Tag: fitness news

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Outdoor Fitness Brand Does Good: Patagonia Requests to Buy Your Old Clothes Back

Outdoor Fitness Brand Patagonia Does Good

I always love to hear about a fitness brand making good, conscious decisions on behalf of the customer, and sometimes even the world, without prioritizing profits. According to Fast Company, last week Patagonia announced they will soon offer store credit to customers returning their old Patagonia gear. Then, they’ll clean the item up and repair it so it can be resold on the website.

The fitness brand is looking to start this new program soon:

“In a new take-back program that will launch in April, the company will begin offering store credit for used (but still usable) clothing. At its repair facility in Reno, California—the largest garment repair center in North America—it will wash used clothes with a new waterless technology that helps restore the fabric, and then make any needed repairs. The refurbished garment will be sold on Patagonia’s website.”

When asked if the new program will hurt sales, Rick Ridgeway, Patagonia’s VP of environmental affairs, wasn’t concerned. “We have a model that is attracting enough people, an increasing amount of people, that want to align with our value proposition,” says Ridgeway. “That is a business for us. It really works well.”

Sure, maybe they won’t sell as many new clothes, but I’m confident that many people will continue to purchase from the fitness brand in the future, given their consumer-conscious decision making. In order for this program to work, Patagonia needs to make durable outdoor fitness gear, which it does. The goal is to reduce the amount of jackets someone will need in their lifetime, by keeping the same high-quality jacket for longer. That way, the company ends up making less jackets, which results in a smaller impact on the environment.

Way to go, Patagonia! Check back in on the group exercise ideas and tips page for more fitness brand news.

(Image source: The American Genius) 

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November Links I Love for Fitness Instructors

November Links I Love

As a huge fan of fitness, I stumble upon health, wellness and exercise links I love almost daily. Fascinating new research and tips are released each day, which is also a good reminder of how challenging it is to stay up-to-date on everything that’s happened in the past month.

I’ve done some of the hard work for you, and gathered my favorite links I love, including articles, news and tips from November into one handy roundup.

Before we dive in, I do want to give a special shout out to the Self magazine team. It was just announced that Condé Nast will be shuttering Self magazine. February will run the last official issue, while the Self.com team will continue to operate. Self magazine and the Self team have always been a source of inspiration for me. I wish the Self team well in this next chapter – both those that will continue working on the Self.com site and the ones moving on to the next adventure.

Self magazine cover photo

Now, here are the November links I love for fitness instructors:

  1. Confidence coach Susie Moore’s recent post on Greatist, “How Successful People Think (Hint: It’s Not All About Being Positive)”
  2. One woman’s experience working out for the first time. I’m disappointed with how the personal trainer acted in this situation. Good learning lesson that we don’t want our clients and participants feeling defeated on Day 1. Imagine how helpful it would be to have a trainer that motivated and encouraged her.
  3. What your doctor wish you knew about weight loss. It’s scary that doctors don’t have time to help patients plan out weight loss anymore. Here’s the advice they would share if they had the time.
  4. The power of giving thanks in group fitness from a global perspective. Tips for bringing thankfulness inside the Group X studio.
  5. 3 push-up modifications to try. If you’re looking for even more options, check out my push-up round up here.
  6. Are your ankles interfering with your squat form? Small, weird tips to remember when helping others with their squats.
  7. Strokes rates are rising in younger people. Reasons are unclear, although rise in obesity and diabetes likely play a role.
  8. Why do I gain weight when I exercise?
  9. Here’s why you shouldn’t take too much time off from the gym this holiday season.
  10. A good reminder that you can’t always trust what you find on the internet. A woman took “before and after” photos seconds apart.
  11. And finally, the best pump up songs to tackle any workout.

These articles provide great inspiration and research to share in your next Group X class. If you liked this list, you may also like my “Links I Love” roundup for October.

(Image source: Self magazine and Fitness magazine) 

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Physical Therapy vs. Self-care for a Sprained Ankle

Man participating in physical therapy for sprained ankle

A recent, randomized trial found that physical therapy may be no more effective than self-care, at-home treatment for a sprained ankle.

According to the New York Times, “Canadian researchers randomly assigned 503 patients ages 16 to 79 to one of two groups. The first received up to seven sessions of supervised physical therapy, with isometric resistance exercises, strength training, stretching and other guided techniques to restore pain-free stability. The second was sent home with instructions for the usual care — a one-page sheet listing information about keeping the ankle elevated, applying compression and ice, and gradually increasing movement and weight bearing.”

