Group fitness classes are a great place for people to get fit, lose weight, get strong and make friends, and it takes a special kind of group fitness instructor to lead these people through a workout. Here are some tips to make your group fitness classes more engaging.
Group fitness instructor tips
Music matters
Are you playing the kind of music that gets your clients pumped up and excited for the class? Does the music carry them through your workouts, especially when they get tough? Music selection is important! It makes or breaks the vibe of the class. And it can kill the energy if it’s not been selected correctly.
Adapt your class
Make sure you know how to adapt or modify each class (or each exercise) for the few members who have, say a back injury or a sore knee. In this way, you’ll be meeting the needs of all your clients, and they’ll get more out of the class.
Know your regulars
Always introduce yourself to new clients and explain the class programme so that everyone is on the same page. And then make sure you chat warmly with your regulars to make them feel recognised. During the class, interact with them (to give feedback or share a joke). This makes your classes more interesting for everyone. If you are a good communicator, you will be a fabulous group fitness instructor.
Engage with members
Remember that you’re guiding your class – and it’s made of real people and they want to feel secure. Use eye contact and visual cues to guide them. If the classes are not engaging, then clients won’t get the best results, and they’re less likely to keep coming back.
Motivate
Most of the people in your class probably didn’t want to come to gym at all. They would rather be on the couch, or sipping coffee with a friend. But they came. They need motivation to get excited about the class, and to keep up!
The best group fitness instructors are passionate about exercise and fitness. They are self-motivated in all areas of their life and they bring this into the studio too. This motivation is contagious – it’s one of the things that keep their clients coming back.
Give feedback
As a group fitness instructor, you have to not only explain exercise movements to your clients, so that they perform them correctly, you also have to keep them interested. It’s important to give your clients feedback, wherever possible. This may be in the form of correcting their technique or some positive feedback.
In fact, you should always correct technique and methods – your clients will walk away with injuries if you don’t.
Have fun
Remember to have fun. Your enjoyment will become the contagious spirit that spreads and engages your class!
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
If you’re passionate about group fitness classes, and you think you could be a superstar Pilates group class instructor, sign up for Trifocus Fitness Academy’s Comprehensive Pilates Certification today!
