SGPT Training vs Personal Training: What's the Difference?

SGPT (Small Group Personal Training) is a 45-minute, coach-led strength session for a maximum of eight people. You follow a progressive programme and get hands-on technique feedback, at a lower price than one-to-one personal training. At HIIT West Hampstead, sessions start from £20.75 on a membership.

Key takeaways

• SGPT is strength-focused training in groups of eight or fewer, led by a coach who knows you.
• It keeps the programme and technique correction of personal training but splits the coach's time and cost.
• It suits beginners, people returning to exercise and HIIT regulars who want to get stronger.
• Sessions cost from £20.75 on a membership, or £250 for a pack of 10.
• The 2-week SGPT Kickstart (£59) is the easiest way to try it.

Contents

1. What is SGPT training?
2. SGPT vs personal training: what's different?
3. Who is small group personal training best for?
4. What SGPT costs at HIIT West Hampstead
5. What to expect in your first session
6. FAQ

If you've looked at our timetable and wondered what those SGPT sessions are, you're not the only one. SGPT training stands for Small Group Personal Training. It sits somewhere between a one-to-one session with a personal trainer and a busy group class. Your coach knows your name, your lifts and your dodgy left knee. You just share the hour with a few other people.

We get asked about it a lot, usually by people who like the idea of personal training and then see the price. We covered some of this in our piece on one-to-one or small group personal training. This guide focuses on three things: how SGPT works here, what it costs and who it suits.

What is SGPT training?

At our studio, SGPT is a 45-minute, strength-focused session with a maximum of eight people. You follow a structured, progressive programme, so the weights and exercises build week by week. Sessions use heavier weights than our HIIT classes, and your coach spends the time watching technique, adjusting positions and deciding when you're ready to add load.

The small numbers are the whole point. With eight people or fewer, a coach can properly watch how you squat, hinge and press. They spot what needs work and give feedback that fits your body. That close supervision also helps prevent the injuries that tend to creep in when people train alone with poor form.

The approach lines up with public health advice. The UK Chief Medical Officers' guidelines recommend that adults do strength-building activities on at least two days a week ( NHS physical activity guidelines). Progressive loading is also a core principle of the American College of Sports Medicine's position stand on resistance training ( ACSM, 2009).

SGPT vs personal training: what's actually different?

Traditional personal training is you and a trainer, one to one. It's the most individual option there is, and for some people, such as someone managing a complicated injury, it's the right call. The downsides are cost and, for plenty of people, a slightly flat atmosphere.

SGPT keeps most of what makes personal training work: a proper programme, a coach who tracks your progress and technique correction in every session. What changes is that you share the coach's attention with a small group. Most of our members find that a fair trade. You still get corrected mid-set, and the people around you add some healthy pressure to turn up and work hard. If you're weighing up whether personal training in West Hampstead is worth it, SGPT is a sensible place to start.

Prices correct at 2 November 2026.

Who is small group personal training best for?

From what we see each week, small group personal training West Hampstead members tend to fall into a few groups:

• Beginners who want to learn lifts properly from the first session rather than picking up bad habits.
• People returning to exercise after time off, pregnancy or an injury who want someone keeping an eye on them.
• HIIT regulars who have built their fitness and now want to get noticeably stronger.
• Anyone who likes structure and enjoys watching the numbers on the bar go up.

For the best results, we recommend combining SGPT for strength with HIIT classes for fitness. Plenty of members do both, and our coaches can build a combo membership around your goals and diary.

What SGPT costs at HIIT West Hampstead

All memberships run on a 28-day cycle, so your sessions refresh every four weeks.

• Twice a week: £169 per 28 days(about £21.12 a session).
• Three times a week: £249 per 28 days(about £20.75 a session).
• 12-month contracts: lower rates available.

Rolling memberships need 14 days' notice to cancel. If you'd rather not commit, a pack of 10 SGPT sessions is £250. Everything is listed on our prices page.

The easiest way in is the 2-week SGPT Kickstart for £59. You get four small group sessions, a goal-setting consultation and form correction throughout, which is plenty of time to decide whether this style of training suits you.

What to expect in your first session

You don't need to know your way around a barbell. Your coach starts with the basics, scales each exercise to where you are and builds from there. Bring comfortable kit, a water bottle, a towel and a padlock if you want a locker. We supply all the equipment. You book through our app, and if you need to cancel, we ask for at least 12 hours' notice so someone else can take the space.

If you're not sure whether SGPT or HIIT is the better starting point, get in touch and tell us what you're working towards. We'll give you an honest answer, even if that answer is to start with HIIT.