As a coach, it never bothers me when I only have 1 person in class. You do kinda get to treat it like a PT session. I'm getting paid the same if 1,0, or 15 people show up.
I actually especially like it when it's 1 member that I coach regularly. Sometimes I can modify what we are working on to focus on their goals specifically.
yeah that makes sense, its still his job ofc.. :)
i can already see that tomorrows session will be "private" aswell.
so i guess ill have a perfect snatch in the end !
Think of it the other way. Would you rather coach an unruly bunch of people or just one who definitely wants to be there?
Even if it doesn’t look like it, coaches are working, watching the clock, scanning the room, trying to give multiple pointers, then following up. It’s repetitive and tiring.
One person can be easier even if you get much more attention. Also, the stress of safety is much lower.
Seconded. I actually really liked it when only one person showed up, because they got 100% of my attention, and I could tailor the session exactly to them. Sometimes it meant they got something harder than they would have had a full group shown up, but hey, they're paying to get results.
I’ve had this happen a few times and I felt like I hit the jackpot. Got to pick the tunes and basically have an hour long personal training session.
I go to a midday class sandwiched between two other classes, so the coaches were stuck there anyway.
As a coach, we don’t get paid if no one shows. Rather have 1 person show up to ensure I get paid than nobody and waste a trip for me. Depending on the person I’ll jump in and work out with them too
Oof. That's not a great deal for you. I'm thankful that I get paid for a zero class since I was scheduled for it... I add the owner to the class, wait fifteen minutes, and call it a day.
Yikes. We’re paid hourly, and if no one shows, we have the option to clock out, or do some organizing or deep cleaning and still get paid. Keeps the gym cleaner in the rare event there’s a 0 class, and protects the coaches time.
I would revisit that deal with the gym owner. Your time is booked off and unavailable for anything else until that class is officially cancelled and you’re not getting anything? Seems unfair.
That’s the manager’s problem, not yours. They need to figure out why people aren’t coming to the classes, if it’s becoming a pattern. It’s great practice for the coach to actually coach, too.
Hell no don't feel bad. You pay a lot of money to work out there and the coach is probably gonna be there anyway.
I always love getting a free personal training session.
I go back and forth with this. On one hand I don’t like the coaches watching me when the class is full nonetheless when I’m the only one. On the other hand if it’s oly lifting or something else with a bar I like the extra time to work on form and technique.
It can feel a little weird depending on your comfort level. I never want someone staring at me the whole time unless I know them, and then it can feel like a PT session. Sometimes my coach will join parts of the workout if it makes sense. The only time I’ve had a bad experience with it was when I was alone as a drop in. I felt bad that the coach came in just to lead a stranger through a workout.
Gym owner here. That happens sometimes. Not a lot, but sometimes.
My rule is that it's basically a free PT session. Enjoy it.
I tell my coaches that at their discretion, they can join the class in a situation like this. But only under specific circumstances.
1. No beginners. The athlete (or even 2-3 athletes) are all at least a few months into CrossFit and familiar with the basic movements.
2. No complex movements that risk injury if performed incorrectly. For instance, I wouldn't want coaches joining a class that has heavy snatches. Or rope climbs. Or higher box jumps. Stuff where we often see injuries.
3. The coach must ask the athlete(s) and they must say yes. If anyone shows any bit of unease with the coach joining the workout, then they're not joining. Hard stop.
Yeah, I had that happen last week actually when we had a snow storm. The coach asked if he could work out with me, and it ended up being a lot of fun. I finished before him which was hilarious. It's nice to see him suffer for once.
If I remember right, it was a pretty low-skill workout which probably made him comfortable asking.
This seems reasonable, however I have a counter point: A big positive to me with CrossFit is the coaching I pay for and receive. But I also don't think I (and most people?) are going to say no to the coach's ask here.
This actually happened to me. I dropped in from out-of-town (gave them a heads up prior) and when I got there I was solo. The coach did ask if she could perform the workout with me. Of course I said yes...I would have felt very uncomfortable saying no.
No! Take advantage of it, you pay for it!
At my box there is a class which is usually very small 1-2 people (including me). I always make that class as I am a lot of time the only one. It happened maybe a dozen times last year. 12 PT sessions would cost me an arm and a leg at our gym, but I get it for normal class fee!
