Find a friend or two and indulge in group training sessions for extra motivation and personalized attention from an expert.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Many fitness professionals offer personal training, but emerging research is finding that group training—in which two or more people pay a lower price and exercise with a trainer together—is more popular than ever, according to reports from the Academy College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and IDEA Health & Fitness Association.

THE TREND: Group training. Fitness industry trend reports have found a consistent increase in the popularity of personal and group training during the last decade. And because of that, more qualified, college-educated trainers are joining the workforce. A 2008 IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Trends Report found that while nearly 90 percent of trainers offered one-on-one personal training, about 80 percent now allow two clients to share a session. That's up from 56 percent in 2001. Three to five clients sharing a session rose 26 percentage points in the same timeframe.