REPs Magazine Fitness Matters 10 | Page 11

practising form is in weights- based classes. The bars and plates may be smaller, but the raised confidence will allow them to be curious about more strength sessions. any form of exercise or sport for at least three years prior to starting classes. Group exercise offers an accessible pathway. You could look at what sports facilities are in your local area and agree on both parties signposting people to each More athletes are now turning to the likes of HIIT, circuits and Pilates to complement their training programmes. This isn’t limited to ‘athletic’ sports either; in a Men’s Health article, the 2017 World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall, cited HIIT as one method he used to shed 32kg, whilst maintaining his muscle strength. Football and rugby teams have also been using HIIT to increase player performance. Similarly, Pilates is becoming an ever more popular method to decrease the risk of injury. “ Group exercise offers an accessible pathway. ” other. If you have a velodrome or cycling centre nearby and you run indoor group cycling classes, this could benefit both organisations and community participation levels. Although it’s not an exact science, it does provide more opportunities for a healthier nation through exercise. Over a third of group exercise participants were inactive before starting classes and 55% of those had not done Athletes as clients Running bespoke athlete ‘clinics’ and touting the benefits of group exercise to their athletic performance are a great way to get more clients. It also gives you the opportunity to showcase what other services you have to offer, such as one-to-one personal training sessions. Talk to local sports clubs to see how you can work with their coaches to increase team fitness and offer classes that fit around them. Next steps  Speak to EMD UK about which CPD routes are available to you to deliver group exercise classes. Visit emduk.org/professional-development or email [email protected] for more information. @REPsUK FM 11