When I ask someone why they go to Group X classes, folks will more often than not tell me fitness classes motivate them to work harder than they would on their own. I’m quick to agree, having wasted hours at the gym by myself. As fitness instructors, it’s important to keep that in mind when planning your classes. It’s not just about the exercises, but also about what you will say to convince participants to work harder. Great instructors will use a mix of motivational techniques, including personal anecdotes, visualization and fitness quotes.
Sometimes tried and true motivational strategies will start to feel stale or overused. If that’s the case, you’ll want to pack away the phrases used too often and replace them with something new.
Here’s a look at three fitness quotes you can introduce to your Group X classes to power them through the next challenge.
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“I will sacrifice whatever’s necessary to be the best,” said J.J. Watts.
This is one of my favorite quotes, because I like to change my mindset from what do I have to do to achieve the next level to what do I have to sacrifice. Play into this question of how much participants are willing to sacrifice to make a difference in their bodies by equating that uncomfortable feeling of working out with sacrifice.
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“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone who is not a champion,” said Arnold Schwarzenegger.
This is a great one to try when you’re teaching a particularly long set of exercises. Especially when you finish a set with an isometric hold or small pulse that leaves little room for distraction. It’s also easy to slot in, because you have to say it right before the end of a set when participants start to drop their weights.
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“Insanity: doing something over and over again and expecting different results,” said Albert Einstein.
This is one of those fitness quotes that’s a bit tricky for me, because I don’t want participants to think they’re doing something wrong by coming to class each week. So, make sure to focus this one on the fact that members have to continue to challenge themselves with their exercises. Doing the drills that challenged them a year ago won’t help them continue to make progress.
These fitness quotes will help to bring fresh motivation to get Group X participants to take their effort level up a notch.
For more ideas, check out the fitness motivation and cueing page.
