PILATES VS FITNESS RACES VS GYMS VS PERSONAL TRAINING

BOOKA FREE INTRO NOW

Youve probably noticed theres a lot going on in the fitness space.

New pilates studios everywhere.

Fitness events like Hyrox, Athx and Metrix all over Instagram.

Big gyms offering cheap memberships.

Small group personal training growing in popularity.

More and more people are engaging in fitness and are seeing the benefit it has on their life!

The difficulty many people are having is choosing the right thing for them rather than just following ‘the trend’.

We need to ask: ‘What do i actually want from fitness?’

rather than

‘Whats Sally doing? I might try it too…’

So ive created a simple breakdown of some of the common options people are considering right now, and what theyre actually good for:

FITNESS EVENTS (Hyrox, Athx, Metrix, etc)

These have exploded in popularity with influencers competing all over social media - and for good reason.

Theyre social.

Theyre challenging.

They give people a clear goal to train for.

But theyre also demanding… and they require building

• a decent aerobic base

• good muscular endurance

• resilience under fatigue

• a strong mindset

Ive seen people first hand (in a commercial gym) try to train for these events and end up with major injuries and/or having a terrible event day from poor training structure…

But they are so good IF theyre trained for properly!

Learn more about Hyrox: Hyrox

Learn more about Athx: Athx

Learn more about Metix: Metrix

REFORMER PILATES

This has become incredibly popular, especially with people who want to feel more connected to their bodies.

Its particularly good for

• posture

• trunk and hip control

• learning how to move well with intent

Where it can fall short:

• building maximal strength

• preparing people for higher impact daily life

• developing aerobic capacity

For many its a brilliant part of the puzzle, but not the whole thing.

Heres a simple overview of Reformer Pilates: Reformer Pilates

COMMERCIAL GYMS (PureGym, JD Gyms, Jetts, etc)

Big gyms offer convenience at low cost.

They also offer little guidance.

Thats why so many people

• do the same workout for years

• spend hours on steppers

• never know if theyre progressing

• lose motivation and fall off the wagon

For some, the freedom works.

For most, it leads to plateaus and frustration, often costing them more money in repeated on/off memberships, nutrition group support, add ons and extras in the long run… or just quitting!

Plus… theyre normally messy, dirty, overused, full of broken equipment etc.

SMALL GROUP PERSONAL TRAINING

SGPT sits between 1:1 personal training and classes.

When done properly, it combines

• Personal coaching

• Progression

• Community

• Accountability

• Variety

When done poorly, its just expensive circuits and bootcamps in small numbers.

The difference is:

• Has the individual been considered?

• Are the sessions planned with progress in mind?

• Is strength developed systematically?

• Is conditioning built in intelligently?

• Are people coached, or just counted through reps?

Theyre the things people often dont see from the outside.

(This can include prepping you the right way for fitness events too)

Heres how we approach SGPT at Tough Cookie Gym: TCG

So, what should you do?

What most people need is:

• Strength that protects your body

• Conditioning that keeps you healthy

• Skill and control so body movement feels good

• Some variety and a community so training is enjoyable

It depends on you, your background and what you want life to look like 5 years from now. (Obviously we nail this at Tough Cookie!)

If youre trying to make sense of training right now, this is the lens id encourage you to use.

Train for capacity and life, not just for trends.

And choose environments that help you do that consistently like Tough Cookie Gym!

BOOK A FREE INTRO NOW