Getting started with strength training | Choosing a class
How to choose a fitness class in Kaohsiung | What are the options besides one-on-one personal training?
When people want to start working out, most think of two options: going to a gym on their own, or hiring a personal trainer for one-on-one sessions.
But those aren't the only ways to train. If you want someone to plan your sessions and watch your movement, but don't necessarily need a coach working with just you for the whole session, you can also choose two-person training, Beginner Strength Training or the Free-Weight Group Class.
The difference isn't just the number of people. It's how much teaching and attention you need right now, and how much of your training you can already manage yourself.
Four coach-led class types, plus training on your own — five paths
At Beyoung Training in the Wenshan Special District of Sanmin, Kaohsiung, there are currently four coach-led options: one-on-one, two-person, Beginner Strength Training – LV1 / LV2, and the Free-Weight Group Class. Count training on your own at a gym, and that's five paths in total.
The same person may suit different formats at different stages. At the start, you might not yet know how high to set the barbell, how to pick up the weights, or how long to rest between sets. After training for a while, the same person knows how to set up the equipment and can do the basic movements consistently.
So when choosing a class, rather than asking which one is best, it's more practical to list what you still need a coach's help with right now.
Five ways to start at a glance
Each option solves a different problem. They aren't a fixed ladder of ability levels.
Format
One-on-one
Two-person
Beginner Strength Training – LV1 / LV2
Free-Weight Group Class
Training on your own at a gym
Best suited to
New to strength training, haven't exercised in a long time, or need more individual attention
You have a regular training partner and want to train together, with schedules and learning pace that fit each other
Want to get familiar with equipment, movements, loading and how a class runs, in a group setting
You already know the basic movements and want to train regularly, without managing your whole program yourself,
and you want someone to keep watching your movement and discuss your loads with you
Can already plan a program, adjust weights and keep training consistently
Not comfortable in big gyms? There are other ways to start strength training
有些人不是不想運動，而是不太習慣大型健身房的環境。
可能是不喜歡人多、器材區需要等待，或第一次接觸重訓時，會在意旁邊的人怎麼看自己。
這些都不是訓練能力的問題，而是你比較適合什麼樣的訓練環境。
除了自己到大型健身房訓練，也可以選擇預約制的肌力訓練工作室、一對一私人教練、初學者團體課、女性限定班，或固定班別的小型團體訓練。
比安採預約上課，訓練空間以實際上課學員為主，不是一般自由入場的健身房。第一次來，也不需要先熟悉所有器材或知道自己該練什麼，可以依目前的經驗選擇比較適合的開始方式。
如果你比較在意安靜、不擁擠，以及有人協助安排訓練，可以把「訓練環境」也一起列入選課條件。
01 Need more individual attention
The coach watches more than the weight: movement control, how you adjust after a cue, and how the next set should be planned.
With one-on-one, what you're paying for is the coach's judgment and time
When you're new to strength training, the coach doesn't just look at how much you can lift. How your weight shifts in a squat, whether your torso stays stable as you set up for a deadlift, whether you can control the weight in upper-body pushes and pulls — all of these shape what comes next. The coach also watches whether you can adjust after a cue, and whether your movement changes noticeably when the weight goes up a little.
The value of one-on-one isn't just having someone there while you get through a session. Whether today is the day to add weight, whether to practise the same movement for another week, whether a cue is landing, even whether to change the plan when you're not feeling great that day — together, these decisions directly shape how a session goes.
If you have no strength training experience, haven't exercised in a long time, or need more individual attention right now, one-on-one is usually the easiest place to start.
If you already know you want to see how one-on-one works, and how the trial session and later sessions are arranged, go straight to One-on-One Personal Training in Kaohsiung.
If two people want to train together, two-person training works better
Some people already have a regular partner when they start looking for a class — a spouse, friend or family member, or two people with similar schedules who want to train together regularly. In that case, you don't each need to book separate one-on-one sessions.
Two-person training is still coach-led, and each session takes both people's training experience, movement control and learning pace into account. If you're at different levels, you don't have to use the same weights. Keep in mind that the coach has to manage how you alternate — watching one of you while keeping track of what the other does next — so whether your attendance, goals and learning pace fit together matters more than simply "having two people."
Regular partners can train together, but your attendance, goals and learning pace still need to fit together. Learn about Two-Person Personal Training
02 Start in a group setting
Beginner Strength Training spends more time on equipment, basic movements and how a class runs.
Never used free weights? You can start with Beginner Strength Training
The first time you pick up a barbell or dumbbell, you need to learn how to set up the equipment, how to stand, and where the movement starts.
兩種團體課的任務不一樣
Beginner Strength Training – LV1 / LV2
Get familiar with the equipment, basic movements, loading and how a class runs.
Free-Weight Group Class
Keep training with a shared program and training cycles.
Already know the basic movements? The Free-Weight Group Class is another option
Once someone knows the basic equipment and can do the main movements consistently, the coach doesn't need to explain every set from scratch — but someone still needs to plan the sessions, watch the movement and manage the overall pace. Beyoung Training's Free-Weight Group Class starts with a shared program for the whole class, then changes versions across the training cycle. For example, a block might use box squats, then remove the box, then switch to handle squats or another version.
