Motivational Tips for Group Fitness Instructors
In today’s post, I want to talk about motivational techniques for group fitness instructors: what I’ve discovered in my years of teaching is what works, what only works for some people, and what fails, no matter what. I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences as a group fitness participant or instructor! Whether you’re leading through a screen (as many coaches did after Lorna) or in person, motivational strategies are important. You want to deliver energy effectively and authentically and inspire individual and team sports participants.
What works (almost) every time:
Use great music and a diverse playlist.
This is one of my favorite things to do! Add a mix of music to your playlist because someone in the class will enjoy the *weird song* you chose. For example, I’ll throw in a random oldie or country song to keep things interesting, and also try to mix in 40’s music with more alternative and instrumental styles. If you made an entire playlist based on one genre (like EDM or Top 40), one person in the class would love every song, but another would hate every song and probably never come back.
Call the participants by name.
I think this way is more meaningful and shows the participants that you care about them.
Recognize their hard work and push them to complete their work within safe levels.
I talk about this in detail here! It’s important to encourage participants to listen to their bodies, make modifications as needed, and be proud of how they appear!
Demonstrate proper form and method of modifying or advancing an exercise.
Participants are more motivated when they feel confident in the moves and know they won’t get hurt. 😉
Emphasize the muscle group they are working.
Explain why it’s important (“A strong core helps protect our lower back and support daily movement”) and help them Brains to brawn.
Be quiet.
Sometimes, just being quiet for a while and letting the energy and music speak for you can be motivating and empowering.
What sometimes works depends on the vibe and your personality:
The more “attractive” side of things, such as visualization.
In spin class, I sometimes say things like, “Imagine your loved one standing on the side of the road right now, holding a sign to inspire you. What does the sign say?” or “For our sprint, we’re doing Face off against your biggest competition. Maybe it’s someone at work, maybe it’s someone who doesn’t even know who you are.”
Make adjustments yourself.
Some people love these and some hate them, so it’s best to ask at the beginning of the class if there are any injuries or if anyone is uncomfortable with the adjustments, please let you know. In the fitness industry, things naturally tend to be more hands-on, but that’s not for everyone. (When you arrive early, you can introduce yourself to participants individually to get their names and sign in. It’s more helpful for someone to say during a one-on-one conversation rather than up front that they don’t want to be accommodated in class. Easy to belong to a large group.)
What’s bland:
What I call empty cheers.
“Woo!” This is my biggest worry. It means nothing and serves no purpose.
Tell some personal stories in class.
Usually no one cares and just wants to keep moving.
Constantly making participants feel like everything they are doing is wrong.
No one wants to feel like a failure, especially when they’re trying to achieve their fitness goals. Whether you’re a personal trainer or lead a group fitness class, it’s important to elevate your class members, not bring them down.
Lack of direction.
When you sense a coach doesn’t know what they’re going to do next, or if It was obvious they were winging it. It’s motivating to feel like they have a solid plan for what you’re going to do during your workout.
Saying the same thing over and over again.
An example of this is constantly saying, “Great job!” in between everything else. (“Good job. Okay, now we’re going to do burpees! Good job, now we’re going to hold onto the plank, good job, keep your core tight, good job.” It’s distracting. ) And, I think it’s good to change the way you express things. There are many ways to say the same thing, so it helps eliminate redundant feelings. (For example, there are many ways to say: “Use your leg strength, tighten your hips as you bounce off the ground, jump to the ceiling, use your leg strength to explode, and jump vertically as high as possible.”)
(Gif source. Bonus points if you master Moira Rose’s vocabulary)
So tell me friends: What does your favorite fitness instructor do to inspire you? Did they say or do something that was particularly memorable to you?
Fitness Instructor Friends: What is your favorite way to motivate your classes and clients, especially in the online fitness world? Things are difficult right now, especially when we’re used to harnessing the energy of the classroom, so I’d love to hear your thoughts and what you’re doing!
XOXO
Gina
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