Tag: Exercise Cues

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My Top 5 Tips for Cueing Group Fitness Exercises Effectively

Group X Instructor cueing group fitness exercises

One of the hardest parts of being a fitness instructor is cueing group fitness exercises effectively. Self-doubt always used to creep into my head as I explained technique. Am I talking too much or not enough? Are folks understanding what I’m saying? Are they even listening? It’s a delicate balance to find, and unfortunately, you won’t always get a lot of feedback from participants mid-activity. At first, it’s normal if cueing group fitness exercises sometimes feels like a shot in the dark whether it resonates with participants. But, I promise fitness instructor cues will come more naturally over time, and it’s definitely something you can learn to master.

Here are my tips to help you sound like a pro when cueing group fitness classes.

  1. Practice cueing group fitness exercises. ALL. THE. TIME.

The first time you ever use a cue, it usually comes out awkward and long-winded. Practice saying your cues often, so you can say them quickly and efficiently. You can practice this while you’re doing other stuff — taking a shower or driving in the car. Think about an exercise you want to do in your next class, and go through the cues you’ll use.

I strongly encourage you to practice saying your cues out loud. It makes such a difference to say it instead of think it. If you can, also practice your cues to the music you’re going to use. That way, you’ll get used to how much time you have to get through all the instruction you want.

It may feel silly, but it’ll save you from feeling uncomfortable in front of a class full of participants. Trust me, my boyfriend would walk in on me sitting on the couch with my headphones on saying, “Alright, ladies! Time for another hill!” He teased me about it for weeks, but my class went off without a hitch.

  1. Start from head to toe (or vice versa).

If you’re ever in doubt about what cues to share, think of the body like a checklist. Tick through the cue for each body part starting at the top and working your way down (or vice versa). For example, where should you be looking, at your feet or straight ahead? Is the neck in line with the spine? You can think of a cue to share for just about every body part. Even if some feel obvious, it’s nice to use as a reminder or clarification for the class.

  1. Scan the room, but don’t stare as you cue.

If you’ve ever taken a Group X class, you know that every cue the fitness instructor shares feels like it’s directed specifically at you. It’s mission critical that the instructor is scanning the room and sharing cues based on what participants are doing. Those cues are going to prevent injury and make sure everyone is getting a good workout. But, you don’t want to make anyone feel bad by staring at someone or pointing anyone out for doing the exercise wrong.

  1. Share both positive and negative feedback.

Sometimes we’re so busy sharing cues to correct form that we forget to acknowledge all of the good stuff our participants are doing. Have their push-ups gotten so much better in the past few weeks? Is their plank form on point? Tell them! It feels amazing to hear your Group X instructor tell you that you’re doing something well.

  1. Don’t be afraid of silence.

You don’t need to talk all the time, nor do you need to feel guilty about talking a lot. You’ll find your sweet spot between periods of silence and cueing. Especially in the warm-up and class intros, you can (and should!) talk a lot. The rest is up to you.

As you build your confidence in cueing group fitness exercises, you’ll be able to start having fun with it. Participants will come to your class each week because they like your personality. Start to personalize the cues you use and your style to really make your Group X classes your own.

For more cueing tips, check out the fitness motivation and cueing page.

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Group X Motivational Cue: “Do 8 More Perfect Reps”

Participants working harder after hearing a Group X motivational cue

It’s important for fitness instructors to continue to motivate participants throughout a Group X class. While members’ motivation will likely ebb and flow during the class, instructors need to know how to pump up the room each time the energy falls. Recently, I started seeing significant effort from my spin class when I asked them to go as fast as they can, holding it for as long as they can within the 30 seconds.

Using that Group X motivational cue taught me that people sometimes will underestimate themselves and save energy when they have to keep up an exercise for too long.

Instead of going all out, they’ll hold back a bit to make sure they can last through the allotted timeframe. Once I gave them permission to stop early as long as they turned on those burners at the beginning, the effort level skyrocketed. So, I set out to see how I could build on this idea in my other classes.

In my strength and conditioning classes, I’m a rhythm instructor, which means I’ll cue the class to start an exercise on the beat and then will typically continue cueing without telling participants exactly how many repetitions we’re doing. So while most of them can typically guess when I’ll ask them to stop, there’s a lot of time in the middle where they’re going through the motions without an end in sight.

So, one Group X motivational cue I’ve used recently to help participants boost their effort is to instruct them to do eight more (or another small, specific number) perfectly.

When I say that, members’ ears perk up. They seem to refocus on the exercise and really give it an extra effort, knowing that the end is near, and that I want these last few repetitions to be extra good.

