Group X Files

Each and every one of us has walked into a studio and made assumptions about our participants based on appearances, whether we like to admit it or not. It is human nature. Our challenge is to look past those initial assumptions and get to who people really are and what they can really do. Age is one of the easiest factors we make assumptions based upon, but what if I told you age is not the limiting factor in determining level. Function and ability are the limiting factors. Listen in to learn more about keeping all ages moving as equally and successfully as possible.

It sounds like the biggest contradiction, but in a world where perfection, whatever that means, is shoved down our throats, sometimes it is nice to know that you are welcome and accepted just the way you are. When people show up for class, we don't necessarily know their backstory for the day, so we need to give them the grace to be imperfectly perfect along the way, or risk being just another force demanding perfection.

Each and every class we lead should have a purpose. That purpose is not the broad "to get fitter," "to get stronger," "to improve my cardio." That purpose is a truly focused and tailored expectation of what the participants can hope to gain from the class. It is not what you are doing but why you are doing it. The more we program with purpose, the more intentional the workouts we provide are. The more intentional the workouts are, the more people benefit from them. The more they benefit, the more they will go out of their way to ensure they can keep coming back.

If we are not moving forward, we are falling behind. As cliche as it may be, it is true. Herein lies the challenge for directors and managers today. It is not our grandmother's GX but it also still very much is our grandmother's GX, as we have more active aging participants in GX than ever before. Listen in to learn how to best position yourself to accommodate those who have been coming for decades and also those just aging in to GX and have different needs and goals.

As instructors we tend to get sucked into tunnel vision when it comes to music, relying on our favorites and classics that we know our classes love. Music drives our classes, arguably as much as the workout itself. It is imperative as instructors that we do our best to turn the workout into an experience if we want participants to keep coming back, and one of the best ways to do that is with a banging playlist. Tune in to learn how you can take your playlist from basic to banging.

It's a cliche, but the best way to lead is by example. Talk the talk. Walk the walk. Inspect what you expect. Leading a team means executing the tasks you ask of your team in an exemplary manner. If you are teaching, you crush your classes. If you are walking the club, you are tidying up anything out of place. You are saying hi as you pass people. You are engaging with members and staff. Listen in to learn more about the trickle down effects of leading by example, and the detriments caused by not doing so.

When we are teaching on a regular basis, we are tempted to re-invent the wheel to keep people engaged and keep "upping the ante," so to say. But what if we considered that a huge killer of motivation is not laziness, but complexity? If people are overwhelmed, they are less likely to continue to do something. Listen in for ways we can keep things accessible while also making them fun and engaging.

Setbacks and rejections are something no one looks forward to. However, as Group Exercise Instructors, we are subject to scrutiny from others. And our "sport" is not one of fastest to the finish line wins. We want to pursue new and challenging opportunities, but they also come with the potential for disappointment if we are not selected. Listen in to learn about setting expectations, focusing on the things you can control, and reframing disappointing outcomes to continue to grow and develop as an instructor.

You want to be the person that members are immediately drawn to when they enter the studio, right? Aside from club-branded gear and a headset, how do you achieve this? Listen in and learn how to use your physical presence, verbal skills, and preparation to own the room each and every time you walk in to teach.

We have looked at the instructor why in prior episodes, and many directors still work as instructors too, so it is important to be connected to that why. But what about your director why? With all of the demands of leadership and working with a crew of part-time staff who come and go at different times and have different demeanors, why bother? If you want to get past the rush of January and lead through the rest of your year, working from your why is the first step.