Here’s a bit of history on Bang — and how we arrived at the semi-private model we use (although we call this Group Personal Training or GPT).
When we opened in 2008, it was with the intention of working with combat athletes and providing a great space for personal trainers, who would bring in their own clientele. However, it soon became clear that some of the best trainers out there are technicians, not marketers. So, we would have to find a way to support them. Our founder, Geoff, began travelling around North America to see how some of the best training spaces were making things happen. He brought what he learned back to Toronto.
In 2009, we pivoted to a small-group model. While not everyone was an athlete, we took an athletic approach to training, seeking to ensure that every program covered the bases on mobility, strength, power, and general physical competency. Things went well but Geoff kept digging and, in 2010, he was introduced to the semi-private model.
Geoff says, “I liked the approach. I liked the lack of micromanagement. And it was fun to coach. We still wrote individual programs — just like conventional personal training — but really worked to ensure that the programs were continually building on previous skills. This way, everything made sense. I figured that by using this format, we could offer a service that was in the ballpark of 1-1 but at a more accessible price point. What I didn’t expect is that things would work better for people.”
We officially made the switch in January of 2010.
We don’t do a lot of shouting about how our format works better than 1-1. Frankly, people wouldn’t believe us. And there are exceptions, to be sure. For example, with complex injuries or in the very early days of training. However, Geoff also noticed that by about three months in, people were progressing faster than 1-1 clients. After some digging, he found that the extra autonomy (the kind that you wouldn’t typically get in a 1-1 environment) was working some type of magic. Members had higher requirements for remembering and executing their exercises. You’d think this extra layer of challenge would be a turn-off but our members embraced it and thrived.
So, why don’t we call it semi-private training at Bang? Because we don’t believe in being semi-anything.
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