This is a pretty easy motivational cue to give in Group X classes. As you’re nearing the end to just about any exercise, just ask folks to do the last eight to the best of their ability. Then, you can list a few important cues to keep in mind to help them remember what perfect form looks like.

For more ideas on how to fuel the fire for your Group X class, check out the fitness motivation and cueing page.

 

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Group X Motivational Cue: Don’t ID It, Just Let it Go

Group X Instructor sharing a motivational cue

As group fitness (or Group X) instructors, we’re always on the lookout for new motivational cues to share with our exercise classes. We all have our go-to phrases to encourage members to work harder, faster, etc. However, there’s nothing quite like the moment when you bring in a new cue that has the room buzzing with inspiration. For me, that’s one of my favorite moments in a fitness class.

I stumbled upon a new motivational cue this week that’s stuck with me. To be fair, it’s not a motivational cue in the traditional sense. This isn’t one of those, “work harder,” or, “do more,” types of instruction. However, it still plays a key role in fitness, because it helps participants clear their minds to focus and give their all to the task at hand.

The motivational cue? Whatever’s stressing it out, you don’t even need to ID it, just choose to let it go.

Shout out to Yoga with Adriene for introducing me to this cue in her, “Yoga for Stress Relief,” YouTube video. You can hear it at 8:00 minutes (embedded below).

Now, I’ve heard variations of this phrase before. And, this one hits close to home, because I personally have a wandering mind. There are many classes where I’ve gotten lost in my thoughts and come back ten minutes later to realize I totally forgot I was even taking a Group X class. So, I usually tell my class something like, “clear your mind,” or, “leave everything else at the door”. But, I worry that my cues encourage folks to think about whatever’s bothering them, ultimately making things worse. Instead, help your class let go of what’s clouding their brain without taking the time or energy to focus on the stress itself.

While this phrase is a great way to help members destress and enjoy your fitness class, it’s also a nice segue to encourage them to refocus on their workout. When folks aren’t distracted, they’re able to do better. Period. We all know maximum effort takes a person’s full attention and nobody can concentrate on their workout when they’re focusing on residue stress from work, relationships, etc.

Of course, this might not work with the style of your class, but if you like it, feel free to play around with the phrase until you find a genuine way to add it to your arsenal of group fitness cues. The goal is to liberate your Group X class — even just for an hour — from the stresses of everyday life. And, at least for me, this phrase does just that.

For more Group X cue ideas, check out the fitness motivation and cueing page.

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‘Woo’ Girls No More: Group X Class Check-in Tips

How are you? In most of the U.S., this question is often answered with a “good” or “fine”. But in many group fitness (Group X) studios scattered across the country, the appropriate response to that question is a variation of the phrase “woo”. I’m here to not only give you permission, but to encourage you, to break-up with the woo in your next Group X class.

Why? Because there are other questions or call to actions that will elicit the response you want.

Ultimately, when you ask a question expecting the woo response, you’re asking Group X class participants if they’re okay and if they’re following along. With the woo, most folks do not respond. If they do respond, it’s typically not in unison, which takes away from the momentum of the class. And to the chagrin of instructors everywhere still wearing leotards, leg warmers and hair scrunchies, the woo is wasted air — it doesn’t provide you with any useful information about your participants.

Lily and Robin talking about woo girls in a Group X class.

Now, before I go any further, some of us are meant to be woo girls. When the instructor asks how everyone’s doing, the whole room responds in perfect unison as if they were extras in a Disney movie. If that’s your style and you like it, then own it! As long as it feels authentic, you can ask your Group X class whatever question feels right, in the moment. But, if you’re still trying to find or evolve your group exercise teaching style, here’s a look at a few ways to check in with participants without demanding the woo.

Thumbs up/head nods

Rather than asking your class to say something, you can ask your class to give a thumbs up or nod their head. For some, this will feel less invasive or embarrassing. When you’re in the back of the class and don’t want any attention on you, it can feel unnerving to woo.

Instead, after you finish providing instruction or just finished a really challenging drill, ask your participants to give you a thumbs up. It can sound like this, “Give me a thumbs up if you understand and you’re ready to own this next interval,” or, “If you feel like you’ve finished your recovery and are ready for the next sprint, give me a thumbs up.” That way, you get the desired feedback from your class and your members still feel comfortable.

If/then statements

This is similar to a thumbs up, but it requires your participants to talk. Instead, of asking an open-ended question (e.g. how are you?) that puts your class on the spot, ask a direction question and feed them the answer. For example, you can say, “If you’re ready to do this next interval, say yes,”  or, “if you understand the next drill and are ready to give it all you’ve got, say ‘let’s go’.”

