The Pros And Cons Of Personal Training: And How To Hit Your Goals

Caitlyn Davey • July 8, 2025

There are many differences between training in a group setting versus training with a personal trainer – and both have many benefits and some drawbacks. Personal training and group fitness offer different benefits – what you need will dictate what is more effective for you. There are excellent personal trainers and excellent group coaches in the industry – but there are also bad PTs and bad group training facilities. While the two are not mutually exclusive – many programmes supplement one another, this week on the Rebuild Health & Fitness podcast, the coaches are talking about which suits what goals. Personal training – getting coached in a one-on-one setting - offers individuals personalised programming to suit your goals. It’s a great starting point if you’re nervous about joining a gym or are unfamiliar with a style of exercise. It’s also beneficial if you have outcome-based goals, like building up to a pull-up or hitting a set weight on a lift. Here are some of the pros and cons of personal training to consider. The benefits:Benefits to personal training are plentiful – you get more coaching time, so you can be sure that you’re moving correctly, provided you have a good personal trainer.There’s flexibility in scheduling too – personal training can be based around the times suited to the client. James says: “You do have more individualised programming, more individualised coaching and more coaching minutes per hour.” Personal training will get you bigger results, faster than training in a group setting. Stylised programming will get your results quicker as you’re getting direct input from the coaches. Sean says the relationship building and companionship is also a positive for personal training. He says: “A big one is that you get to develop a genuine relationship with a person. You are getting that personal touch – you get to know them; it almost becomes like a therapy session for some people. It gives someone you can trust and vent to.” Darius, a Rebuild coach and personal trainer says one big benefit is that programmes can be adapted to suit the person’s needs on the day. He says: “You might have something programmed for that day – but they walk in and you can see and understand that they’re not in the mindset for that given task, so you’re able to adjust that session and still get a result from it.” Sean explains one client he had was a member that had been training at the gym for years, however had to stop training after getting sick – and needing surgery on her spinal cord. Personal training enabled the client to return gently to training without pushing too hard, improving strength and mobility in her back. Sean explains: “One of her biggest goals was getting back into the group fitness style of training. But after going through that surgery and recovery she just wasn’t ready for that, so one of our processes was gradually just building up her strength with the end goal in mind. And we got there – we also were reframing her mentality. One of the biggest things, is when you get injured, you aren’t going to be able to do what you want to do – you feel like your body has failed you. Having someone to guide you through that process gets you that valuable experience and that’s a very powerful tool.” The drawbacks:The main downside of personal training is cost. You are paying for a one-on-one session and program to be created based on your goals. But as James says, “People who pay, pay attention”. Personal training can add up – and one session per week is just not going to cut it to make progress for most people. Sean explains: “That’s a big one - thinking one or two PT sessions a week is enough to make good progress – it might be initially but long-term you need more than that.” Personal training improves your bond with a coach, however, there are fewer social aspects, as we see in Rebuild – members bond in classes and group settings.Because of the intimate relationship with trainer and client, it can feel difficult to stop personal training. James says: “It sometimes is harder to stop, because you build up that relationship with your PT so much – that you may not be getting what you need from that trainer anymore or your results might have slowed or things have got stale – because you maybe love the PT and have built this connection with them that it’s hard to quit.” There’s also the matter of quality – a good PT can get you excellent progress, but a bad PT can do damage. Sean says: “We’re assuming that all PTs are great, but the fact of the matter is, there’s a massive quality control issue within the industry. There are a lot of poor PTs in the industry – there are good ones, but there are a lot of poor ones and quite often people get paired with the poor ones. “Just because you like the PT as a person, doesn’t mean they’re a good PT.” There are many benefits to group training, personal training and various exercises - it's important to find what's right for you. Personal training is ideal for those who are new to a gym, coming back from an injury or looking to hit a certain goal.  Tune in to the Rebuild Health & Fitness podcast for more insight into personal training, group training and mentality around it.  

