Parents often hear that private lessons are the fastest way to help an athlete improve.

Because private lessons provide one-on-one attention, it is easy to assume that they must be better than group classes. In some situations, private instruction can be extremely valuable. However, private lessons are not automatically the best or most complete path to long-term progress.

At ABS Gymnastics & Circus in Pickering, we believe the most important part of athletic development is consistent participation in a properly structured training program.

That is the process.

When athletes attend the right classes, train enough hours each week, repeat important fundamentals, develop strength and coordination, and progress through skills in the correct order, private lessons may not be necessary.

Private tumbling lessons are most useful when that regular process is lacking.

They can help fill a training gap, address a specific technical problem, or provide direction for an athlete who is not currently receiving enough consistent weekly instruction. But they should not be viewed as a shortcut around regular training.

What Does “Trust the Process” Really Mean?

The phrase “trust the process” is used frequently in sports, but the process is not simply waiting and hoping that progress eventually happens.

The process is the actual training.

It includes showing up consistently, completing the necessary repetitions, developing physical qualities over time, receiving corrections, practising foundational drills, and allowing the body to adapt gradually.

For a tumbling athlete, the process may include:

• Building upper-body, lower-body, and core strength
• Developing handstand alignment and shoulder support
• Learning safe takeoff and landing mechanics
• Improving coordination and spatial awareness
• Practising rebounds, snap-downs, shapes, and basic progressions
• Correcting technical habits before they become permanent
• Gradually increasing the difficulty of skills
• Learning how to work independently within a structured class

These qualities cannot be rushed.

An athlete may understand a correction after hearing it once, but the body still needs enough repetition to make that correction natural and dependable. A coach may identify a weakness in one lesson, but the athlete still needs consistent training to strengthen that area.

This is why classes matter so much.

A properly structured class gives athletes the time, repetition, conditioning, and ongoing feedback required to turn information into actual ability.

Why Consistent Group Classes Are So Important

Group classes should not be viewed as a lesser version of private training.

When they are organized properly, group classes provide the foundation of an athlete’s development.

Athletes need more than occasional correction. They need regular exposure to a complete training system.

A strong tumbling program does not only work on the final trick an athlete wants to achieve. It develops the physical and technical abilities that support that trick.

For example, an athlete who wants a back handspring may need to improve:

• Leg drive
• Jumping mechanics
• Handstand strength
• Shoulder flexibility
• Core control
• Body tension
• Rebound timing
• Confidence while moving backward
• The ability to support body weight through the arms

These qualities are developed over time through regular training. They are not usually built by attempting the complete back handspring repeatedly.

In structured group classes, athletes can work on all of these areas while also improving general strength, coordination, endurance, mobility, and movement awareness.

They also learn how to practise without needing constant one-on-one attention. This is an important part of becoming an independent and capable athlete.

When athletes attend consistently and train an appropriate number of hours, group classes can provide everything they need to make steady, long-term progress.

More Attention Does Not Always Mean More Complete Training

A private lesson offers more individual attention, but that does not necessarily mean it provides more complete development.

During a private lesson, a coach can focus closely on one athlete. This can make it easier to identify a technical issue, explain a movement in detail, or select drills for a specific weakness.

However, one hour of private instruction cannot replace several hours of structured weekly training.

A coach may be able to identify that an athlete’s shoulders are closing during a back handspring. The coach can provide drills and help the athlete understand the correction. But the athlete still needs enough training time to strengthen the position and repeat it until it becomes consistent.

Private instruction can show an athlete what needs to change.

The regular training process is what gives the athlete enough time to make that change permanent.

This is an important distinction.

Parents should not feel that their child must take ongoing private lessons to receive quality instruction. When a group program is properly designed and the athlete attends consistently, the group environment should already support meaningful development.

When Are Private Tumbling Lessons Helpful?

Private lessons become especially valuable when an athlete is missing part of the regular training process.

This may happen when the athlete:

• Cannot attend enough weekly group classes
• Has an inconsistent schedule
• Trains mainly at a dance studio, cheerleading gym, or another facility
• Does not receive enough tumbling-specific training
• Has missed important foundational instruction
• Needs help understanding a specific technical issue
• Has developed an inconsistent or inefficient movement pattern
• Is returning after a long break
• Has a mental block related to a particular skill
• Needs an assessment and a clearer training plan
• Is preparing for a tryout, competition, or performance
• Cannot currently commit to a complete weekly program

In these situations, a private lesson may be the next best option.

It provides focused time for a coach to assess the athlete, identify what is missing, and prioritize the most important areas of development.

For an athlete with limited weekly training time, this can make the available time more productive.

However, the purpose of the private lesson should still be to support the process—not replace it with a shortcut.

Private Lessons Should Fill the Gap, Not Skip the Foundation

An athlete may arrive at a private lesson wanting to learn a back handspring, aerial, back tuck, or another advanced skill.

Sometimes the athlete is ready to work directly on that skill.

Other times, the assessment reveals that several prerequisites are missing.

The athlete may lack the strength to support their body through the shoulders. Their handstand may be unstable. Their takeoff may not generate enough force. Their core may lose tension during inversion. They may not yet understand how to jump, rebound, or land properly.

In that situation, the most responsible approach is not to repeatedly spot the athlete through the final skill.

It is to work on what is missing.

This may feel slower at first, especially when the athlete is eager to achieve the trick. However, it usually creates a more efficient path forward.

