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Group Classes Alone Might be Killing Your Progress - Foundry Personal Training Gyms

Group Classes Alone Might be Killing Your Progress

Group classes are everywhere. They’re fun, high energy, easy to access. And for a lot of people, they’re the entry point to getting active.

But if you’re relying on group classes alone, there’s a good chance you’re stuck. You might feel fitter, sure – but you’re probably not getting much stronger or building capacity with progressive overload. And sooner or later, the progress stops.

This isn’t a takedown: group classes have their place. But if your goal is to build a body that lasts – strong, mobile, capable, injury-resilient – they’re only one piece of the puzzle.

What Group Classes Are Good For

Let’s be clear: group training can absolutely help with some things.

  • ✅ Motivation and energy – the buzz of a room can push you harder
  • ✅ Cardiovascular fitness – as a complement to strength training
  • ✅ Habit-building – a set time, a familiar routine, a group to show up for
  • ✅ Community – which matters more than people think

For people who are new to movement, or who struggle with consistency, that’s powerful.

But group classes aren’t personalised. They don’t adapt to you. And that’s where things start to break down.

Where Group Classes Fall Short

If you’ve been turning up regularly but still feel stuck, this might be why:

  • ❌ No individualisation – everyone’s doing the same thing, regardless of injury history, training age, etc
  • ❌ No structured progression – you’re not building towards a specific milestone
  • ❌ No coaching detail – the instructor is managing a room, not training your body
  • ❌ No movement foundations – you’re moving fast without moving well

And if you’re new to the gym or coming back after time off, group classes can actually do more harm than good.

  • You’re more likely to get injured, because no one’s watching your form closely
  • You’re more likely to feel out of place, because the pace is designed for the group, not for you
  • You’re more likely to give up, because the experience can feel overwhelming if you’re out of shape or lacking confidence

These things might not matter at 25. But by 35 or 45, the stakes are higher: your joints are less forgiving, recovery takes longer, and your body has accumulated some miles.

You’re Training for Life.

Most of our members aren’t training to get an Insta-ready body (primarily, at least).

They’re parents. Business owners. People who want to feel good in their bodies and stay capable as they get older.

They want to:

  • Pick up their kids (or grandkids) without hurting their back
  • Hike, swim, or play sport without pulling something
  • Feel energised, not exhausted, at the end of the week
  • Reduce the risk of injury, burnout, and chronic disease
  • Do some fun stuff (climb a mountain, row an ocean etc) before it’s too late

To do that, you need more than sweat. You need structure.

  • Bone density – built through progressive strength work
  • Functional strength – pushing, pulling, carrying, squatting with good form
  • Mobility – full range of motion, not just stretching after class
  • Injury resilience – prehab, smart load management, rest built into the plan
  • Cardiovascular health – adapted to your goals, not generic programming

Most group classes don’t cover that. And that’s why we built Foundry differently.

The Foundry Way

We’ve spent over 20 years refining our model to answer one question:

What actually works for real people, long-term?

The answer isn’t generic workouts. It’s individualised structure, expert coaching, and sustainable progress. And that’s what we’ve built.

  • Every member starts with a 1:1 Strategy Session
  • You’ll get ongoing check-ins, tailored adjustments, and support from real coaches who know your name
  • The core of our memberships is personal training, delivered in small groups – not to cut corners, but to maximise results and accessibility
  • Every session is coached. Not supervised—coached.
  • Our PT sessions run on the hour, every hour, and are designed to give the best bang for your training buck. So if you’re short on time or energy, you can get what you need in three, 50-minute blocks a week.
  • We also offer fitness classes (with maximum 12 people to one coach) that are designed to run alongside the personal training. But we don’t offer memberships that are classes only, because we know what really works for people. Plus, all our coaches know each of our members personally; so even in a class setting, they can personalise the workout to their needs and goals. No generic, cookie-cutter approach.

The system is designed for busy people who want their training to support their life – not take it over.

Don’t Just Take Our Word for It.

We’re not your average gym – and we don’t expect you to commit like it’s one.

That’s why we created the 21-Day Challenge: a chance to experience Foundry for yourself before you sign up for a membership.

You’ll get:

  • A 1:1 Strategy Session to tailor all the coaching to you
  • Open access to personal training sessions (on the hour, every hour) at all of our seven gyms
  • A guarantee that if you stick with the plan for those three weeks, you’ll feel the difference

No pressure. No long-term contract. Just a genuine opportunity to see what it’s like to train in a system built around you – not the other way round.

Learn more about the 21-Day Challenge here. 
Or book an intro call with our friendly team here.

 

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