How Does Embassy Tailor Personal Training When Six People Train Together?

At Embassy Gym, up to six members can train in the same personal training session without following the same workout.

Each member has their own programme, exercises, training loads and progression targets. The coach manages the session so that everyone receives individual instruction, technical feedback and appropriate challenge within a structured small-group environment.

The group shares the room, equipment and coaching energy. The programme remains personal to each member.

Members Enjoying Embassy Gym Carricmacross

A Small Group Does Not Automatically Mean Personal Training

Reducing a class from twenty people to six does not automatically make it personalised.

A session is only genuinely tailored when the coach understands what each person needs and delivers training based on that information.

That means considering:

The member’s goals.
Their current strength and fitness.
Their previous training experience.
Their exercise technique.
Their injury history or physical limitations.
Their confidence.
Their recovery and lifestyle.
Their recent progress.
What they are capable of doing safely and effectively that day.

At Embassy, the session is built around the people attending. The members are not forced to fit into a single group workout.

Every Member Has Their Own Programme

Before beginning personal training at Embassy, each member completes a consultation.

This helps the coaching team understand the person behind the goal.

Two members may both say they want to become stronger, but they may require completely different programmes.

One might be learning the basic movement patterns for the first time.

Another might already have years of training experience and need more advanced programming to continue progressing.

Someone else may be returning after an injury, a period of illness or several years away from structured exercise.

The same exercise selection, volume and progression would not be appropriate for all three.

Each member’s programme is therefore based on their own starting point rather than the average ability of the group.

How an Embassy Personal Training Session Is Organised

Embassy personal training sessions are limited to six members and led by one coach.

The training space is organised around two coaching rigs. Members move through their programme in a structured sequence, with four people generally completing a working section while two recover, prepare or receive coaching before their next set.

This format allows the coach to manage the room without turning the session into a free-for-all.

Members are not simply handed a programme and left to complete it alone.

Throughout the session, the coach moves between members to:

Explain the purpose of each exercise.
Demonstrate movements where necessary.
Observe exercise technique.
Provide individual coaching cues.
Select or adjust training loads.
Record performance.
Modify exercises when appropriate.
Monitor effort and fatigue.
Keep the session moving on time.
Ensure every member knows what they are doing next.

The structure creates enough independence for members to train confidently while keeping the coach actively involved.

Members Can Perform Different Exercises at the Same Time

Six people attending the same session may be working towards entirely different outcomes.

For example:

One member may be learning a goblet squat.
Another may be progressing a barbell back squat.
A third may be using a split squat because it better suits their current needs.
Another may be rebuilding lower-body strength after receiving guidance from a physiotherapist.
A more experienced member may be working through a heavier strength phase.
Someone newer to training may be focused on movement quality and confidence.

These members can still train alongside one another because the coach controls the session structure, exercise order and use of equipment.

They do not need identical programmes to benefit from the same coaching environment.

Exercises Are Adapted Without Losing the Training Goal

An exercise should not be changed randomly because someone finds it difficult.

The coach first considers the purpose of the movement.

For example, if the aim is to build lower-body strength but a member cannot currently perform a particular squat variation comfortably, the coach may select another exercise that trains a similar physical quality.

That might involve changing:

The exercise.
The equipment.
The range of motion.
The training load.
The tempo.
The number of repetitions.
The level of external support.
The position of the body.

The objective is not to make every exercise easier.

The objective is to find the right level of challenge while preserving the reason the exercise was included.

What Happens When a Member Is Tired, Sore or Under-Recovered?

A written programme provides direction, but it should not replace coaching judgement. There will be sessions when a member arrives after poor sleep, a stressful week, a physically demanding day at work or an unusually difficult training session.

The coach may respond by:

Reducing the weight.
Adjusting the number of sets.
Selecting a more manageable exercise.
Extending recovery periods.
Maintaining the programme but controlling the effort.
Focusing more heavily on technique.
Continuing as planned when no adjustment is necessary.

Not every difficult day requires the programme to be changed.

Equally, blindly following the written plan regardless of the member’s condition is not personalised coaching.

The coach must understand the difference between discomfort that can be trained through and a situation that requires caution or referral.

What Members Do Independently

Personal training should create capable members, not helpless ones.