The study asked participants to fill out a questionnaire about quality of life and symptoms. It found no significant difference in the two groups.

While these are certainly interesting findings, it’s always up to you how you want to address a sprained ankle. Many will see a doctor, and then can choose if they’d like to pursue therapy or at-home methods.

This is also a good reminder that fitness instructors are not medical professionals. Be cautious when it comes to participants or colleagues’ injuries. I would recommend avoiding offering diagnosis, and always encouraging others to speak to their doctor.

For more news and trends affecting Group X instructors, check out the group exercise ideas and tips page.

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July Links I Love for Fitness Instructors

Fitness Instructors running on a city street

Fitness instructors need to stay up on the latest research and trending news happening each month. We are considered experts in our craft, and keeping up-to-date on trends comes with that responsibility. Plus, we can share new workouts, motivational cues and exercise research with the participants in our group fitness classes in order to keep them engaged, and ultimately coming back for more each week.

While articles crop up every day with new information, workouts and tricks to try, we need to sift through a lot of content to find the ones worth reading, especially in the fitness industry. To save you a bit of time, I’ve gone through and pulled some of my favorite articles from last month.

From advice for Group X participants to a new study about the effectiveness of lifting lighter weights, here are a few interesting articles from July worth the read.

  1. An answer to the age-old question: should you lift lighter or heavier weights? This one’s especially important for Group X classes with limited dumbbell options.
  2. 5 signs that a group fitness class is too difficult. Great information for participants, plus call-outs for fitness instructors to keep in mind during class.
  3. A new formula for determining how long you need to exercise to offset the perils of sitting at your desk all day.
  4. Tips for feeling more energized, broken down between morning, afternoon and evening advice.
  5. A fun plank variation that targets the obliques for fitness instructors to try in their next class.
  6. While women are hopping on the body positivity movement, men are getting left behind. Here’s a deep dive into how that’s hindering the fitness experience for men.
  7. Tony Robbins’ four tips for mental fitness, including ways to prime yourself for the day ahead.

If you enjoyed these articles, you’ll love my roundup of June articles for fitness instructors. Check them out here.

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ClassPass Upped its Prices — What Group X Instructors Need to Know

Girl holding yoga mat

As I’m sure you’ve seen, ClassPass upped its prices last week for the second time in a year and people are understandably upset. Even if your studios or gyms don’t participate in ClassPass, this is important for all Group X instructors to know, since you likely have participants (and bosses) that are affected.

Here’s a look at the changes and how this will impact you.

What is ClassPass?

ClassPass is a membership service that gives folks access to Group X classes at multiple boutique studios and traditional gyms in their area.

Here are the locations that currently have ClassPass:

ClassPass locations

ClassPass is great for consumers that like to mix up their routine and try a bunch of different classes at a plethora of studios. There’s a base membership that allows you to take five classes for a set fee. All prices vary by location, but the new costs for the base option range between $65 and $75 a month. In New York, there’s also a core membership that offers 10 classes a month for $135. Finally, you can purchase the unlimited membership for $200 in New York, and $119 in San Francisco. Other locations run in between those prices.

With the base option, prices are often better than drop-in rates at boutique studios. Each class on the base plan will run you $13 and drop-in rates at some studios can cost $20 each. If you opt for the same studio each time, you might want to consider an in-studio rate, since many have comparable options with a 10-class pass, monthly membership, etc.

As a consumer, I love the idea of ClassPass as a complement to my other workouts and classes. I haven’t convinced myself to buy a base membership yet (for days I don’t teach), but I definitely see the draw.

However, as an instructor, I also recognize the challenges that come with offering spots in a class to ClassPass users. Beyond the potential for profit loss, ClassPass also brings inconsistency to classes. Typically, classes have a good mix of regulars and first-timers. You need enough regulars to help create structure in your class and act as role models to the other participants. When you have a good mix of regulars in the class, you’re able to give everyone the attention they need to successfully complete the workout. While there are only a limited number of ClassPass spots available in a given class, it can still impact the ratio of first-timers and regulars.

I teach Group X classes that are offered on ClassPass and so far, it’s been a positive experience. Regulars and first-timers alike have been able to find success, and there haven’t been any disruptions.

I believe ClassPass is just the tip of the iceberg for new fitness business models. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out once the dust settles on the ClassPass price increases. Overall, I think it’s important for Group X instructors to be considerate of both returning members and first-timers. It’s up to us to provide everyone with a positive experience, and a key part of that is recognizing that every participant comes with different expectations and background.

Check out the group exercise ideas page for more tips and tricks based on the latest news and trends.