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July 22, 2025
If you live in Wynnum or Capalaba , chances are you’ve seen a bootcamp in action — high-intensity sessions in parks, with lots of burpees, sprints, and shouting. While bootcamps can be a fun way to get sweaty, there’s a reason more people are choosing structured strength training instead. At Rebuild, we often meet people who’ve jumped from one bootcamp to another, chasing results they never quite achieve, or can’t maintain. Here’s why strength training, not bootcamp-style fitness, is the smarter long-term approach for your health and body. 1. Progress Over Punishment Bootcamps often focus on burning calories and pushing people to their limits every session. It feels intense — but it’s usually random. There’s no plan beyond “go hard”. Strength training is different. It’s measured, progressive, and adaptable . Whether you’re lifting a barbell or doing bodyweight movements, the goal is to build skill, strength, and confidence over time. You're not punished for where you're at — you're coached toward where you want to be. 2. Stronger Muscles = Better Results Cardio-heavy bootcamps might help you lose weight quickly, but they rarely help you build muscle, and muscle is the key to long-term fat loss, strength, and mobility . When you train with resistance (weights, bands, or bodyweight), your body becomes more efficient. You burn more calories at rest, move better, and feel more capable in everyday life. And unlike bootcamps, strength training actually preserves lean mass while you're in a calorie deficit — which matters if your goal is body composition, not just weight loss. 3. Individual Coaching Matters Most bootcamps have one instructor yelling instructions to a big group. There’s rarely time to check your technique, let alone adjust for injuries, experience, or confidence levels. At Rebuild, our group sessions are coach-led and purpose-built . We take time to teach proper form, scale movements to your ability, and track your progress. You're not just surviving a workout — you’re learning how to move better and train smarter. 4. It’s Not Just About Today’s Workout Bootcamps often lack structure. You show up, do something exhausting, and leave. There’s no continuity or long-term planning. Strength training follows a programmed approach , meaning each week builds on the last. You’ll have sessions designed to improve specific movements and outcomes — whether that’s lifting more weight, increasing core strength, or mastering your first pull-up. That structure keeps you consistent, motivated, and injury-free. 5. Sustainability Over Shock Tactics If you’re tired of the “go hard or go home” mentality, strength training is for you. It’s adaptable to all ages, bodies, and goals . You’ll get fitter, stronger, and more confident — without burning out or breaking down. Ready to train with purpose? If you're looking for something better than a bootcamp in Wynnum or Capalaba , join us at Rebuild. We coach real people — not fitness models — to get real results. 📍 Structured training 📍 Expert coaches 📍 Community that has your back You don’t need to be fit to start. You just need to start.
July 22, 2025
A lot of people have completed a marathon but how many people have collapsed at 40km?

Sometimes you do everything right, and shit still doesn’t go to plan.
 Last weekend I ran in the Gold Coast Marathon, my first ever marathon. I trained properly, my body felt relatively good (all things considered when preparing to run 42.2km), I carb-loaded, and my race day nutrition was dialled in.
 I was ready.
 We set off. Jess and the kids met me at different points on the course with signs, the atmosphere was great. I loved seeing the kids with their signs. Pacing felt on point. The first 21km? Easy. I felt great. Maybe I should’ve drunk more water, but I didn’t think too much of it at the time.
 At 25km, I felt slower, but pace wise I was still holding well. I’d kept telling myself throughout the day "The race starts at 30km." And let me tell you, it does.
 By 30km, the sun was out, and I was starting to struggle. My watch started glitching so I had no real idea of my splits. I thought I was slowing down a lot (turns out I wasn’t), but the effort to keep the same pace suddenly felt 10x harder.
 I hadn’t taken on enough water. Usually, I can get away with lower fluids. Not this time. Dehydration crept in. hard.
 At 35km I was in survival mode, one foot in front of the other, flicking between moments of pain and little short lived waves of “let’s go.” But by 39km I was delirious. I could see the finish line, I hit the 40km mark (where I thought enjoyment might return to finish), and I collapsed.
 I was gone. Scary stuff.
 The last few hundred metres were a complete blur. All I remember is the crowd, the medics, and about five paramedics suddenly around me. I was vomiting, shaking, confused, in and out of it. I had this overwhelming, indescribable feeling, and honestly, for a moment, I thought I could die.
 My memory went. I couldn’t recall the day, the year, where I lived, or how to spell. I only knew who Jess and the kids were, and that I didn’t want them to see me with wires in me. 
 My temperature had hit 40°C. Blood pressure crashed. Thankfully, the medics and paramedics were incredible, I had a drip running into me within 10 to 15 minutes.
 As I already knew, I’m stubborn. I wanted to run it all. Not walk. Not stop and breathe and In hindsight, I should have. 
 Seems like my mind was just a bit stronger than my body on the day. I never thought I could push myself there in all honesty. 

Am I gutted? Of course, I was only 2km away but I gave it everything I had on that day. Heat stroke, exhaustion, and dehydration got me. 

I am always reminded here of the quote ‘The man in the arena’ look it up if you need. 
 Will I run 42.2km again? Yes, I feel I need to. 

Would I do things differently, now I’ve run 40km under race conditions? You bet, lessons learnt. Always lessons. Never be scared to not succeed. Be scared to never try in the first place. 
 We go again.
By Caitlyn Davey July 8, 2025
You Need To Earn The Right To Be Good At Something
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