Are you looking to get even more out of your workouts? Do you love the idea of having a personal trainer but think the cost of a one-on-one training session may be too high? Now you can have it all. It's called group personal training — a great way to achieve your individual fitness goals with the camaraderie of others.

Group personal training combines the motivational advantages of working with a certified trainer with the dynamics of a group environment. It's a popular fitness program for friends, co-workers and gym companions because it:

• Brings people together to accomplish their fitness goals
• Encourages participants to work harder 
• Provides support and encouragement
• Maintains the quality and safety of personal training
• Offers varied workouts while enabling individuals to work at their own pace
• Provides energy and enthusiasm that is hard to accomplish while exercising alone
• Offers benefits of a personal trainer at a fraction of the cost
• Helps individuals to exercise with proper techniques
• Keeps participants accountable

Sessions are one hour and typically involve about three to four individuals. And you won't have to break the bank to receive this personalized fitness attention. You share the cost of the trainer with your group.

"Having a small group allows the trainer to focus attention on each participant,"  "If one person needs more attention during a specific exercise, the trainer can step in to provide assistance and motivation."

It works best when the participants have the same personal goals - whether it's to lose weight, gear up for a triathlon or to stay fit," "Participants can gauge their progress with the other group members, and they can challenge each other to keep going and get better."

Sessions may involve cardiovascular, strength training or a combination of both. More emphasis may be placed on one, depending on the group's needs. The personal trainer will meet with the group's participants to discuss:

• Fitness goals
• Likes and dislikes
• Diet
• Medical limitations
• Health information, such as weight, body fat, etc.

The personal trainer will use the information to custom tailor a workout regimen with exercises that can be done by one person or by a group. Individuals may do the same exercise together, or each person may do a different one.