I say, this isn’t about keeping up, this is your workout within this dynamic, you don’t have to keep up with anybody else, they still feel like they’re holding everybody back, or they cannot keep up, they don’t just feel like it works for them, it doesn’t work for everybody.

So that can be a disadvantage if you cannot explain and help people understand what the dynamics should be. of very few disadvantages, you really do need to understand the difference though between a group class and a small group training because like you said, people are paying extra for it and, and they’re going to want extra I have folded towels, I have everything done before they come the only thing they have to do when they walk in the room gets their own hand weights. Everything else is out set up TRS BOCES, for instance, you said they just don’t like BOCES?

Well, some people do, some people don’t. So I’m just not I’m going to be more careful in the future, I won’t remove the BOCES completely but when we will have a couple of sessions that have less Bosu work in them or options. He’s gonna Bosu is usable, or use a chair. So, but I have to make a mental note there are they’re just not going to want to come. So that type of thing, being very aware of what you’re working with.

And being able to keep a record of it either mentally if you’ve got a good memory for me, I have to write it down. I just not that I don’t have a good memory, I’ve got probably 180 clients, I’m not going to remember everything. I’m not gonna remember everybody’s husband’s name or their dog’s name, I write that stuff down and turn it over in the file. When I go out to meet him. I say how’s john? How was his surgery? No, john. But in the small group training, I do the same thing. I write the stuff down. So in the morning, when they come in, I can say well, how’s bill? And how’s Budi the dog or whatever.

So it is because that’s the element that is personal. When people do like that. And I don’t think it’s deceptive that I have to write it down to remember, because I just don’t remember those kinds of things. Not if I’m honest with myself. So I just to add that personal touch is what they’re paying for.

Steve Washuta: Yeah, well, you made that question look easy. It was supposed to be difficult, but you answered it.

Carrie Smith: I can’t think of any advantages. It is the best thing he’s ever had. Yeah,

Steve Washuta: I’ll add two small points just to piggyback off some things you said. And one could be confusing to some people they said when you said the competitive thing. It’s unlike a traditional group class, where you have 30 people may be staring at the front of one person, right, like a Zumba teacher or a strength training instructor.

This is more in sort of a circuit training fashion, typically where people are interacting, they’re moving around together, they’re seeing each other, right. So the group dynamic is way different than a group class where you can go, I’ve gone to group classes myself yoga classes, where I stand next to the same person every day, I have no idea who they are. Right? So like, I’ve never said hi to them. I don’t know who they are, we just happen to like, like the spaces that we stand, right where, where you don’t feel the same competitiveness as you do when you start to interact with these people.

That’s, that’s one. And then secondly, this is just a larger point, to sum up what you said, it is more exhausting, in general, for an instructor, right. So if you want to teach three of these classes, as opposed to three personal training sessions, you’re going to be way more tired teaching three of these, because you’re putting that same effort in into watching everybody, and sort of mentally recording what they’re doing, and what they like and what they don’t like, whether you’re writing it down or not, it still has to pass into your brain.

And it’s just, it’s sort of information overload, so you’re going to be more tired. But with that being said, flip it back to the advantage is that you don’t need as many of them, right. So now you could do four of them and make more money than you wouldn’t mind sessions. So that’s the advantage. Right? Well,

Carrie Smith: that’s how I just, I get I’m tired at the end of the day, but I’m like, okay, that’s that works. So I’d be much more tired if I did that many personal training sessions. So it works.

Steve Washuta :

So I gave you a brief story about how I did the mama class mom’s and martial arts. And how I made the mistake on the front end of having the strict 24-hour policy. In which kind of really crushed my class. Because of the fact that the mom schedules are just impossible to meet that criteria. Can you give me a brief story about something that you either did really right. Or really wrong that you just want to pass on to people?

Carrie Smith: Sure. So when I be paid the whole month. Whether you came or not, I started a different model. Where you come when you want. You have to cancel Isolation when you need to. But I didn’t plan the workouts in the beginning.

So I would everybody would show up. And I would just kind of wing it. And I found out that’s not going to work. It is not it absolutely has to be planned. And I did about two years worth of not really planning. Just kind of random workout because I know my stuff. I think on my feet, and it needs to last the amount of time. Which if you’re just random, you know. I can do a personal training session, of course, I look at my notes. But I don’t have to a lot of times I can just random do workout.

And I know it’s about to end. But when you’re working with a group. You pretty much have to know that it’s going to last the 50 minutes. Or the 55 minutes, you have it planned out. So that’s something I did really wrong in the beginning. And I didn’t have near the attendance that I have.

Now people like the way it’s done now. I told you, so when we shut down for the COVID shut down, I started doing well on zoom. It was very different, but they still got to interact with each other. And I found out how much the interaction social interaction meant to them. When they started to be able to come back into the club. It was unbelievable how much they actually missed each other. They could talk to each other on the zoom, but it wasn’t the same.

