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Group Training v. Personal Training: Which is Right for You?

So you wanna get fit.  You want to hop on a health train and go all in: investing in you and your health and your future.  Alright, chica.  High five.  Let’s do this.  Ok Google, show me my options. Hooooly cow – that‘s a lot of choices.  Ok, how about a 10-mile radius from where I am?   Yikes.  Still so many.  Gyms, studios, yoga, spin, cross-training, boot camps, personal trainers… and they all say they’re the best deal and will get me to my goals fastest and easiest.  What to DO?!?!  

 

There’s really no best option for everyone, just like there’s no best food or outfit or retirement plan for EVERYONE.  There are pros and cons to everything.  So let’s figure out your WHY, and maybe it’ll point us in the right direction.  

 

What are you looking to accomplish?  What are your wellness goals?  What do you like to do? What revs you up?  Is your workout a time for you to tune out the world and turn your gaze inward?   Or is your workout your one chance all day to have an adult conversation?  Anything in your health history that might affect your choices?  What about your history of sports participation or lack thereof?  No better or worse answers here, just lots of variables to consider.  

 

So do you join a group or go it alone?  Let’s weigh pros and cons and see where we stand.  

 

Individual Training

Solo, you do you.  You get to pick each day what you’re going to do, and you adjust the time and place and equipment to suit you.  But what do you do?  Go for a run?  Bike ride?  Park workout? You can train all your systems for better health: strength, flexibility, cardiovascular… how much of each depends on your goals and you get to pick!   

 

BUT, you’re on your own.  Sometimes it’s hard to know how to progress, change, challenge or adjust if you’re out there flying solo.  What if you wanted to build some upper body strength but all you could think to do were push-ups?  What if you had access to a weight room but never went, not knowing where to start?  What if something hurts?  …Oh… it’ll probably go away… um, it isn’t going away… now what?  

 

Hire a Personal Trainer

Hire a personal trainer?  They can guide you around the weight room and make up interesting workouts to keep you entertained.  (This is huge.  It has to be fun, or at least interesting for you.) And maybe if something hurts they can help you still workout without making it worse, but what if he or she doesn’t know about this stuff?  The fitness industry is vastly variable with respect to education and training.  Some trainers took an online course, others have masters degrees.  But say you get hooked up with the one you like, seems knowledgeable, and you get going.  Maybe there’s some new stuff once in a while or maybe it’s different every time.  Probably you sweat a ton and man, that’s worth the price!  But many of us normal people cannot afford a 1-on-1 session once a week or maybe a few times a month.  Guess what?!  Not enough to make you any progress.  Hmmm…   

 

Group Classes

What about the multitude of classes at the gym: boot camp, spin, kettlebell, etc.?  People always seem super sweaty after that.  Maybe we try that, huh?  It’ll be fun.  Looks interesting.  

 

And I bet it’s totally different that’s what you did before, which is novel and fun and you’re proud since you stepped out of your comfort zone!  Fist bump.  So in a group, there’s some guidance. You don’t have to think up exercise routines, or search YouTube for hours you don’t have in order to come up with some variety.  They think it through, you follow, and you sweat.   You pick your class that suits your interests and goals and you show up when scheduled.  Ba-da-bing.  

 

BUT, most likely the class is formatted ahead of time, and the adjustability of the workout is changing the size of the dumbbell you pick, or the speed at which you jump rope or spin.  Often these classes are gigantic, crowded, and high-paced.  Often the leader of the class is charged with timekeeping, cueing, performing, and in some cases, choreography.  In a sea of sweaty faces, they may not see yours, or your triumphs or struggles.  How do you know what to do if an exercise isn’t working for you?  What if you can’t keep up or follow the cues?  What if you don’t hear what she just yelled out since you were grunting through that last push-up?  Or what if it’s not fast enough, challenging enough, or fun enough?  What if you’re not getting anything out of it?  