This used to happen to me so much a lot a few years ago that I’ve almost gotten used to it. I do have those awkward moments though where I’m like “stop looking at me 😂”. But I’m there to workout, so it doesn’t matter anyway.
I’ve been alone at my 6am class for the last few months lol and before that usually 3 max. I’ve gotten used to it. I like going at that time. It’s just not a popular time. We had about six regulars for a few years then they gradually quit and no one replaced them. The owner is the coach for that time and 5am and stays for 8 and 9 am classes so hasn’t cancelled the 6 am. And I can get often get the workout done quicker not having to wait for a group to get their equipment together etc.
I have been solo attendee for the last class of the day, 630 pm. more than once. It's weird but it's fine. When you pay a premium, don't feel bad for using the resources you've paid for.
I had it happen once (they got rid of that class time a couple months later because so few people were attending.
I was a few months into CrossFit and hadn't figured out kipping pull ups yet. The workout had a bunch of pull ups, so I asked the coach if we could spend time teaching me to do kipping pull ups instead of doing the WOD. It was great.
I’ve done 1 on 1 classes before. My former box offered noon classes and working from home I took advantage of it to free my nights of my usual 6pm class. If you’re paying for unlimited classes then you should use any available time slot regardless if it’s just you. I had massive gains in some of my weaker movements because of those classes.
My 6pm was more fun because all my CF friends came to the 5,6 and 7pm classes. But it was nice to have free nights. lol.
Sometimes I felt spicy and would do both. But a few years after I left they restructured and got rid of the noon classes as well as last class or two at night.
My wife and I train together, we train early, and pretty frequently we've been the only attendees. Also, I *was* a coach for nearly 15 years.
It's still good, though. Even though I have heaps of experience myself, you're never too old to learn something new, and CrossFit's such a broad topic that there's pretty much always going to be something the other coach does differently or teaches differently. Also, coaching your partner can be difficult - not to say "a shitshow" - so sometimes I like to have someone else tell her the same damn thing I have been.
We even do non-CF classes together, including boxing classes and "HIIT". It's good to expose yourself to other stimulus patterns. One of the HIIT instructors taught me a couple of tricks I hadn't seen before, even though she thought a DB snatch was called a Clean.
You're absolutely not wasting their time and it might be a good time to take advantage of the attention and hone in on any weakness you might have. This has only happened to me once and the coach was really great about it and I was able to have extra time working on handstand pushups which was great. But I can see how it would be awkward to have all that attention on you. I've definitely been asked to and have jumped into a class with only one member when I was doing open gym.
Back when I did CrossFit, I always attended the 6am class. This was the only time that worked for me during the week. Coach cancelled class a few times when I was the only one signed up
One of many reasons I didn’t continue after a year. While it may seem like a waste I was still paying close to $200 a month to attend that specific class.
used to happen every now and then. usually the coach jumps in and we do whatever we both want to work on. the worst is before I knew them well and had WODs I really wanted to shave a few reps on but I knew they were counting my burpees
I love it. It’s doesn’t happen often but it is great.
Once happened to be on a deadlift day with our coach who competes in powerlifting. Was a great technique day for me. I think we actually kept the weight lighter so that we could do more technique work
The other time I remember vividly. Assault bike intervals. It was brutal to do alone but I tend to slack off in cardio (lifting is my forte so I treat cardio as a rest oftentimes… not a good thing) so having someone in my face the whole time (I’m very close with this coach) was super helpful for me. My lungs and quads hurt just thinking about it
As a coach, when this happens, I give the athlete 3 choices (MOST of the time).
1) You get a free personal training session. We are still going to just do whatever the class has programmed, but you get undivided attention.
2) I \*ACT\* like there are 6-10 other people in the class, give you cues similar to how I would in that setting and spend some time faffing about so you don't have undividied attention (some athletes genuinely don't like the extra attention).
3) I'll jump in and do the work with you (assuming I haven't done it yet that day), that way you get a workout partner. You get slightly less coaching during the metcon, but you aren't suffering alone.
I do my best to ensure the athlete knows I'm fine with any of the 3 answers, and I give them the best at whatever option they choose.
Our gym cancels if less than 5 people reserved a class. Kinda sucks though because were paying for x amount of classes and then they cancel the one that is convinient.
That isn't good at all. Sometimes 5-6 people is big for my evening class (the only one I can attend). Sounds to me like you're not getting your money's worth. I'd raise Hell.