And that they didn’t miss the exercises or the different equipment as much as they missed each other. And these are women that would not have had before they started coming to this small group training. So it was a social dynamic at the very beginning. I didn’t really play on it as much as I do. Now, I really encourage it. And then they’ll all the talking and I repeat myself 378 times a minute. Because they’re not listening, which is fine. I don’t mind doing that.

And the other thing that I didn’t do at the beginning that I do now. Is I really pay attention to who likes to stand where. Who likes to be where what fans. I think I mentioned in the beginning, some people, I have one lady who has severe cystic fibrosis. If she gets overheated, she stops breathing. So she needs fans on her. And then I have other ladies who like her. But they don’t want to fan anywhere near them. So I have to rearrange the room so that they can interact. And there’s no fan on that sort of thing. So that’s learning as you go.

Steve Washuta: Yeah, and I’ll add to that. You know, Kerry’s a, she’s been a fitness certification presenter. She’s been in the industry for a long time. So when you come to do these sorts of classes. You don’t even remember how much that you know if that makes sense.

But if you’re somebody who is a brand new trainer, this is probably not for you. I have to be honest because you’re going to need some experience in group classes. Even if it’s just a few months, and some experience Personal Training. And then you merge those two. Not to say I would never tell anyone not to start this because it’s amazing.

But you know, a lot of times when you start something. You want to have at least most of your ducks in a row. And you’re going to learn on the job. If you come into something so great, and you’re just screwing everything up. Well, then you might have lost that demographic. So I would say this is me being a little bit more cautious. Maybe have a little bit of group fitness and a little bit of personal training under your belt. And then you can merge these two to make your perfect private group training or small group training classes.

Carrie Smith: Well, to add on to that I have worked with several trainers. And try to encourage them and train them to do what women on weights the way I do it. Very talented instructors, and it turned into time just about every time it turned just the boot camp.

There wasn’t a 24-hour policy people showed up whenever they wanted. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t what I do. But recently, I have just added a girl who’s starting her own. She has three of her own sessions. And she’s wonderful. And she’s young, and she’s not done this before. But she has a personality that it works. She’s kind.

She has lots of different modifications. she interacts well with the women, they love her. I was gone for two weeks recently, and she took over my classes, nothing but compliments. And she’s not experienced, but she’s she knows her body parts. She knows her exercises, and she’s got a really good personality. So that I mean, it’s not for everybody, like you said, and it’s not a boot camp. It’s not typical, I mean to boot. Nothing wrong with boot camp, I actually enjoy them. But you can get those a dime a dozen. You can go to any y or any like any part A lot of times and pay nothing. Or $5 and go to a boot camp. This is different. It’s very strategic. And she did she’s done great. She’s gonna take over for me.

Steve Washuta: Well, I used to speak on that there are and I’m sure you’ve been to them. I’ve watched people do this. I’ve watched group fitness instructors who give so much more effort than your average group fitness instructor, right? They essentially run their group fitness class like a private group training. I want to shake them and say, why are you charging group fitness prices for this. You know, everyone’s name on the class. You come in 15 minutes early. Have a perfect guest that’s not group fitness that’s above and beyond. Ad we have to understand our value. If you’re giving that much effort on end. Then maybe it’s time for you to transition this into private group fitness.

Carrie Smith: Well, I think that you did that with Dr. X. We’re going out this summer. You’re just charging group fitness rates and it was so hot. Finally, you said, I just can’t do this anymore. They begged. And he said, well, then I’m gonna have to charge more. And they said, Please do. So yeah. So that works.

I have talked to a group of fitness instructors exactly like you said: that they give everything away. I try to encourage them that they have value and worth. This is something that they can market and optimize their maximize. Their time and their effort. Because this is what we do. And it is hard to make a living as a trainer. And as a group visit group fitness instructor especially.

So this is a way to put some finances with your value. I guess you could say to put a price on yourself and expect that. And not in a bad way. Not in a narcissistic way, but in a good way. Assessing your value and charging appropriately. Giving a good service.

Steve Washuta: I know you said you don’t allow the girls to talk politics. And we won’t talk politics here. But I’ll make a political analogy. Private group training is the third party. We all need it if you’re sick of group fitness. If you’re sick of personal training, you’re kind of you’re merging the two, you’re getting the best of both worlds. And I think we did a great job of describing it. I hope the listeners take advantage and I have nothing else to add if you’re good here. 

Carrie Smith: Well, I’m good. Thanks.

Steve Washuta: Thanks for joining us on the Trulyfit podcast. Please subscribe, rate, and review on your listening platform. Feel free to email us as we’d love to hear from you.

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Thanks again!

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