 

This is affectionately called a fitness roller coaster.  You start chugging up, accomplishing, learning, growing.  You love it.  Then you fly downward – maybe it’s the holidays or summer vacation hits or you get sick.  You turn a corner and whip in another direction into something new and exciting.  But that gets stagnant too after a bit and you slide down again.  Then you loop upside down and it’s thrilling since you’re finding new challenges and getting better in ways you didn’t seem possible.  But momentum carries us here, and we inevitably change course again. The same analogy can be drawn with nutrition, which some people call a diet.  Ups and downs.  Successes and failures.  Gaining momentum only to lose it again.  

 

Personalized Group Training 

So what to do?  What if there was a combination?  Some way to take the pros of individualized attention, activity selection, goal setting of the individual training option and blend it with the plus side of group training with cost-effectiveness, community support, and workout variety?  

 

Welcome to Kaia FIT.  We do personal training in a group environment.  Our coaches go through extensive training in human movement, anatomy, corrective exercise and physical screening.  They learn how to format workouts to offer many many options as to the pace, intensity, range, and load associated with each exercise.  The workouts are never the same but always challenge.  We train for full body beautiful movement and long-term health.  We include all energy systems each time and can be considered cross-training for competitive athletes looking to add variety to the training routine. The individual is honored, given opportunity to practice goal setting (point B) and physical screening and health history (point A) to identify the most efficient roadmap from A to B.  The group is a team, with accountability and support.  

 

When you want your kale and eat it too, we’re here for you.  

 

Yours in sweat,
Coach Carina

You can find more information from Carina Abrams over on her on Instagram @drivesportslab or on her YouTube Channel Drive Sports Lab!

 

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WHAT’S INCLUDED:

This is a self paced reset, so you can start when you are ready but we recommend to continue with the reset each day once you begin to see the maximum results.

All it takes is 7 DAYS. What are you waiting for?

Kaia Tri is a ten-week triathlon training program with workouts three times a week, which is an optional extra during our spring and summer CORE sessions. We swim, bike, and run, with some cross-training classes too. By being able to set a personal pace, our triathlon training program is suited to beginners tackling their first race and intermediate athletes looking to improve their finish time.

Our mock triathlons run several times to familiarize women with the course route. We finish the season with a Triathlon Training Camp which includes paddle boarding and power workouts. The next day is our exhilarating and fun Triathlon race day for all Kaia Tri women to enjoy working out in a beautiful location. Friends are welcome too!

SANDBAG

Kaia Sandbag combines traditional fitness with unconventional training methods. With sandbags, the weight shifts and moves in an unpredictable fashion. This piece of equipment is integrated into our conditioning & strength building workouts to simultaneously develop strength, power, endurance, mobility, and balance – with an additional emphasis on developing overall core strength and stability.

New to sandbag training? No problem! Beginners are always welcome.

TRX SUSPENSION 

TRX® Suspension Training® body-weight exercise simultaneously develops strength, power, endurance, mobility, durability, balance, flexibility, and core stability. Whether you’re younger or older, out of shape or a pro athlete, injured or at the top of your game, TRX Suspension Training meets you where you are and takes you where you want to go. TRX Suspension Training leverages gravity and the user’s body weight to enable hundreds of exercises that can be instantly scaled for any user to reach any fitness or training goal. The easily-scalable nature of TRX Suspension Training makes it a practical solution wherever you are on the fitness continuum.

Need a little extra boost to keep your body guessing? Our TRX/Cardio class is an excellent complement to any Kaia FIT session. TRX workouts, which can be used by anyone at any level, builds true functional strength and improves flexibility, balance and core stability all at once. Mixed with cardio, the classes give every member the perfect balance of challenge and success.

*TRX classes not available in all areas. Please contact us your local studio.

CROSS-TRAINING

Our trademark Kaia Cross-Training™ classes are a unique mix of cardio, functional movement, and both weighted and non-weighted exercises.

Cross-Training benefits:

Each day brings a new workout. We have an elite group of advanced coaches who infuse each workout with their own flair and focus, meaning you’re never going to repeat a workout, avoid burn-out, and fitness plateaus.