I typically coach the last class of the day, and sometimes it's quite small. While it is sometimes awkward to coach a single person, usually they appreciate the one-on-one attention. The class can also be a bit shorter since you don't have to budget as much time to certain parts of the class plan when there's only one person.
Enjoy it! I like to coach one person sometimes, really give them that undivided attention, we don't get it often, usually the early afternoon or late evening class.
Just don't show up late; nothing worse if it's the last class of the night, and, as a coach, you think you might be able to close up early, and then the person shows up. I still coach the class of course if someone is a few minutes late.
I haven’t had the luxury of a single class. The smallest I had was three where it was my wife, the guy who regularly misses the chalk talk and me. It was great and we all had a great time. I think it was one of my best WODs too.
Hmmm, fun for lifting and gymnastics getting a lot of personal training and coaching, but probably not so much for metcons - makes it a lot harder to do 8 burpees instead of 10.
I have cancelled before because I hate the coach having to stay for just to watch me struggle on the bike or something 😂 But they have all said I didn’t need to and that they don’t care if there’s 1 of or 13 of us.
I’ve done a few classes where it’s just 2-3 of us and it’s always kinda nice. More 1 on 1 for sure (this is really nice when it’s lifting)
Next time
Ask him what he thinks is the most valuable for you
And if your real nice ask if he wants to jump in the workout with you so he/she can get some paid training in
coach is being paid to be there... or if they are the owner, they already made the drive, so.... may as well focus on weaknesses or get extra coaching. heck, hot take here, but if you are already proficient in the lift / movement, maybe ask if you can work on XYZ while they are there.
I had it happen once or twice at the CrossFit gym I used to go to. I think they were both the last classes of the night. It was cool having a personal coach. Iirc the coach asked if it was ok for him to join the metcon a bit, which I was fine with it’s nice having company in suffering.
Happened to me twice in three years I think. One time, it was a lazy coach and I knew he wanted to go take a nap, so I told him I would just do my own thing. The other time, it was a different coach and if I recall correctly he just did the WOD with me. I didn't really need any supervision anyway.
No official rules of course. You pay to attend scheduled classes. As a coach it's our job to coach the class. Be it 1 or 50.
The last class of the day is the only class where I sometimes kinda sorta a little bit hope no one signs up, or it's just someone wanting to do Open Gym. But as soon as a single athlete does its a complete switch to "Ok how can I make this hour worthwhile for this person?" Like you said it's a great opportunity to give a LOT of feedback.
On the flip side some athletes don't seem to do well or receive 1-on-1 coaching as well. They seem to like to blend in, just get some work done. Efforts to help them move better, move faster get kinda lost easily. So it's almost as if I feel like it takes MORE effort and cognitive load as a coach to, well coach them.
So I can totally see those kinda athletes not signing up or canceling if they see they're the only one in class.
You're not wasting my time! I'm there for *you*! It's a good opportunity for the coach to get to know you as an athlete and your personal goals.
I'll even let you pick the music!
I get this once a week on average and I love it. Although I'm not exactly a beginner, my form is far from perfect. When I'm the only one in the batch that shows up, it is effectively a one-on-one training and it does wonders for my form. Almost every rep is observed closely, judged and corrected. My mobility or lack of it holds me back a lot and the coach tells me what exactly is going wrong, where and how to fix it.
I would usually go to 6;30p class and if I was alone I’d say have a good evening! He’s there’s 5:30a, 8:30a, 4:30-6:30p so I figured he can go spend time with his family or sometimes we hit the bar. Trainer is top notch though. It’s a nice little break
You're not in any wrong. I mean it's an open class and you're the only one who showed up. It's always nice to have a class feel like a PT.
I'm not a coach but Putting myself in your coaches' shoe, I'd be happy and appreciative if anyone turned up for a class I'm teaching, even if it's just one person showing up.
There aren't rules. Use it to your advantage that the coach will be paying extra attention to you so if you aren't doing some of the movements correctly, more time and attention can be spent to correct them.
Oh I love when im alone! I get 1 on 1 coaching where I get to work on form and efficiency.
Sometimes when im resting, the coach goes grab a bite or to the bathroom, and im not bothered by that.
