Group vs Private Lessons

by Robyn Sainty

Some aerial and pole studios offer group lessons, some offer private lessons and some offer both. There are so many benefits that can be gained from attending different studios and different types of classes. It all depends on what you enjoy and what you want to get out of your lessons. I’m going to run through some of the pros and cons of group vs private lessons.

Group

Pros

  • You’ll be in a class with lots of other awesome people with the same interest as you! It is so sociable and you could make life long friends.
  • You can help each other. Whether it’s tips on how to get into moves or putting together routine ideas, it’s great to be able to bounce off each other!
  • Everyone makes mistakes and no one gets every move first time. Being with a group of students the same level as you can be a fab confidence boost as you can watch the mistakes they make and see how others are struggling with the same things as you.
  • They’re a lot cheaper than private lessons!

Cons

  • Group classes generally have between 6 and 12 people in the class and the industry standard is maximum 3 students to a pole/hoop/silk. This means you’ll have less time on the equipment and less attention from the instructor.
  • It can be very intimidating attending a class full of strangers, I loved going to group lessons but the first one was scary as hell! As soon as you start you realise no one is watching or judging you but if you’re a nervous, introverted type of person then private lessons might be a better fit.
  • The classes are at set times, the same time every week. This works really well for some people but can be too inflexible for others.
  • You will be expected to follow the instructors plan for the class rather than work on things you particularly want to.

Private

Pros

  • You get the equipment all yourself so you get much more time on it. You are also not sharing the instructor so they can give you their full attention which will help you progress quicker. As you’re doing that much more you’ll become a lot fitter.
  • You can usually share your private lesson with a friend or two. You can have fun, bounce off each other but not worry about other students in the class.
  • Private lessons are a lot more flexible as it’s just arranged between you and the instructor. You can either do the same time each week or different times, 5 times a week or once every couple of months. It’s very much down to you rather than being on a set plan.
  • The lesson is yours to work on what you want! (within reason!) The instructor will probably have a rough plan but if there’s anything you particularly want to work on a private lesson is the place to do it! Sometimes you might not be feeling it and want to do stretches or easy, fun things.  Other times you might want to really blast some conditioning!

Cons

  • It can be difficult to see how amazing you’re doing when you’re on your own and can’t watch other students attempting moves and making mistakes.
  • A lot of my private students chat throughout the lessons and we get on really well, but not having other students does take away some of the social side of classes.
  • You’re paying to have sole use of the equipment, studio and instructor, this means private lessons are more expensive than group lessons.

Whatever type of class you go to, groups, privates or a mixture, the main thing is that you enjoy it!! If you’re looking to improve quicker, check out my recent blog post on Small Tips to Improve your Pole / Aerial xx