As members become more experienced, they should gradually develop a better understanding of:

Their programme.
Exercise setup.
Appropriate training loads.
Rest periods.
Technique.
How hard a working set should feel.
When to ask the coach for support.

That does not make the coach less important.

It means the coaching is working.

The objective is not for members to remain dependent on constant instruction. It is to help them become more confident and competent while continuing to benefit from expert programming, feedback and accountability.

How Is This Different From a Fitness Class?

A fitness class is usually built around one session plan delivered to the group.

The instructor may offer easier or harder variations, but the starting point is still the shared workout.

At Embassy, the starting point is the individual member’s programme.

The distinction can be summarised simply:

In a fitness class, the person is adapted to the workout. In personal training, the workout is adapted to the person.

Both formats can be valuable. They solve different problems.

Someone who mainly wants an energetic workout and enjoys following the room may prefer classes.

Someone who needs structured progression, individual exercise selection, close technical coaching and greater accountability may benefit more from personal training.

Carrickmacross Members Recovery Strategies

How Programmes Change Over Time

A genuinely tailored programme should not remain unchanged indefinitely.

As the member improves, the programme may need to become:

Heavier.
More technically demanding.
More specific to their goal.
Higher in training volume.
Lower in training volume during busy or stressful periods.
More focused on a particular weakness.
Better suited to a new objective.

Programmes may also change when:

A member’s schedule changes.
Their training frequency increases or decreases.
They develop pain or discomfort.
They return after time away.
Their priorities change.
They reach a plateau.
They begin preparing for an event or performance goal.

Personalisation is not a document created on day one.

It is the ongoing process of matching the training to the member as they develop.

Is Six People Too Many for Personal Training?

Six people is only too many when the session lacks organisation, the coach lacks awareness or every member is forced through the same workout.

A well-structured session with six individual programmes can provide:

Personal coaching.
A clear programme.
Technical feedback.
Appropriate progression.
Accountability.
Social support.
A more energetic training environment.

The quality depends on the system and the coach, not merely the number of people in the room.

At Embassy, six is the maximum because it allows the coach to manage the session while maintaining individual attention and programme quality.

Training Loads Are Chosen for the Individual

Using the same exercise does not mean two members should use the same weight.

The coach considers:

Previous performance.
Target repetitions.
Exercise technique.
The purpose of the training phase.
The member’s perceived effort.
Recent attendance.
Current energy and recovery.
Any pain or discomfort reported.

A member may be encouraged to increase the load when they are ready.

Another may need to remain at the same weight while improving control, range of motion or confidence.

Progress is not simply adding weight every week. It may also involve:

Better technique.
More repetitions at the same load.
Greater range of motion.
Improved stability.
Better control.
Reduced discomfort.
More consistent attendance.
Progressing to a more demanding exercise.
Completing the same work with less fatigue.

The coach’s role is to decide what meaningful progression looks like for the person in front of them.

The Coach Knows What Each Member Is Working Towards

Tailored coaching requires more than reacting during the session.

The coaching team needs a clear understanding of each member’s wider programme and current priorities.

At Embassy, coaches use programme records and ongoing communication to understand:

What the member has completed recently.
How they performed in previous sessions.
What exercises they are progressing.
Where they may be struggling.
Whether anything needs to be adjusted.
What the focus of the current training phase is.
Whether the member requires additional support or accountability.

This allows different coaches to deliver a consistent standard without the member having to explain their entire history every time they attend.

The member is coached by a team, but they should still experience one connected programme.

How Does the Coach Give Everyone Enough Attention?

Good small-group coaching does not mean standing beside one person for the entire session.

It means giving each person the right input at the right time.

A beginner may require more detailed instruction when learning a new exercise.

An experienced member may need less explanation but more precise feedback on loading, execution or effort.

Another member may require a programme adjustment before beginning their first set.

The coach’s attention is distributed according to need rather than divided into six identical blocks.

This is one reason the session is capped at six members. The limit protects the coach’s ability to observe the room, make decisions and provide meaningful individual feedback.

How Is This Different From Open Gym Training?