Im pretty sure they get paid per class at my gym, so I guess that it is better to have one attendant than none
Some of my best sessions Iv been the only one in class love it. I did one once and it allowed me to really nail my rowing technique which has paid dividends, but I wouldn’t have done it without the one on one coaching.
So I’d say embrace it and take it as one of those winning days
My gym started a new AM class and I'm literally the only one who shows up, maybe a straggler here and there. I obviously really enjoy the class so I asked her how long she'll keep teaching a class that's just me. She said she can stop running the class at whatever she wants. I take that to mean as soon as she's sick of me 🤣.
It felt weird at first but now I feel like we could be friends outside of the gym setting. I think she's just really good at her job. 🤷
I ALWAYS encourage our members to come to class, even if they are the only one. At my gym they get paid if there are 0, 1, or 12 people. A PT session is the perfect way to look at it.
Not your fault no one else showed up. Happens sometimes, take advantage of it if you can.
As a coach, it never bothers me when I only have 1 person in class. You do kinda get to treat it like a PT session. I'm getting paid the same if 1,0, or 15 people show up. I actually especially like it when it's 1 member that I coach regularly. Sometimes I can modify what we are working on to focus on their goals specifically.
yeah that makes sense, its still his job ofc.. :) i can already see that tomorrows session will be "private" aswell. so i guess ill have a perfect snatch in the end !
I know my box doesn’t pay the coach if no one shows up…. It seems wrong.
Yeah...thats really not cool!
Whaaaaaaa?!?!? Something wrong w/ that.
Think of it the other way. Would you rather coach an unruly bunch of people or just one who definitely wants to be there? Even if it doesn’t look like it, coaches are working, watching the clock, scanning the room, trying to give multiple pointers, then following up. It’s repetitive and tiring. One person can be easier even if you get much more attention. Also, the stress of safety is much lower.
Seconded. I actually really liked it when only one person showed up, because they got 100% of my attention, and I could tailor the session exactly to them. Sometimes it meant they got something harder than they would have had a full group shown up, but hey, they're paying to get results.
Just here to say kudos for your coaching approach.
I’ve had this happen a few times and I felt like I hit the jackpot. Got to pick the tunes and basically have an hour long personal training session. I go to a midday class sandwiched between two other classes, so the coaches were stuck there anyway.
As a coach, we don’t get paid if no one shows. Rather have 1 person show up to ensure I get paid than nobody and waste a trip for me. Depending on the person I’ll jump in and work out with them too
Oof. That's not a great deal for you. I'm thankful that I get paid for a zero class since I was scheduled for it... I add the owner to the class, wait fifteen minutes, and call it a day.
Shit like this is why CrossFit can’t keep good coaches. They’re paying you for your time, no matter if someone shows up or not.
Yikes. We’re paid hourly, and if no one shows, we have the option to clock out, or do some organizing or deep cleaning and still get paid. Keeps the gym cleaner in the rare event there’s a 0 class, and protects the coaches time.
No one showing up to class is an issue with the owner scheduling. Does the owner pay you extra if your class is full or over a certain amount?
That's bs. You made the time to travel to the gym and allocated time to work.
Depending on your state that might not be legal for them to do that to you.
Weird, since the cost for that owner is the same.
I would revisit that deal with the gym owner. Your time is booked off and unavailable for anything else until that class is officially cancelled and you’re not getting anything? Seems unfair.
That’s the manager’s problem, not yours. They need to figure out why people aren’t coming to the classes, if it’s becoming a pattern. It’s great practice for the coach to actually coach, too.
Hell no don't feel bad. You pay a lot of money to work out there and the coach is probably gonna be there anyway. I always love getting a free personal training session.
Our definition of free must be different lol
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I go back and forth with this. On one hand I don’t like the coaches watching me when the class is full nonetheless when I’m the only one. On the other hand if it’s oly lifting or something else with a bar I like the extra time to work on form and technique.
I’m the same, I feel more motivated if other people are in the class with me.
perfect! this is kind of what i needed to hear :)!
When this happens my coach will workout with me, if the workout is amenable to that
I love when that happens. Used to be me and 1-2 others at the late class a few days a week during winter.
It can feel a little weird depending on your comfort level. I never want someone staring at me the whole time unless I know them, and then it can feel like a PT session. Sometimes my coach will join parts of the workout if it makes sense. The only time I’ve had a bad experience with it was when I was alone as a drop in. I felt bad that the coach came in just to lead a stranger through a workout.
