Group classes vs solo training: finding your fit
Group classes give you a coached session and a time you can keep. Personal training writes the program around you. Most people do not have to pick forever; many use both in the same week. James Bowen coaches both at Adapt in North Sydney. Written on 8 June 2026.
How group classes and personal training differ
Both are coached on the same floor. The format changes how much of the session is written only for you.
| Group classes | Personal training | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Coach-led session with other people in the room | One-to-one with your coach |
| Programming | A planned session for the group | A program built around you |
| Coaching attention | The coach moves through the room and adjusts loads | The coach is with you for every set |
| Often suits | A habit, structure and training with others | A specific goal, injury context or technique focus |
What each format is for
Classes work well when you want to show up on a timetable, get general strength and conditioning, and like other people in the room. Personal training fits when a number on a lift, a body-composition target, or an injury needs the load changed set by set. Fees and current class times are confirmed by the team, because they change; ask on the group classes or personal training pages before you start.
If you have an old shoulder or back problem, tell the coach before the first session, or book physiotherapy first so the program has a clinical starting point.
Where to start
Start with classes if you want a habit, you are new to coached lifting, or you want other people in the session. Start with personal training if you have a specific goal, a timeline, or an injury that needs the session rewritten as you go. Start with both if you want several coached sessions a week and one of them to be only yours.
Because the same coaching team writes both, a personal training program can complement class load instead of repeating it. That conversation is easier when you train in one gym.
Questions about classes and personal training
Talk to a coachIs small group training the same as a large gym class?
No. A large class leaves little time to change each person's load. Adapt's classes are coached as a small group, so the coach still watches how you move and can give you a different starting weight or a simpler version of the lift. Ask the team for current class sizes when you enquire.
Do I need a gym membership to book an Adapt class?
Not necessarily. Class packs and membership are different products, and the mix is confirmed when you start. Some people class-only; some add independent gym time. The team will tell you what is running now and what it includes before you pay.
Should I start with a class if I have a specific strength goal?
A class will still get you stronger, and it will not be written around one lift. If a particular squat, deadlift or event is the point, personal training is the clearer first booking, with classes added later for extra coached volume. Tell the coach the goal when you enquire.
How do Adapt coaches coordinate classes with personal training?
The same coaching team works from one floor, so your personal training program can be written around the class days instead of copying them. Tell both coaches what else you are doing that week. They will share load and any physiotherapy guidance so the two formats pull in the same direction.