"Individual commitment to a group effort, that is what makes a team work" - Vince Lombardi.
Having taught Group Fitness classes at various venues for 13 years I have seen many people come and go. Some disappear because of relocation and some because of lifestyle changes such as work or family. Often in these cases explanations are given heart-felt farewells are made. It is hard not to miss a familiar face even if it is only for once a week in a one hour group fitness class; no matter what level it is on I believe we all value connections we make with others because it brings us closer to our surroundings and makes us feel a part of something. What is disappointing to me as a Group Fitness Instructor is the realisation that certain faces have 'disappeared' from class without explanation.... Others gave explanations and regretted that they would no longer be a part of the experience.... so did these others not feel a part of it?... Or did the experience no longer motivate them to come back??? I believe the best measure of a successful class isn't merely if there is a great number of attendance, it is whether the numbers are made up of the same faces attending again and again. So what motivated the others to just 'stop' attending???
I was recently reading a Sports Psychology article by P Mauro entitled "How Mental Training Can Improve Your Performance". This article was actually in reference to how coaches could assist triathletes to perform better during competition but it did raise some valid points that made me consider the group fitness arena... In any team sports there are the following traits; an enjoyment factor inspired by the activity itself, a Coach to provide guidance, the social camaraderie of team mates, the desire to perfect skills, the motivation of achieving goals and success at the sport; whether this be beating ones personal timed record, finally mastering a skill or the team's winning performance. There is always a struggle from both athlete and coach to find motivation to push through set backs, but when it is found people stay passionate about the sport and stay faithful to it (on some level) for life. With so much in common with team sports, what is the missing ingredient when it comes to this faithful bond and group fitness?
I would describe my Group Fitness career as experiencing much ebb and flow; my performing arts background made me dwell on the connection to the music, so my classes were all about 'fun and performance', then my Body Step trainer opened my eyes to the importance of technique... so I became the 'technique nazi'... and my background in PT didn't help that one... so my classes became all about muscle activation and fitness benefits... so they lost the fun... More recently I completed some Les Mills Advanced Instructor courses and had my eyes widened further! Not only was I informed that programs were deliberately structured to suit certain personality traits, I also learned that nearly every person that entered class attended for a different reason; some came because it was social and fun, some wanted the benefits, some wanted to feel nurtured, some wanted to be pushed beyond what they were capable of alone, some wanted to perfect skills and some just wanted to be motivated by the music, the atmosphere and the energy! When I think back to my classes as the 'fun performer' or the 'technique nazi' I finally realize why faces faded out of my classes never to be seen
again! It was because I was not considering everyone in my team.
I believe that P. Mauro's theories on successful triathlon coaching can be applied to the group fitness arena; Mauro discusses the importance of competition, various aspects of motivation that affect attitude and performance, defining objectives and setting goals, encouraging athletes through mental toughness through imagery, consistency, concentration and team bonding.
It is part of human nature that we compare ourselves with others; we better our skills, appearance and performance based on a standard set by others. In a sporting team we can better our running speed or our goal average by comparing the efforts of our mates and records set by others before us. In the Group Fitness arena this can be done also. We can hold a plank longer than the person beside us, perform push-ups better or even jump higher than those around us. We can remain motivated and confident based on the efforts of others.
We must never forget (as Group Fitness Coaches) the social aspect of what we do and human being's inevitable desire to connect and belong to the world that surrounds them. I often see instructors
prepare for classes and get consumed by perfecting choreography... or they dwell on one aspect if the training and focus on physical perfection and results and suck all the fun and the social aspect out of the room. When bonds are created , people stay true. Why discourage the fun and chatter that draws people closer together???
Often as Group Fitness Coaches I believe we forget to connect participants to their goals. If there is nothing measurable then how are we going to stay accountable??? And if there is no accountability, why would we remain in the room??? Our goals don't have to be to "get fit and lose weight". They might be to perfect a push-up... or to gain more reps than the previous class. I believe that results are often a neglected tool in the group fitness arena but, if considered more regularly, could inspire more faithful attendance; many of us took up a class for one reason or another... people may come back because of the social environment or the music... but often it was a personal fitness goal that encouraged them to participate to begin with. All class members should measure their goals regularly; perhaps we should encourage members to regularly be weighed and measured if their goal is weight-loss, perhaps the importance of diet should be mentioned more often, for fitness goals perhaps individuals could chose an exercise regularly included in the class that they usually struggle with and commit to competing it more successfully; if they usually opt out of push-ups or plyometric lunges why not encourage them to complete a full set as a test of fitness or strength. When we don't set goals we lose motivation because our training is pointless. We all should be reminded of our goals regularly and be encouraged to measure them and reassess them.
