General Training vs. Specific Training: Which One Is Right for You?

Walk into any gym and you’ll usually find two main paths to getting fit:

General training: group classes where everyone follows the same workout.
Specific training: individualized programs tailored to one person’s goals.

At CrossFit Viroqua, we believe both have tremendous value. And when used together, they can accelerate results far beyond what either approach can do alone.

Let’s break down the pros, cons, and how combining the two creates the best long-term outcome.

What Is General Training (Group Classes)?

General training is what most people experience in CrossFit group classes. Everyone shows up, warms up together, and performs a workout designed to improve overall fitness, strength, endurance, mobility, and coordination.

The workouts are scalable, meaning they can be adjusted to match each person’s ability level.

Pros of General Training

1. Community and accountability
You’re surrounded by people working hard alongside you. That energy is contagious. It’s easier to show up when people expect you.

2. Broad, well-rounded fitness
Group programming is designed to make you strong, capable, and healthy across many domains, not just one.

3. Cost-effective coaching
You get expert instruction and structured workouts at a lower cost than one-on-one training.

4. Consistency becomes easier
Set class times and a familiar routine help turn workouts into a habit.

Cons of General Training

1. Not tailored to your exact goals
The program is designed for the group. If your goal is very specific, like improving a nagging shoulder, preparing for a race, or adding muscle mass, group classes may not address that fully.

2. Limited individual attention
Coaches help everyone, but they can’t focus solely on one person for the entire session.

3. Progress may plateau
At some point, general fitness alone may not move the needle as quickly for specific goals.

What Is Specific Training (Individualized Training)?

Specific training is one-on-one or personalized programming built around your exact needs, goals, and limitations.

This could include:

Personal training sessions
Individualized strength cycles
Rehab-focused programming
Sport-specific conditioning
Nutrition or lifestyle coaching

Pros of Specific Training

1. Built around your goals
Everything is designed for you, your body, your schedule, and your priorities.

2. Faster progress in targeted areas
Want your first pull-up? Need to fix a knee issue? Training can focus exactly where you need it.

3. Maximum coaching attention
You get real-time feedback, corrections, and adjustments every session.

4. Ideal for beginners or special circumstances
Great for people returning from injury, dealing with pain, or feeling intimidated by group classes.

Cons of Specific Training

1. Higher cost
One-on-one coaching requires more time and attention from the coach.

2. Less built-in community
You miss out on some of the social energy and camaraderie of group classes.

3. Requires more personal motivation
Without the group environment, it’s easier to skip sessions if you’re not careful.

Why Combining Both Gets You Better Results

The real magic happens when you use general and specific training together.

Think of it like this:

Group classes build your engine.
Specific training fine-tunes the parts.

One creates broad fitness and consistency.
The other targets your weaknesses and accelerates progress.

What This Looks Like in Real Life

You attend 3–4 group classes per week to build strength and conditioning.
You add 1 personal training session per week to work on:
- Mobility limitations
- Technique issues
- Strength imbalances
- Specific goals like muscle gain or fat loss

Now instead of waiting months for progress, you start seeing improvements in weeks.