5 TIPS
CEC ARTICLE
FOR NEW GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTORS
1 OF 5 ARTICLES
Starting out as a group fitness instructor can be overwhelming . Instructor Corinne Blight shares her top tips to help you get a running start – and stay at the top of your game .
H ow lucky are we that our job as group fitness instructors is
to excite and inspire others to lead happier , healthier lives ?
I ’ ve been working in the fitness industry for almost eight years now , but when I first started out as a group fitness instructor I had a lot to learn !
Life ’ s a learning curve , and I ’ m continually picking up new skills and tips in the field of group fitness , but since I got started , a number of key lessons have greatly impacted my success .
Whether you ’ re brand new to teaching classes , or have been doing so for a while , I hope that the following tips will help you improve both your class delivery and your business success .
01
Get regular feedback from a mentor and / or your members
My absolute number one piece of advice for anyone teaching group fitness is to not be scared of feedback . Repeat after me , ‘ feedback is my friend ’. I ’ ve been fortunate to be mentored by some outstanding Group Fitness Managers and instructors . The fact is , we ’ re better instructors when we ’ re given feedback from experienced mentors . Ask your GFM to attend or watch some of your classes and to tell you frankly what they think you can improve on . We all have room for improvement . Don ’ t be discouraged by perceived criticisms : take the feedback on board and use it to create a focused plan of improvement .
In addition to seeking feedback from industry colleagues , at the end of classes you can also ask participants to share their feelings about the class you just delivered . To encourage honest feedback , you could even set up a system that allows for anonymity . This has the added bonus of reflecting positively on you , because it lets participants know that you really care about their class experience .
02
Film and watch yourself teaching classes
I know it can be scary watching yourself back on video after teaching a class , but in order to keep improving , you need to know what your technique looks like and how you sound on the microphone ( if you ’ re like me , you may be guilty of talking a lot !).
Invest in a phone tripod , and set it up somewhere discrete where it won ’ t interrupt any participant ’ s view and film your class from start to finish . A day or two later , review the footage and make notes about what you
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