Tag: group exercise ideas

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Valentine’s Day Indoor Cycling Music Playlist & Routine For All Types of Love

Instructor listening to Valentine's Day spinning music playlist

Valentine’s Day is a great holiday to use for a themed indoor cycling playlist and workout routine since there are so many songs about love. 

But, beware! 

With everyone having different opinions about the holiday, I think it’s important to make an indoor cycling music playlist or workout routine that’s not all mushy gushy love songs — add some spunky single swag, and songs about self-love, friend love, etc. to make sure all of your riders are happy. 

Have fun with it, and don’t take the indoor cycling music playlist theme too seriously. I would look for love songs with a solid beat or high emotion to bring the energy in the Group X class, and throw in a few songs that will have everyone singing along.

Over the years, I’ve created a wide range of Valentine’s Day indoor cycling music playlists and routines. Here are a few: 

  • The relationship arc: taking riders on a journey through the ups and downs of a romantic relationship. 
  • Catching feelings: this one’s sure to give you ALL THE FEELS you need on Valentine’s Day
  • Love, love me: a playlist all about loving the most important person—yourself. 
  • Dirty secrets: a playlist all about unrequited, naughty, risque types of love.  

Reminder! As you explore these Valentine’s Day workout routines and indoor cycling playlists, remember that I like to teach my cycle class in a series that we do twice or three times through, depending on the series. So, I pick a couple exercises to make up my series, and we stick to it throughout the class. That way, participants know what to expect, so they can go big when they’re supposed to and not hold back for fear of another sprint around the corner.

Valentine’s Day Indoor Cycling Playlist & Routine #1: The Relationship Arc

For this Valentine’s Day-themed cycle music playlist, I took us through the arc of a relationship — the crushin’ phase, the romance, and finally the break-up.

The Series

Do the following exercises, twice through.

  • Song 1: Moderate pace with hard (uncomfortable) surges on the chorus. If your bikes have monitors, choose a fast RPM (between 80 – 100), then ask participants to add 10+ to their RPM during the chorus.
  • Song 2: Sprint intervals. 30 seconds breathless effort, 30 seconds recovery. Do this three times through.
  • Song 3: Climb (Part 1). Starting at moderate intensity seated, resistance slightly above flat road. Add resistance throughout the song, ending at hard intensity.
  • Song 4: Climb (Part 2). Keep resistance from prior song, and stand up. When you’re out of the saddle, resistance should feel moderate. Add resistance throughout the song, until you’re at hard intensity at the end.
  • Song 5: 45 seconds each — moderate, hard, harder and breathless intensity. You can add resistance, leg speed, sit or stand to increase intensity with each. If you’re using a monitor, you can ask participants to add RPM with each increase (approx. 80, 90, 100 and 110).

The Valentine’s Day Indoor Cycling Music Playlist:

  1. Call Me Maybe, by Carly Rae Jepsen [Warm-up]
  2. Got My Mind Set On You, by George Harrison [Song 1]
  3. Emotions, by Mariah Carey [Song 2]
  4. Buttons, by Pussy Cat Dolls [Song 3]
  5. The Other Side, by Jason Derulo [Song 4]
  6. Hey Leonardo, by Blessed Union of Souls [Song 5]
  7. Crazy in Love, by Beyonce feat. Jay-Z [Song 1]
  8. Best Days of Your Life, by Kellie Pickler [Song 2]
  9. Can’t Feel My Face, by The Weeknd [Song 3]
  10. Forget You, by Cee Lo Green [Song 4]
  11. Since U Been Gone, by Kelly Clarkson [Song 5]
  12. Fresh Eyes, by Andy Grammer [Cool Down]

Valentine’s Day Indoor Cycling Playlist & Routine #2: Catching Feelings

This Valentine’s Day cycling routine theme has me catching feelings, well, because that’s actually the name of it. All of the songs have “feel” or “feeling” in the title. And, let me tell you: this playlist is SO GOOD. Can’t wait for you to catch feelings for it, too.

