Group fitness instructors have unique skill sets. They help keep your members happy, engaged, and excited about the experience of working out with others. In addition, they provide a sense of community and camaraderie among members and can help motivate people struggling to stick with their fitness goals. 

Group fitness instructors are in high demand right now. They are the lifeblood of any successful fitness facility, but they're also one of the most challenging positions to fill. It's crucial that you have a solid team of dedicated instructors who can provide exceptional value to your members and keep them coming back for more. So how do you recruit new instructors? 

If you ask any group fitness instructor how they first became interested in teaching group fitness. In that case, you will discover that most were initially contacted by an instructor who said they would make a great group fitness leader. What is important to note is that this instructor took an interest in...

Do you want to get the right feedback from your group fitness class participants? 

It all comes down to asking the right questions!.

However, there are other ways that you can find out where you can improve, have a listen to group fitness experts, Marietta and Maria Teresa, to learn from their thoughts on this topic.

Keen to improve as an Aqua fitness instructor?. Then come and join us at the 2022 AQUA IMMERSION virtual conference  be there on the day or watch the recording, the option is yours.

What are your steps when creating a new Aqua fitness class?

Do you take the long road, the short cut, or nothing at all?
Marietta Mehanni and Maria Teresa Stone, aqua fitness experts share their process on class creation.

We would love to hear what's yours? 

Lacking of ideas? Need some inspiration for your classes? Join us at the 2022 AQUA IMMERSION virtual conference.

Feeling flat and bored? You know those days when you feel like you're slogging through a muddy swamp, trying to pull yourself out of a rut? When you have arrived at your class and wish you had something to teach that gives you that tingling feeling of excitement because you know that your participants are going to love it. 

We've all been there. Sometimes, it feels like the only thing you can do is get to your class, put on the music, and try to make the best of it. 

Even if you are a great instructor and know how to motivate people, sometimes we just need a little inspiration ourselves. We need that extra push to get our groove back—the one that makes us want to dance around instead of curl up in a ball on the floor.

This happens to everyone. Motivation is a fluctuating thing and sometimes it can be difficult to figure out how to get yourself back into the swing of things.

When you start feeling flat and uninspired, step back to get some perspective. as a group...

Have you ever started doing something and had the best intentions only to lose motivation and give up halfway through? Maybe you started a new exercise program and quit after a few weeks (or days). All along, you know that if you just stuck it out, you would get the results that you desire. But crikey, it's hard to stay consistent long enough.

I have a confession to make: There are times when I really don't want to teach my classes.

Whether it's due to the weather, lack of sleep or just general slothness, I find myself thinking, "Wouldn't it be nice to do nothing." 

Let's face it, fitness is hard for most people. Without some kind of accountability, it's easy to fall off the wagon and then feel overwhelmed by trying to get back on.

For me, being a full-time fitness instructor has been a great way to keep myself on track because when I commit to a class, I turn up for that class. As much as I wish I could have the willpower to go for a run or ride my bike every day, the reality...

Teaching is a profession that is full of surprises. As instructors, we know that the best way to prepare for the unexpected is to go in with as much knowledge as possible. It's one of the reasons why you're probably reading this now.

Ways to improve your teaching skills

There's always room for improvement when it comes to teaching. Here are some quick tips to help you be the teacher you've always known you could be.

Developing your skills is a lifelong process. You can never stop learning about how to be a better educator. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about teaching, there is always something new that can be learned from your students or from other teachers. You may not even realise that there is still so much more to learn until you get feedback from a peer or a participant, and then it can hit you hard. Clawing back your confidence after a situation like this can be challenging. But the good news is that you are not alone! Everyone goes through this phase...

My group fitness teaching career (back then was just a hobby and it was called “aerobics”) started at my sister’s gym in 1996. For 7 years I taught there until I moved to London to learn english and travel. I thought I would not teach group fitness classes because my certifications were from the USA and Mexico, and not from the UK, and my English was not great! Deep inside was my lack of confidence. 

I however enrolled in a gym called “Soho gym” and started going because I missed group fitness and to help me stay fit. Shortly after that an instructor tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I was an instructor, and I said yes, BUT in Mexico, not in London. He was eager to help me find classes, and so he asked me for my CV, and recommended me around. 

I started to get calls to cover classes, I was terrified but I said YES. I knew I had to! I could not waste the opportunity. I went from covering classes, to taking on permanent...

I have been in the industry for a long time, and I know how scary it is to start teaching group fitness classes! The fear comes from so many places and takes many forms. Some people are afraid they will be uncomfortable, some are afraid that they don’t have the confidence needed, and some are afraid of what their friends would think. Whatever your fears and reasons for holding yourself back might be – I want you to know that you’re not alone. We all experience fear and apprehension at times when we consider an out of our comfort zone career move. Now, my hope is that the ideas presented here today will help ease some of your concerns about teaching group exercise classes.

1. Fear that comes from not being qualified enough 

Are you considering a career in group fitness? Or are you a professional instructor who wants to continue growing in the industry? Either way, it's important to understand how the fear of not being qualified enough can affect you if you don't...

Teaching a group fitness class can be an incredibly empowering and gratifying experience. It can also be challenging, daunting and downright terrifying. There’s always a little voice in the back of your mind telling you that you don’t know enough to teach a class, or that people will be judging your every move while they watch you. Teaching a class is like going on stage—you have to get out of your head, get over yourself and go for it! But even though teaching a group fitness class is scary, it can also be the most fun you’ve ever had.

The most important thing to know about teaching a group fitness class is that the participants don't care about you. They don't care how much experience you have. They don't care how many degrees you have hanging on the wall. They simply want to enjoy the class and feel successful doing it, and they are there because they want to improve their health and fitness. A successful class is about helping participants get what they...