Non-commanded respect
When all of the students are present, I will greet them in exactly
the same way that I greet my adult participants: ‘Good morning
ladies and gentlemen.’ This may surprise them, but it sets a tone of
respect. While the classroom teacher can command respect from
the students because there are consequences back at school for
disrespect, this is not the case for Group Fitness Instructors. Non-
commanded respect is something that has to be given in order for
reciprocation to occur. The result is that generally the students will
choose to respect the instructor, resulting in better behaviour.
Clear instructions
I will then tell them exactly what I want them to do when we get
into the studio space. This includes where I want them to put their
bags, including their phones. If we are on bikes, I will specify that
they are to stand next to the bike that they choose. I will also tell
them where in the studio I want them to set up and what gear they
should get – if any.
Establish a focused environment
Most studios have some kind of equipment around their perimeter,
while others may be shared spaces with creche facilities and have
toys up the back. Specifying step-by-step what I want them to do
when we get into the room means that they are less likely to ‘play’
with the equipment or the toys. Keeping them in a space that is easy
to define (for example, the first two rows of bikes) will also make it
easier to maintain eye contact with each student – which reduces the
likelihood of them getting up to mischief.
Make changes to meet your market
They may be almost the same size as adults, but their brains work
a little differently, and instructing them in the exact same way you
would your regular classes can prove problematic. With some small
adjustments, however, you can deliver a class that connects with
your young participants.
that language, maybe throw in a couple of
phrases – a ‘bonjour’ for a MyRide journey
through France, for example.
Get linguistically creative
If you are teaching a freestyle program
then, aside from safety guidelines, you
are afforded a decent amount of flexibility.
Don’t be afraid to make use of it. When I
first started instructing to school groups, I
found the hardest class to teach was Pilates,
because I was trying to teach it to the
‘pattern’ that I would do with adults, and this
would result in behavioural problems.
One of the school’s goals for fitness
facility excursions will be student exposure
to regular versions of exercise formats, but
this isn’t always entirely possible – at least
not if you want the class to be effective. With
some slight tweaks, however, you can make
your instruction more audience-appropriate
without losing the essence of the class.
I restructured my Teen Pilates classes
and now teach the first 15 minutes as an
almost-standard Pilates class. I do, however,
modify a couple of things during that time –
the most important being how I teach lateral
thoracic breathing. In a class of adults, I
usually incorporate references to the pelvic
floor. However, doing this in a teen class
will result in giggles, especially from the
girls, which makes it a lot harder to keep
control of the group. So, instead of referring
to the pelvic floor, I describe how I want
them to activate the transverse abdominus.
The tools of engagement
While the content of some classes or workouts cannot be changed
much, or at all, you may be able to adjust your delivery in order
to engage with teenagers. For example, some facilities have
video programs that can be displayed in their cycle room, and
guess what? Teens love screens. Whether the video matches the
workout is of low importance in this setting: what is important is
maintaining the students’ attention. So, make use of what visual
resources are at hand, and interact with what’s happening on
screen if appropriate. If the video program is based in another
country, for example, and you happen to know a few words of
54 | NETWORK SPRING 2019
While the content of some classes
cannot be changed much, you may
be able to adjust your delivery in
order to engage with teenagers.