That is the meaning behind the ABS philosophy:

Go Slow, Learn Fast

“Go slow” does not mean delaying progress unnecessarily.

It means taking the time to build the qualities that make progress possible.

When athletes skip important steps, they may appear to progress quickly in the beginning. They may complete a skill with heavy assistance or develop a version that works occasionally.

But as the skills become more advanced, weaknesses in the foundation begin to show.

The athlete may struggle with consistency, power, connections, confidence, or safety. They may spend months repeating the same mistake because the underlying issue was never corrected.

By slowing down long enough to address the real problem, the athlete can often move forward more effectively.

This is how athletes learn faster in the long run.

A strong foundation reduces the number of corrections required later. It allows skills to connect more naturally and gives athletes greater control over their movement.

Private lessons at ABS are not intended to rush athletes through tricks.

They are used to determine what the athlete needs and help create the clearest path forward.

Can One Private Lesson Per Week Replace Regular Classes?

In some cases, a weekly private lesson may be the best training option available.

An athlete may have a demanding dance, cheer, diving, or school schedule. The family may not be able to attend multiple weekly classes. The athlete may live farther away or need training at a very specific time.

A private lesson can provide meaningful instruction in these situations.

However, parents should still understand the limitations.

One private lesson per week provides less total training time than a complete weekly class program. The coach may need to be highly selective about what is covered, and the athlete may need to repeat assigned drills outside the lesson when appropriate and safe.

The private lesson can organize the athlete’s training, identify priorities, and prevent time from being wasted on the wrong exercises.

But the athlete still needs repetition.

The less frequently an athlete trains, the more important it becomes to use the available time carefully and maintain realistic expectations.

Why Repetition Alone Is Not Enough

Consistent training is essential, but consistency must be paired with good instruction.

Repeating a movement does not automatically improve it.

The body becomes better at whatever it repeatedly performs, including inefficient technique.

An athlete can practise a skill hundreds of times and still struggle if they are repeating the same error. This is why the structure of the training matters just as much as attendance.

A good program should not simply keep athletes busy.

It should have a purpose.

Drills should relate to the skills being developed. Conditioning should prepare the body for the demands of the movement. Progressions should be selected according to the athlete’s current ability, not only their age or the level they hope to reach.

This is true in both group classes and private lessons.

The advantage of private instruction is that the program can be narrowed to the needs of one athlete. The advantage of properly structured group classes is that the athlete receives a broader and more consistent training process over time.

How Group Classes and Private Lessons Can Work Together

Private lessons and group classes do not need to compete with each other.

They can serve different purposes.

Group classes provide the regular training environment. They offer weekly structure, general physical development, repeated practice, skill exposure, and opportunities to apply corrections.

Private lessons provide focused analysis. They can help identify why a skill is not progressing, clarify a confusing correction, address a mental block, or create a plan for an athlete with limited training availability.

For some athletes, one or two private lessons may be enough to identify the problem and provide a new direction.

The athlete can then continue applying the correction during regular classes.

Other athletes may benefit from private lessons temporarily while working through a specific issue.

Ongoing private instruction may also be appropriate when an athlete cannot participate in enough regular classes and needs a personalized program.

The correct approach depends on the athlete’s goals, schedule, experience, physical readiness, and current training environment.

What Happens During a Private Lesson at ABS?

A private lesson at ABS is not simply an hour of attempting the same skill repeatedly.

The coach may begin by observing how the athlete moves and identifying the factors affecting progress.

Depending on the athlete, the lesson may include:

• Reviewing current technique
• Assessing strength, mobility, alignment, and coordination
• Identifying missing prerequisites
• Breaking a skill into smaller phases
• Correcting basic shapes and positions
• Selecting drills for the athlete’s specific needs
• Developing confidence through manageable progressions
• Explaining what the athlete should feel during the movement
• Recommending an appropriate class or training schedule
• Creating priorities for future sessions

Sometimes the most useful result of a private lesson is not the completion of a new trick.

It may be a clearer understanding of why the athlete is stuck and what needs to happen next.

That information can prevent months of unfocused practice.

The Goal Is Not Dependence on Private Lessons

At ABS, the goal is not to make athletes feel that they require constant private instruction to progress.

The goal is to build capable athletes.

Athletes should gradually become more aware of their own movement, more confident in their training, and more able to apply corrections independently.

When group classes are properly structured and athletes attend consistently for enough hours, private lessons may not be needed.

That is a positive outcome.

It means the athlete is receiving the process they need through their regular training.

When that process is limited, private lessons can provide an effective alternative or supplement. They can help organize the athlete’s development, fill important gaps, and ensure that limited training time is being used well.

Trust the Process—But Make Sure There Is a Process

Parents are often told to trust the process.

But before trusting it, they should understand what the process includes.

Is the athlete training consistently?

Are they receiving enough hours?

Are fundamentals being developed?

Are strength and physical preparation part of the program?

Are technical problems being corrected?

Are progressions being taught in a logical order?

Is the athlete becoming more capable, confident, and independent over time?

When those elements are present, consistent classes are one of the strongest ways to support long-term athletic development.

When those elements are missing, private lessons may be the next best thing.

At ABS Gymnastics & Circus in Pickering, we believe that progress comes from doing the correct work consistently—not from rushing toward the final trick.

Group classes provide the process.

Private lessons help when the process is unavailable, incomplete, or needs more focused direction.

Both can be valuable, but neither replaces the athlete’s need to build a strong foundation.

Go slow. Learn fast. Trust the process.