In an open gym, the member is normally responsible for deciding:

What programme to follow.
Which exercises to perform.
How much weight to use.
Whether their technique is correct.
When to progress.
How to work around limitations.
What to do when progress stalls.
How to remain accountable.

Open gym can be an excellent option for experienced, self-directed trainees who already have the knowledge and discipline to manage these decisions.

Embassy Personal Training is designed for people who want a coaching team to help manage them.

The member still has responsibility for their effort and consistency, but they are not expected to solve every training problem alone.

What Happens Outside the Training Session?

Tailored coaching cannot exist only during the hour someone is inside the gym.

Progress is also affected by:

Attendance.
Sleep.
Nutrition.
Stress.
Daily activity.
Recovery.
Work demands.
Family responsibilities.
Confidence.
Motivation and behaviour.

Embassy members receive support designed to help them manage these factors more consistently.

Depending on the member and programme, this can include:

Nutrition guidance.
Accountability check-ins.
Progress reviews.
Attendance monitoring.
Goal setting.
Programme updates.
Conversations about barriers to consistency.
Additional support during difficult periods.

The purpose is not to control every part of the member’s life.

It is to identify the factors most likely to help or prevent them from making progress.

Who Is This Coaching Model Best Suited To?

Embassy’s personal training model may suit someone who:

Wants individual coaching but enjoys training around other people.
Needs more direction than an open gym provides.
Has struggled to remain consistent alone.
Wants a structured strength and fitness programme.
Values accountability.
Needs exercises adapted around their current ability.
Wants coaches to monitor progress.
Has limited time and wants their training organised properly.
Wants long-term coaching rather than a short-term workout plan.

It may not suit someone who:

Wants completely private one-to-one coaching at all times.
Is primarily looking for the cheapest possible gym access.
Does not want feedback or accountability.
Prefers to write and manage their own programme.
Is unwilling to train consistently.

A premium coaching service should be clear about who it can help rather than claiming to suit everyone.

The Embassy Standard

Our aim is not to make small-group training feel almost personal.

It is personal training delivered in a small-group environment.

That standard requires:

A clear understanding of every member.
Individual programme decisions.
Coaches who communicate with one another.
Structured session delivery.
Accurate record keeping.
Appropriate progressions and adaptations.
Honest feedback.
Accountability outside the gym.
Regular review of the member’s progress.

When those elements are present, members can benefit from both individual coaching and the energy of training alongside others.

Starting Personal Training at Embassy

Every new member begins with a consultation.

We use that conversation to understand your goals, training history, schedule, previous experiences and the support you may require.

From there, we can determine whether Embassy is the right coaching environment for you and explain how your first six weeks would work.

You do not need to be fit before starting.

You do not need to know how to use the equipment.

You do need to be prepared to train consistently, communicate honestly and accept coaching. CLICK HERE to book a consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does everyone in an Embassy personal training session do the same workout?
No. Members train in the same environment, but each person follows a programme based on their goals, experience and current ability. Exercises, loads, repetitions and progression can differ between members.
How many people are in an Embassy personal training session?
Embassy personal training sessions are limited to a maximum of six members and are led by one coach.
Will I receive enough attention in a group of six?
The session structure allows the coach to move between members, observe technique, adjust exercises and manage individual progression. Coaching attention is provided according to what each person requires at that point in the session.
Can my programme be changed if I have an injury?
Coaches can often adapt training around appropriate guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Embassy coaches do not diagnose or medically treat injuries unless they separately hold the relevant clinical qualification.
Do I need previous gym experience?
No. Complete beginners can start personal training at Embassy. Exercises, coaching and programme complexity are adjusted to the member’s experience and confidence.
Is small-group personal training the same as a fitness class?
No. A fitness class is generally built around one workout delivered to the group. In personal training, each member follows training selected and progressed for them individually.

About This Article

Written by Dean McMahon
Founder and Director of Embassy Gym, Carrickmacross. Dean oversees Embassy’s coaching standards, member experience and long-term training model.

Reviewed by Cian Taaffe
Head Coach at Embassy Gym. Cian is responsible for coaching quality, programme delivery and the ongoing development of the Embassy coaching team.

Last reviewed: July 2026

This article explains how personal training is delivered at Embassy Gym. It is intended as general fitness information and does not replace individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.