The Series

The series includes the following four exercises, done three times through.

  1. Song 1: A march at moderate intensity. At the chorus, increase pace and resistance to find hard intensity, then come back to that moderate pace.
  2. Song 2: Climb. Maintain the same pace but increase the resistance periodically to go from moderate to hard intensity and from seated to standing by the end of the song.
  3. Song 3: Keep the resistance from the last song and continue to stand. Intensity should be between moderate and hard (feel free to adjust resistance slightly to accommodate). At chorus, keep the resistance and have a seat to find a hard intensity.
  4. Song 4: Keep a heavy resistance, but can adjust slightly. 30 second breathless interval with 30 second recovery.

Between each series, I added a surprise sprint song, where I yell out a random time duration and intensity level that participants must comply with.

The Playlist

Series Song / WorkoutSong
Warm-up“I Gotta Feeling,” Black Eyed Peas
Song 1: Moderate intensity march; hard at chorus“Emotions,” Mariah Carey
Song 2: Climb (Start seated, end standing)“Feel Invincible,” Skillet
Song 3: Stand (mod. intensity); sit at chorus“The Way You Make Me Feel,” Michael Jackson
Song 4: 30 sec. breathless / 30 sec. recover“Feel It Still,” Portugal. The Man
Surprise Sprints“Dr. Feelgood,” Motley Crue
Song 1: Moderate intensity march; hard at chorus“Feel This Moment,” Pitbull, Christina Aguilera
Song 2: Climb (Start seated, end standing)“Feel like Makin’ Love,” Bad Company
Song 3: Stand (mod. intensity); sit at chorus“Can’t Stop This Feeling,” Justin Timberlake
Song 4: 30 sec. breathless / 30 sec. recover“Feeling This,” blink-182
Surprise Sprints“Take on Me,” a-ha
Song 1: Moderate intensity march; hard at chorus“Hooked On A Feeling,” Blue Swede, Bjorn Skifs
Song 2: Climb (Start seated, end standing)“Can’t Feel My Face,” The Weeknd
Song 3: Stand (mod. intensity); sit at chorus“Feel Again,” OneRepublic
Song 4: 30 sec. breathless / 30 sec. recover“Good Feeling,” Flo Rida
Cool Down“Can’t Fight This Feeling,” REO Speedwagon

Want to hear the songs? I’ve added all these songs and more to my Spotify playlist here.

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How to Make Those Holiday Group Fitness Classes Special

Woman on stability ball in one of her group fitness classes

Most gyms turn into ghost towns on holiday weekends. And while my fellow fitness fanatics are salivating at the idea of having an entire gym to themselves, holiday weekends are a lot harder to navigate as Group X instructors. That’s because group fitness classes are typically smaller and chances are there a lot of new faces that aren’t familiar with your teaching style.

Although participants might be wishing they were somewhere on a beach instead (and let’s face it, you probably are, too), you want to make sure you provide a positive experience for folks that showed up to your Group X class. So, here are a few suggestions to help make those classes on holidays or holiday weekends extra special for participants.

Play themed holiday music, with a twist

Most of us have probably been to group fitness classes that played Halloween or Christmas workout songs. But, who really likes the “Monster Mash” or “Frosty the Snowman”?

Instead, put an extra twist on your themed playlist. Maybe play only holiday music from the 90s or tie in a specific genre. For Memorial Day, play only songs with a memory theme, like “Memory” by Sugarcult or “Remember the Name” by Fort Minor (so good!). You could also do only beachy songs, like “The Boys of Summer” by Don Henley or “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper. Another idea is keep with a holiday theme, playing Madonna’s “Holiday,” or “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO.

As the self-appointed queen of themed spin rides, I’ve created many holiday-themed spin routines and playlists. Here are a few to browse:

Teach everyone’s favorite exercises, choreography, etc.