A shared program doesn't mean everyone lifts the same weight.
When the class does a squat variation, the coach suggests a load based on how you move that day and your records from the past few weeks. You can also say how the weight actually feels, and together you decide whether the next set should go up, stay the same or be adjusted.
If a student isn't ready for that week's version, we make the necessary individual adjustments.
To compare with your current level, see Who the Free-Weight Group Class is for.
03
Move on to a full training plan
A shared program first, then individual loads discussed based on each set and your feedback.
Class format
Class times
Women-only class
Who the class is designed for
Age 60 and over
Current group class times and age groups
Fixed class time, once a week
Weekday lunchtimes, evenings and Saturday mornings
Wednesday 20:15–21:15
Adults aged 20 to 59
We recommend starting with a One-on-One Trial to understand where you are now
Class groups may change from month to month; the sign-up page shows the actual times. Everyone's situation is different — if you have any health concerns, please talk to a medical professional first.
Five things to consider when choosing how to train
There's no single best class for everyone. Start by looking at how much teaching you need right now, the pace you prefer, and the times you can commit to.
01
Training experience
Whether you already know the free-weight equipment, the basic movements and how the class runs.
02
How much individual attention and adjustment you need
How many movements still need the coach to work through them one by one, and whether you stay stable as the weight changes.
03
How you like to learn
Whether you prefer focused one-on-one learning, training with a regular partner, or following a shared program in a small class.
04
Times you can make
Group classes run at fixed times. One-on-one and two-person sessions are usually more flexible.
05
Training goals
Whether to build the basic movements first, train on a regular routine, or work toward other goals depends on your situation.
If long-term one-on-one training is a stretch for your budget, what are the options?
Budget is a fair thing to discuss openly when choosing how to train. When comparing costs, also consider how much individual attention you need right now, how you like to learn, and which time slots you can make.
If you haven't learned the basic movements yet and want to start in a group, consider Beginner Strength Training – LV1 / LV2. If you need more individual attention and adjustment, consider one-on-one.
If you already know the basic movements, can commit to a fixed class time, and want someone to plan your training and keep watching your movement, compare the Free-Weight Group Class. If you have a regular partner you want to train with and your needs and schedules line up, consider two-person training.
Once you're clear about what help you need right now, comparing it with the actual cost makes it easier to find an arrangement you can stick with.
Where you can start
People at different levels don't have to follow the same path. The difference between the three class types is how much attention the coach can give you, and how much you need right now.
Free-Weight Group Class
Best for people who already know the basic movements, want to train every week on a set schedule, and want a coach to keep watching their movement. The group class follows a shared program and a version for each week, with each person's weight set by their current ability. The coach only makes necessary adjustments when a student isn't ready for that week's version.
If you already have a training background, you don't need to start with one-on-one. Tell us which movements you've trained before, and we'll check whether you can join directly.
Beginner Strength Training – LV1 / LV2
Best for people who want to learn the basic movements first, are new to free weights, and may want to move on to a group class later. Beginner Strength Training – LV1 / LV2 suits people who are still new to free weights and want to learn the basic movements first. LV1 focuses on the squat and how to generate force; LV2 adds the deadlift, bench press, row and loaded conditioning, so you have a clearer movement foundation when you move on to the Free-Weight Group Class.
Frequently asked questions
If I have no exercise experience, do I have to start with one-on-one?
Not necessarily. It depends on how much individual attention and teaching you need right now.
If you'd like to build basic training experience in a group setting, Beginner Strength Training – LV1 / LV2 is also a starting point.
Will women get bulky from lifting weights? What the coach actually sees on the training floor
I don't really like big gyms. Are there other ways to get started?
Yes. If crowds or waiting for equipment bother you, or you'd like someone to help plan your first sessions, you could consider an appointment-based training studio, one-on-one, a beginner group class, or a small group class at a fixed time.
Beyoung Training isn't a regular gym where you come in and use the equipment. It's a strength training studio built around booked classes. You can choose how to start based on your training experience and how much teaching you need.
After private training, can I switch to a group class?
We can assess that. Once you're fairly comfortable with the basic equipment, the main movements and the pace of a session, we can look at whether the Free-Weight Group Class suits you.
I'd rather just train at a gym on my own. Is that OK?
Yes. If you already know how to plan your program and adjust your weights, and you can keep training consistently on your own, training by yourself is a perfectly reasonable choice.
In the Free-Weight Group Class, does everyone lift the same weight?
No.
Each week has a shared program and movement version, but everyone's load can be different. The coach decides whether to keep or increase the weight based on how each set goes, and only switches a student to a more suitable version if they aren't ready for that week's version.
Strength training in Wenshan, Kaohsiung
Beyoung Training is at No. 95, Baoyang E. St., Sanmin Dist., Kaohsiung, in the Wenshan Special District, an area that connects with Sanmin and Fengshan.
If you live near the Wenshan Special District, Fengshan or Sanmin, factor in how you'll get here, your training experience and how much coach attention you need right now when choosing a class.