Keeping the body guessing is key to sculpting lean muscle mass. We also have a 3-part modification foundation: Balance (non-impact); Strength (mid-impact) and Kaia (high impact). Each exercise has its own progression so that everyone can feel successful.

As a part of our program, we also offer nutritional guidance to help you make healthy food choices and keep your fitness on track.

What are you waiting for? Join us today!

BARRE

Our barre-based class is a unique combination of postures inspired by ballet, yoga, Pilates and Kaia. Using the barre as a prop to balance, you’ll complete a series of isometric holds combined with high reps of small range movements to elongate and tone your major muscle groups.

In addition to the barre, classes incorporate pilates balls, yoga blocks, and/or resistance bands for increased endurance, challenge and focus. Following each set of holds, you’ll rest and recovery with a short series of stretches and poses to increase flexibility prior to advancing.
Kaia Barre is a low-impact class that perfectly complements our program offerings. Meet us at the barre and try your first class for free!

Participating locations may vary. See the schedule page for more details.

DANCE 

Our dance fitness class is rooted in traditional dance. We use those foundational moves and offer a class that is easy enough for beginners yet challenging enough for the more seasoned dancer. The simplicity of the routines allows you to keep moving with ease. Although this is a workout, it feels more like a dance party with your girlfriends.

RUNNING 

Improve your speed, skill, endurance, stamina, and strength with our Kaia running program. The program works on developing running skills that can increase speed, endurance, and overall fitness. The program is designed for you to run at your pace and and help you see improvements every step of the way.

The Kaia training is a simple, progressive program designed for women of all ages and all fitness levels. Whether you are a walker, jogger, or runner, you will be able to join this program and move at your own pace. Research has shown that even 20 to 30 minutes of running (two to three times per week) is enough to help you lose or maintain weight and improve many other important health markers, i.e. your cholesterol, blood pressure and insulin response.

Don’t be intimidated by the Kaia Run program name, each class will have walkers, joggers and runners. Keep in mind that the first mile is the hardest mile you will ever run. Once you get off the starting block, things only get easier. All you have to do is be patient and disciplined in your training, and that is where Kaia

POWER YOGA

Kaia Yoga combines mind and body with a power yoga and core-strengthening weekly workout with Pilates-style techniques. We focus on balance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness through stretching, strength training and dynamic movement to improve overall fitness levels.

By creating long, lean muscles, Yoga promotes improved coordination, greater flexibility and a fuller range of motion, with a strong body that’s less prone to injury. Yoga keeps the mind centered and reduces stress through positive thoughts and a sense of mindfulness, which also inspires mental strength and confidence.

Yin Yoga, or restorative yoga, is a quiet contemplative practice. It targets the deepest tissues of the body, our connective tissues – ligaments, joints, bones, and the deep fascia networks of the body. Poses are held for 1 minute or more and transitions between poses are gentle and slow. This class is an excellent compliment to our other classes, provides dedicated stretching, and is known to reduce stress and anxiety.

6-WEEK BRIK BOOTCAMP

Our BRIK Bootcamp sessions are offered three times a year and are designed to help you reach your health and fitness potential, and you’re welcome to start anytime!

Our BRIK Bootcamps are six weeks long and feature classes daily.* This programming fits in seamlessly with our regularly scheduled classes, and it’s as easy as 1-2-3:

  1. Register for BRIK Bootcamp HERE (included for Platinum & Gold Memberships)
  2. Book your classes through our branded app and Show Up
  3. Let our expert coaches do the rest!

These sessions offer great results in weight and body fat loss and an increase in strength and cardiovascular endurance. Our nutritional support will boost energy, help you de-bloat, increase sleep quality, and enhance your overall glow.

BRIK Bootcamp includes:

In between BRIK Bootcamp, we offer a variety of classes to meet you at your level! We also have nutrition and fitness challenges, in addition to fun opportunities to spice up your routine. What are you waiting for? Join us today!

CYCLE

Cardio based, calorie torching workout with certified spin instructors. It’s a party on a bike!

Try a Week Free

WHAT IS KAIA FIT?