The idea of personal training has changed a lot over the years. Back in the big-box gym days, a personal trainer was someone walking the floor looking for people willing to pay extra to basically have their workout supervised.
A session was an appointment where someone told you what to do and in what order. That was about it. Doesn't sound very personal to me.
PERSONAL DOESN'T HAVE TO MEAN ONE-ON-ONE
To me, personal training doesn't have to be one-on-one to be personal. It can be, but it doesn't have to be. A creative coach with a plan, who can handle clients of different ability levels at once, can be a game-changer.
First, it's more fun to train around other people. And group personal training is far more cost-effective while still giving you an individualized program and real attention.
WHAT A 4-PERSON SESSION CAN LOOK LIKE
Client 1 is experienced and moves well, so she's doing barbell deadlifts and a high-intensity finisher. Client 2 is similar but has a cranky lower back, so he's on trap bar deadlifts and finishing with mobility work. Clients 3 and 4 are a couple who just started, so they're doing a circuit of bodyweight, band, and TRX work with core and corrective exercises to build a foundation.
All four train together, hit the same foundational movement patterns, and do it with exercises that are appropriate and safe for each of them.
Yes, personal training has changed. And I'd argue it's better than ever.