think did and didn ’ t work . The process can be cringe-inducing , because we are our own worst critics , but it ’ s very effective . Take time to note things you may want to say more succinctly or moments in your class you can use to create more excitement among your participants .
03 Create a community !
One of the best pieces of advice I learnt in a group fitness instructor course was to work hard at creating a strong community with your participants . You ’ ll be amazed at how loyal your regulars will be when they feel like they truly belong to your unique tribe .
In addition to fostering a friendly atmosphere , making eye contact and getting to know ( and use ) people ’ s names , a great way of doing this is to create a Facebook Group or Facebook Messenger Group where you and your participants can virtually ‘ hang out ’ and stay connected . Take pride in your community and share tips , tricks , motivation and advice . For instance , you may share your favourite post-workout smoothie recipe or take class photos at the end of classes to share on these platforms , along with congratulations to participants for showing up to class and investing in their wellbeing .
If you run an online group fitness business , then you need to dedicate time to elevating your online presence beyond standard Facebook or Instagram profiles . Take time to carefully interact with your group ’ s members on these platforms , building trust and rapport with them . You ’ ll find you develop a very loyal member base that won ’ t want to miss one of your classes .
04 Keep learning and finetuning
As group fitness instructors , it ’ s our job to keep our members inspired , safe and excited about their workouts . In order to do this , it ’ s essential to commit to regular learning . One way of doing this is to tap into the expertise of those in your professional network .
Do you have an awesome GFM or fellow GFI who is an expert in cycle ? Ask them to spend an hour each week for a month teaching you about the program . Maybe you have a friend who ’ s a Pilates instructor ? Ask them about the intricacies of the core and the deep pelvic floor muscles . Keep learning and growing and your members will keep doing the same with you .
Formal professional development in the form of courses and workshops is also very important , and with numerous online options available , keeping up with the latest developments and skills can be pretty affordable and convenient ( Network , for one , has
lots of online courses ). Personally , completing my Nutrition Coaching certification has been an incredible addition to my fitness skillset . Having a depth of knowledge about nutrition and its place in creating strong , healthy bodies has given me an additional layer of credibility and enabled me to share information on healthy eating with my clients . It ’ s also helped me grow my business beyond teaching group fitness classes , and I now also deliver workshops in the corporate health realm .
Other ways to keep learning and growing include attending different classes to learn new ways of cueing workouts , and shadowing or team teaching with instructors in your gym or community to get more experience and exposure . Learning about other modalities that aren ’ t directly related to the classes you deliver , but which contain information and skills that can complement your instructing , is also very valuable . I found that doing a mat Pilates course gave me a greater understanding of the core and its role in exercise than any previous training I ’ d done . Never stop learning my friends !
THE QUICK READ
• New group fitness instructors can do a number of things to improve class delivery and business success
• Proactively seeking out feedback from colleagues and participants can help identify areas for improvement
• Filming your classes and watching them back will allow you to identify other strengths and weaknesses in your class delivery
• Work to create a real community of regular participants , using both inperson and online methods
• Continually work on learning new skills and finetuning your existing ones
• Always remember to have fun , because participants will thrive when they see that you get a buzz from teaching them .
05 Have fun with it !
If you take off the pressure , just have fun and relax , you ’ ll find your participants will do the same . When you put too much pressure on yourself to say and do everything perfectly in your class , it will show . You ’ ll perform better when you relax and just trust in yourself and the preparation you ’ ve done for your class .
Remember , you ’ re teaching group fitness classes because you love it . Your participants want to see you enjoy yourself . So , if you mess up a grapevine or a dead row count , don ’ t beat yourself up ! Most likely , your members won ’ t even know ( except for the really regular front rowers , you know who I ’ m talking about !).
Corinne Blight Corinne is the Founder of Limitless Fitness & Nutrition , an online and live group fitness community on a mission to make fitness fun and energetic . As well as being a group fitness instructor , Corinne is also a personal trainer , Pilates instructor , nutrition and health presenter and nutrition coach
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