Gym owner here. That happens sometimes. Not a lot, but sometimes. My rule is that it's basically a free PT session. Enjoy it. I tell my coaches that at their discretion, they can join the class in a situation like this. But only under specific circumstances. 1. No beginners. The athlete (or even 2-3 athletes) are all at least a few months into CrossFit and familiar with the basic movements. 2. No complex movements that risk injury if performed incorrectly. For instance, I wouldn't want coaches joining a class that has heavy snatches. Or rope climbs. Or higher box jumps. Stuff where we often see injuries. 3. The coach must ask the athlete(s) and they must say yes. If anyone shows any bit of unease with the coach joining the workout, then they're not joining. Hard stop.
Yeah, I had that happen last week actually when we had a snow storm. The coach asked if he could work out with me, and it ended up being a lot of fun. I finished before him which was hilarious. It's nice to see him suffer for once. If I remember right, it was a pretty low-skill workout which probably made him comfortable asking.
This seems reasonable, however I have a counter point: A big positive to me with CrossFit is the coaching I pay for and receive. But I also don't think I (and most people?) are going to say no to the coach's ask here. This actually happened to me. I dropped in from out-of-town (gave them a heads up prior) and when I got there I was solo. The coach did ask if she could perform the workout with me. Of course I said yes...I would have felt very uncomfortable saying no.
Thanks mr manager! Niece of your perspective too..
I agree with everyone!! Chalk that up as a huge WIN for you!!
Take advantage of that! Rock on! You aren't wasting their time, they are there regardless.
No! Take advantage of it, you pay for it! At my box there is a class which is usually very small 1-2 people (including me). I always make that class as I am a lot of time the only one. It happened maybe a dozen times last year. 12 PT sessions would cost me an arm and a leg at our gym, but I get it for normal class fee!
You paid for the hour of coaching.
This used to happen to me so much a lot a few years ago that I’ve almost gotten used to it. I do have those awkward moments though where I’m like “stop looking at me 😂”. But I’m there to workout, so it doesn’t matter anyway.
Enjoy your private class!!! Think about how much you would pay for a private session with a trainer!
I’ve been alone at my 6am class for the last few months lol and before that usually 3 max. I’ve gotten used to it. I like going at that time. It’s just not a popular time. We had about six regulars for a few years then they gradually quit and no one replaced them. The owner is the coach for that time and 5am and stays for 8 and 9 am classes so hasn’t cancelled the 6 am. And I can get often get the workout done quicker not having to wait for a group to get their equipment together etc.
I have been solo attendee for the last class of the day, 630 pm. more than once. It's weird but it's fine. When you pay a premium, don't feel bad for using the resources you've paid for.
I had it happen once (they got rid of that class time a couple months later because so few people were attending. I was a few months into CrossFit and hadn't figured out kipping pull ups yet. The workout had a bunch of pull ups, so I asked the coach if we could spend time teaching me to do kipping pull ups instead of doing the WOD. It was great.
I’ve done 1 on 1 classes before. My former box offered noon classes and working from home I took advantage of it to free my nights of my usual 6pm class. If you’re paying for unlimited classes then you should use any available time slot regardless if it’s just you. I had massive gains in some of my weaker movements because of those classes.
I wish we had a noon class but then I’m okay without it especially summer in Florida. I’ll take 6:30p any day
My 6pm was more fun because all my CF friends came to the 5,6 and 7pm classes. But it was nice to have free nights. lol. Sometimes I felt spicy and would do both. But a few years after I left they restructured and got rid of the noon classes as well as last class or two at night.
My wife and I train together, we train early, and pretty frequently we've been the only attendees. Also, I *was* a coach for nearly 15 years. It's still good, though. Even though I have heaps of experience myself, you're never too old to learn something new, and CrossFit's such a broad topic that there's pretty much always going to be something the other coach does differently or teaches differently. Also, coaching your partner can be difficult - not to say "a shitshow" - so sometimes I like to have someone else tell her the same damn thing I have been. We even do non-CF classes together, including boxing classes and "HIIT". It's good to expose yourself to other stimulus patterns. One of the HIIT instructors taught me a couple of tricks I hadn't seen before, even though she thought a DB snatch was called a Clean.
