by Tommy Allen
If there is one thing I have learned over the last 10+ years in the fitness industry, it is that personalization of the client experience leads to better long-term results for their own health & wellness.
One of the reasons we have drifted away from the CrossFit culture and brand is that it didn’t necessarily lend itself well to personalization. For every soul that entered District H, we only had one solution to offer them: constantly varied, functional movements, at a high intensity, in a group class setting.
For 7+ years, in multiple gyms, I have seen individuals come and go and their primary reason for leaving outside of life events, like moving or losing a job, is that they weren’t achieving their health & wellness goals. This was usually wrapped up in statements like, “it just isn’t working for me” or “I don’t have time to make it to the gym” or “its just too expensive,” but all of these were indirect ways of saying that the solution we were providing wasn’t providing enough value to their lives.
Respect the Individual
Our core mission at District H is to impact the lives of our community so they can become the very best versions of themselves. Those lives come in all shapes, sizes, experiences, mindsets, history of injuries, nutritional preferences, family dichotomies, etc. etc. You can see where trying to oversimplify somebody’s life into an exercise methodology is like trying to have pinpoint accuracy with a shotgun; we will hit the vast majority, but we will also miss a lot of opportunities. We aren’t trying to be everything for everyone here at District H, but we can still do better with slight adjustments.
Which brings me to the topic of today: how can District H provide more personalization to your fitness and, more importantly, what is ultimately going to work the best for you?
Instead of placing people in a box, I want to instead focus on key characteristics that lend themselves to different solutions. These include: goals, personal schedule, speed to results, need for accountability, need for social connections, and of course…budget!
Who Would Do Well in Group Classes?
For those who desire to be functionally fit and healthy, have flexibility in their schedule, don’t have a specific timeline in terms of completion of their goal, and are primarily self-motivated and enjoy social interaction, group classes are amazing. We provide 8 different group class times throughout the day, provide programming focused on general physical preparedness, and typically have class sizes that average 10+ members. It’s great social interaction without feeling like you are in COSTCO.
Who Would Do Well with Personal Training?
Personal training is the ultimate customized solution that provides A LOT of different benefits including custom programming that speaks directly to your specific needs. Every single minute in that session is custom tailored to your immediate needs. Mobility, aerobic capacity, strength training, power/speed development, everything is designed around you as the person. Because of this 100% individualized attention, you are going to achieve your health goals faster. Trust me when I say that I have seen some amazing life changing transformations in three months or less.
It is also the ultimate accountability solution. If you don’t make it to group class for awhile, Leila is going to reach out to you and pester you until you come back (I’m just kidding, but fair warning, don’t mess with Ms. Wolfe).
BUT…leave Miranda waiting for you at 6:30am?
Oh boy! I am getting anxious just thinking about it (again, I’m being slightly overdramatic, but you get it). It is harder to stand up someone personally than it is a group a class. Hence, there is more accountability.
Lastly, personal training sessions are awesome for skill development. Looking to get that first double under or ring muscle up? Doing some dedicated 30 min. 1-on-1 sessions with a coach typically addresses the main sticking point most clients have when it comes to developing a skill.
Who is Perfect for Remote Coaching?
Remote coaching provides the ultimate personalization and flexibility. For those who are looking for more individualized programming, but can operate from anywhere they wish, remote coaching is for you.
These individuals are very self-motivated, don’t want to think about their own programming and just want to be told what to do, and aren’t necessarily looking for any more amazing social connections.
You ultimately receive similar benefits to personal training, but you aren’t limited to a single location.
Remote coaching also works incredibly well for those looking for nutrition coaching.
Real Life Implementation
How does this all come together for our clientele? Most of our members end up finding what is a good fit for them,, but about 20% of our membership ends up finding a blend of the three that works well for them and their specific needs. For example, one of our members does the following protocol:
- Group Classes 3x per week focusing on conditioning sessions: Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday
- 30 min. Personal Training Session once a month focusing on ring muscle up skills
- Remote Coaching with nutrition and two custom days focused on strength training
Here is another example of a member that has a hectic work schedule:
- Group classes via 10 Class Punchcard with the goal of getting in 1-2x per week
- Remote nutrition & mindset coaching with custom “globogym” workouts (since that is what she has access to) 4x per week.
In sticking with our mission of impacting the lives of our community through fitness, we can provide a more personalized experience with solutions that are going to work well for our members. We will continue to evolve as an organization and look to provide more personalization to all of our members.
If your current prescription at District H is not working for you, book a check-in with a coach and talk through those obstacles and develop a better prescription that fits your needs at this specific time in your life.
We are here to help!
In Health,
Tommy