If/then statements are great, because they don’t require a lot of thinking. All your participants need to do is listen to what you’re saying and then respond. Then, you get what you wanted out of it, which is feedback that they’re still following and/or are ready to go.

Visible scan of the Group X class 

One option for checking in on participants is simply to scan the room. Once you’ve taught a class for a few weeks, you’ll start to get familiar with the participants. Their body language will tell you everything you need to know — how hard they’re working, do they understand, etc.

If you’re getting blank stares when you explain a new drill, don’t be alarmed. That could be how your participants look first thing in the morning or after a long day at work. More than likely, they’re following along just fine and will do a great job on your exercises. Have confident in your lesson plan and teaching abilities — allow participants to enjoy the class without feeling the need to give you feedback throughout. If you still want feedback, you can ask for it after class when everyone’s putting equipment away and packing up.

Ultimately, how you decide to ask for feedback and check in with your class is up to you. Take a chance and try something new in your class next time. Once you find a strategy that feels authentic, your classes will benefit.

For more suggestions on how to communicate with your Group X class, check out the fitness motivation and cueing page.

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How to Cue a Group Fitness Class Without Wasting Time

Group Fitness Instructor Cueing an Exercise

When the energy is high in your group fitness (or Group X) class, the last thing you want to do is slow things down to explain the next activity. If members stand around for too long, you’ll risk losing momentum as their effort and attention start to decline.

Instead, you’ll want to find a balance between providing ample Group X instruction and getting the fitness class moving. Here are a few cueing and fitness tips to strike the right balance.

Share basic cues first, start the exercise and feed in more cues as they work.

Most participants have a basic understanding of standard movements, like lunges, squats, bicep curls, etc. For exercises like these, get the class started with a short sentence, like, “grab your dumbbells, because we’re going to do alternate forward lunges”. Once you have the class doing the exercise, then you can provide additional form and safety cues. I’ve found it’s easier to cue form once the class has started, because then you can share tips based on what they’re actually doing (e.g. if members’ lunges are too narrow).

The same technique can be used in a progression exercise. Start the group doing a simple exercise first, continue to cue, then add on progressions once the class has mastered it. For example, you can cue, “grab your dumbbells, because we’re going to do alternate forward lunges and then add on”. The class can quickly start their lunges and then you can cue changes, like going faster, slower, or holding the lunge. Also, you can easily transition to a compound exercise, adding bicep curls or upright rows while the class is still doing the lunge.

While they’re still completing the last exercise, demonstrate the next one.

Especially if you’re ending a sequence with an isometric exercise, you can have your class continue to hold it while you demonstrate the next move. That way, you can physically demonstrate the exercise and verbally explain it, so participants can seamlessly transition to the next move.

For example, while your class is in an isometric squat, you can reveal the next exercise at the front of the group fitness room. From there, participants can go right into the next move. You will have participants that break when you break, but that’s okay. Some people are kinetic learners, and only learn by trying the exercise with you. But, other folks will appreciate that they’re not standing around while you explain what’s coming.

Introduce a series of exercises at the beginning and then do each one back-to-back.

If you’re planning to do a few different exercises in a series, you can demonstrate all of them first and then the group fitness class can do one right after the other when you say “go”. This works great during times when members naturally need a break, like after an interval or another series has ended. Folks will appreciate the rest in between series.

Start the move on your own and then ask the group fitness class to, “Join me when you’re ready.”

There are some exercises that are complicated to explain. Sometimes, it’s easier just to do the move, find the pace you want and ask the class to jump in. That way, everyone is on beat (lookin’ at you, my rhythm teachers!) and everyone has an example to mirror.

Use phrases your class will recognize.

How many of your friends know what an abductor or adductor is? What’s the different between an upright and bent over row? There are certain phrases you’ll have to explain the first few times in class, but once members are familiar with it, you can quickly say the term and go right into the exercise. Be sure to go back and explain those phrases every once in a while as a refresher, especially when you have new participants.

For example, I’ll pick a name for each ab exercise we do (i.e. crunches, scissor kicks, circle, etc.). After we go through the series once in a class, then we can do it a second time much faster. I can just call out a name and they can recall the move.

If you feel like you’re spending too much time explaining exercises and the class is starting to get restless, start testing the group exercise ideas above in your fitness class. It feels great once you’re able to find a balance between instructions and execution. And I know your group fitness members will appreciate it most of all.

For more tips and tricks, check out the fitness motivation and cueing page.