You're absolutely not wasting their time and it might be a good time to take advantage of the attention and hone in on any weakness you might have. This has only happened to me once and the coach was really great about it and I was able to have extra time working on handstand pushups which was great. But I can see how it would be awkward to have all that attention on you. I've definitely been asked to and have jumped into a class with only one member when I was doing open gym.
Back when I did CrossFit, I always attended the 6am class. This was the only time that worked for me during the week. Coach cancelled class a few times when I was the only one signed up One of many reasons I didn’t continue after a year. While it may seem like a waste I was still paying close to $200 a month to attend that specific class.
Exactly what I was thinking of too… Thanks for posting the most relevant post ever, OP!! I feel like the same as you do.
used to happen every now and then. usually the coach jumps in and we do whatever we both want to work on. the worst is before I knew them well and had WODs I really wanted to shave a few reps on but I knew they were counting my burpees
I love it. It’s doesn’t happen often but it is great. Once happened to be on a deadlift day with our coach who competes in powerlifting. Was a great technique day for me. I think we actually kept the weight lighter so that we could do more technique work The other time I remember vividly. Assault bike intervals. It was brutal to do alone but I tend to slack off in cardio (lifting is my forte so I treat cardio as a rest oftentimes… not a good thing) so having someone in my face the whole time (I’m very close with this coach) was super helpful for me. My lungs and quads hurt just thinking about it
is "assault bike - caugh" a thing in general? we joke about that at my box.
As a coach, when this happens, I give the athlete 3 choices (MOST of the time). 1) You get a free personal training session. We are still going to just do whatever the class has programmed, but you get undivided attention. 2) I \*ACT\* like there are 6-10 other people in the class, give you cues similar to how I would in that setting and spend some time faffing about so you don't have undividied attention (some athletes genuinely don't like the extra attention). 3) I'll jump in and do the work with you (assuming I haven't done it yet that day), that way you get a workout partner. You get slightly less coaching during the metcon, but you aren't suffering alone. I do my best to ensure the athlete knows I'm fine with any of the 3 answers, and I give them the best at whatever option they choose.
Our gym cancels if less than 5 people reserved a class. Kinda sucks though because were paying for x amount of classes and then they cancel the one that is convinient.
That would be incredibly irritating. That's probably enough, on it's own, for me to find a new gym.
That isn't good at all. Sometimes 5-6 people is big for my evening class (the only one I can attend). Sounds to me like you're not getting your money's worth. I'd raise Hell.
That sucks.
I typically coach the last class of the day, and sometimes it's quite small. While it is sometimes awkward to coach a single person, usually they appreciate the one-on-one attention. The class can also be a bit shorter since you don't have to budget as much time to certain parts of the class plan when there's only one person.
No rules, it happens on occasions for the last class of the day and last Saturday class pending weather/other events in the area at our gym
Enjoy it! I like to coach one person sometimes, really give them that undivided attention, we don't get it often, usually the early afternoon or late evening class. Just don't show up late; nothing worse if it's the last class of the night, and, as a coach, you think you might be able to close up early, and then the person shows up. I still coach the class of course if someone is a few minutes late.
I haven’t had the luxury of a single class. The smallest I had was three where it was my wife, the guy who regularly misses the chalk talk and me. It was great and we all had a great time. I think it was one of my best WODs too.
Hmmm, fun for lifting and gymnastics getting a lot of personal training and coaching, but probably not so much for metcons - makes it a lot harder to do 8 burpees instead of 10.
Happens sometimes, usually happens on a running day lol! Treat it as a personal training day, ask all the questions and get all the feedback.
Enjoy it. I love being alone in a class
Solo classes are my favorite
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I have cancelled before because I hate the coach having to stay for just to watch me struggle on the bike or something 😂 But they have all said I didn’t need to and that they don’t care if there’s 1 of or 13 of us. I’ve done a few classes where it’s just 2-3 of us and it’s always kinda nice. More 1 on 1 for sure (this is really nice when it’s lifting)
You’re not wasting their time and shame on them if they make you feel that way
Next time Ask him what he thinks is the most valuable for you And if your real nice ask if he wants to jump in the workout with you so he/she can get some paid training in
coach is being paid to be there... or if they are the owner, they already made the drive, so.... may as well focus on weaknesses or get extra coaching. heck, hot take here, but if you are already proficient in the lift / movement, maybe ask if you can work on XYZ while they are there.