What motivates us to take on a sport or physical activity to start with can keep us coming back. I started to learn dancing because I was infatuated with Michael Jackson; this man was unique and invented ways to move! Whenever I lose the motivation to dance I look at new film clips and become inspired by how dance has evolved and how many new moves and styles have been invented, or I go back to MJ clips and remind myself of why I loved dance to begin with. I am still dancing and find I
am drawn to teaching dance programs so I can encourage more people to dance. Often what group fitness instructors forget to remind their participants of is what motivated them to choose that particular class to begin with? Often it is that raw motivation that holds most true to them. We should encourage members to try out classes that appeal to them on a personal level; maybe an individual is suffering from stress or anxiety and would find the 'time-out' offered in a yoga class soothing.... or perhaps they want the opposite and want to hit it out in a boxing class and find their release that way!!! The activity itself has to offer something interesting and personally satisfying.
Please let us never forget the music! Music in a group fitness class offers more motivation than any team sporting anthem can bring because it not only motivates a sense of team spirit with the scene set by the musical sounds and lyrics, the drive provided by the beat and music volume can inspire energy and intensity in all movements. Music can provide soothing sounds and a steady beat to help the chilled out atmosphere of a yoga relaxation session, it can inspire one to jump higher or run faster in a Body Attack class through volume and fast tempos and it can provide a steady pace with a motivating back ground in any Pump or Cycle class. If there was not backing music to our class experience, would we feel the same connection to the people in front of us... and would they feel this back??? Music can also help with mental imagery and offering participants a form of escapism. In Sh'bam we are taught to 'tell stories' to keep classes light and chatty. These stories generally stem from the music or the lyrics; a Latin track may transport a group to a Spanish bull-fighting arena, while the song "Fame" might make members believe that they are auditioning for a Performing Arts' Academy just like the movie. This takes away the pressure of participants feeling like they have to master the dance moves which often inspires self-consciousness. Music is a powerful connection tool that draws out different emotions in all of us. It is also a powerful distraction to help motivate people through pain barriers and the self-consciousness felt when movements are not yet mastered. Music can even help the class enjoy the physical training despite the intensity level.
After reading P Muaruo, I believe that a good coach motivates through sticking points. Anyone who has trained physically has experienced some set backs, or a moment where progression was challenging to the point where it seemed impossible! Offering modifications as a way of pushing through the training is essential in these circumstances. We all have days when we are more fatigued and don't perform at our best and class members feeling this way should be assured of this and offered alternatives. After all, we shouldn't leave team members behind! Also, perseverance should be encouraged. Things usually get better and easier with more practice. If someone is feeling self-conscious because they have had to modify the intensity level or they haven't yet mastered coordination of a movement, assure them that 'coming back' is the key to their success. As a Body Jam instructor I have witnessed many individuals run from the studio in fear of embarrassment! I have been dancing since I was 3 and I am still learning! It always amazes me how hard people are on themselves when they don't master something on the very first attempt.
Many coaches are granted the title due to their experience with their sport. For a Group Fitness Coach to be able to teach other's physical skills, not only should they be able to role model correct and admirable technique, they should also have knowledge of the moves and what the benefits of them are. If someone teaching a core class such as an Abs Plus or a CxWorx class does not have knowledge of anatomy, how can he/she coach others to effectively train core? If a Pump instructor doesn't know what muscles are being targeted and the benefits of resistance work, how can others be educated on the benefits? If a Jam instructor has never danced and has no knowledge of the genre of choreography, how are others expected to buy into it??? I believe that all Group Fitness instructors owe it to their classes not only to be educated and knowledgeable on what they are teaching, but to also physically practice and perfect the skills themselves so that others can gain more knowledge and understanding. Understanding the benefits of certain moves gives the training purpose and encourages class members to master their training.
Successful coaches consider the whole team and bring out the best performance in everyone. Many of us have our own beliefs on training, and our own personality traits influence what we have a natural tendency to focus on when coaching our classes. Unfortunately, our own individual tendencies don't reflect the needs of everyone in the room. In any sporting team individual athletes have various strengths and weakness. A good coach would recognize this, play strengths to advantage and find ways to improve and motivate through weaknesses. If this strategy could be applied to the group fitness arena... just think of the possibilities!