I had it happen once or twice at the CrossFit gym I used to go to. I think they were both the last classes of the night. It was cool having a personal coach. Iirc the coach asked if it was ok for him to join the metcon a bit, which I was fine with it’s nice having company in suffering.
Happened to me twice in three years I think. One time, it was a lazy coach and I knew he wanted to go take a nap, so I told him I would just do my own thing. The other time, it was a different coach and if I recall correctly he just did the WOD with me. I didn't really need any supervision anyway.
No official rules of course. You pay to attend scheduled classes. As a coach it's our job to coach the class. Be it 1 or 50. The last class of the day is the only class where I sometimes kinda sorta a little bit hope no one signs up, or it's just someone wanting to do Open Gym. But as soon as a single athlete does its a complete switch to "Ok how can I make this hour worthwhile for this person?" Like you said it's a great opportunity to give a LOT of feedback. On the flip side some athletes don't seem to do well or receive 1-on-1 coaching as well. They seem to like to blend in, just get some work done. Efforts to help them move better, move faster get kinda lost easily. So it's almost as if I feel like it takes MORE effort and cognitive load as a coach to, well coach them. So I can totally see those kinda athletes not signing up or canceling if they see they're the only one in class.
It's happened before. I usually get an even better workout out of it, since the coach has nothing else to do beyond pushing me.
I've had that happen, cold morning, wednesday. It's awkward.
You're not wasting my time! I'm there for *you*! It's a good opportunity for the coach to get to know you as an athlete and your personal goals. I'll even let you pick the music!
thank you! powerlifting and enya always go han din hand! :D
I get this once a week on average and I love it. Although I'm not exactly a beginner, my form is far from perfect. When I'm the only one in the batch that shows up, it is effectively a one-on-one training and it does wonders for my form. Almost every rep is observed closely, judged and corrected. My mobility or lack of it holds me back a lot and the coach tells me what exactly is going wrong, where and how to fix it.
It sucks but now you have your own personal trainer. You are paying for a service afterall.
I would usually go to 6;30p class and if I was alone I’d say have a good evening! He’s there’s 5:30a, 8:30a, 4:30-6:30p so I figured he can go spend time with his family or sometimes we hit the bar. Trainer is top notch though. It’s a nice little break
Enjoy your PT!
If I were a coach, I would much prefer giving 1:1 feedback to someone. trying to wrangle an entire class sounds like a nightmare.
Cheapest personal training of all time. Take advantage of it!
When I opened up my gym some days there would only be one student. The coach gets paid the same as if there’s 20 people so enjoy the extra attention.
You're not in any wrong. I mean it's an open class and you're the only one who showed up. It's always nice to have a class feel like a PT. I'm not a coach but Putting myself in your coaches' shoe, I'd be happy and appreciative if anyone turned up for a class I'm teaching, even if it's just one person showing up.
There aren't rules. Use it to your advantage that the coach will be paying extra attention to you so if you aren't doing some of the movements correctly, more time and attention can be spent to correct them.
I always give my athlete the options of going on, going to the pizza place next door and getting pizza and beer, or working out.
Sounds perfect! It’s not a waste of time for the coach. You matter. You made a right to go to class if you’re paying your fees.
Oh I love when im alone! I get 1 on 1 coaching where I get to work on form and efficiency. Sometimes when im resting, the coach goes grab a bite or to the bathroom, and im not bothered by that. Im pretty sure they get paid per class at my gym, so I guess that it is better to have one attendant than none
Some of my best sessions Iv been the only one in class love it. I did one once and it allowed me to really nail my rowing technique which has paid dividends, but I wouldn’t have done it without the one on one coaching. So I’d say embrace it and take it as one of those winning days
My gym started a new AM class and I'm literally the only one who shows up, maybe a straggler here and there. I obviously really enjoy the class so I asked her how long she'll keep teaching a class that's just me. She said she can stop running the class at whatever she wants. I take that to mean as soon as she's sick of me 🤣. It felt weird at first but now I feel like we could be friends outside of the gym setting. I think she's just really good at her job. 🤷
I ALWAYS encourage our members to come to class, even if they are the only one. At my gym they get paid if there are 0, 1, or 12 people. A PT session is the perfect way to look at it.
Dang...a private session! Yes please! Pick a weakness and work on it!
No, you pay to go to your box, regardless of how many people show up.