If you’ve been teaching your Group X class for a while now, chances are you’ll know which activities are members’ favorites. Especially on a holiday weekend where things might feel a bit slower, get the class excited by doing the moves they look forward to. What’s great about this is it’s so easy to do — just plan a jam-packed class full of favorites.

Use equipment other than the dumbbells

When classes are full, instructors often have to stick with dumbbells or other popular equipment with enough to go around. In a smaller class, you’re able to use the equipment in limited supply, like stability balls and the BOSU. And if you’re still short on equipment, consider a circuit or partner drills that have members using the items for a portion of the class.

Do activities that take up more space

When Group X classes are busy, you’re not always able to cue the moves that take up a lot of room, because you don’t want everyone to hit each other. On holidays when you might have extra room, you can teach exercises that take up a lot of space (think: roundhouse kicks or frog jumps).

Don’t be afraid to take an extra few seconds to explain a new move before having participants jump in and try it. Those extra seconds will be worth it, because participants will be more likely to succeed at the new exercise and have fun doing it.

Next time you teach on a holiday or holiday weekend, remember to make it fun for yourself and your participants. Even if your long weekend turned into a staycation, you might as well make the most of it by giving your group fitness classes a stellar experience.

For more tips and tricks, check out the group exercise ideas page.

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April Fool’s Day Indoor Cycling Music Playlist & Routine

April Fool's Day Indoor Cycling Routine

My indoor cycling class participants have become obsessed with wacky themed playlists, so I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to create an April Fool’s Day indoor cycling music playlist and routine, knowing the silly song selection I’ll have to choose from. Themed indoor cycling playlists are a great way to mix up the typical Group X class and energize folks to focus and work hard. Personally, I like to push the edges of my themed playlists, and add songs that don’t quite fit into the theme. That’s because those are the songs that end up being great ice breakers, comedic relief and, frankly, the most fun.

I thought I’d really try to push the envelope with my April Fool’s Day indoor cycling playlist and routine. Not in a way that would put people off, but it a way that would make them chuckle or do a mental double take. Because, that’s why participants show up to my class: to get a different, more challenging workout than they would on their own.

The Series (60-minute routine)

As you know, I like to teach my indoor cycling classes in a series of exercises that we do twice or three times through, depending on the series. So, I pick a couple exercises to make up my series, and we stick to it throughout the class. That way, participants know what to expect, so they can go big when they’re supposed to and not hold back for fear of another interval around the corner.

Here’s the series — do it four times through.

Continue to add resistance throughout and maintain it as you go from Song 1 to Song 3. At the end of Song 3, go back to their flat road baseline and start over.

  • Song 1: MHHB. Every 45 seconds, ask participants to increase intensity, either by going faster or adding resistance. Participants will start in moderate intensity, transitioning to hard intensity, then harder, and finally breathless intensity. That’s four segments of work in the song. Then, participants can recover with the remaining time and heading into the next song, while keeping the resistance on the bike.
  • Song 2: Climb. Feet slow just a bit to keep up with the pace of the song. You’ll add resistance throughout the song to increase the intensity, starting seated and working your way to standing once resistance is heavy enough. You’ll start in a high moderate intensity level, and will end at a hard intensity level standing.
  • Song 3: Reverse Tabata. Stay standing. For the first minute, ask participants to add resistance to get the resistance super heavy. Then, do “Reverse Tabata”. 10 seconds breathless, 20 seconds recovery (4x through). I like to start the sprint with a countdown. On 3, participants stay standing and start to sprint. On 1, participants will keep that breathless, sprint pace and have a seat, keeping the pace for the next 7 seconds seated, totaling 10 seconds of work. Then, we stand and recover for 20 seconds, and do it again. Starting the sprint standing helps participants to set the pace before having a seat, otherwise it’s nearly impossible to sit and pick up the pace at the same time.

The April Fool’s Day Indoor Cycling Music Routine and Playlist

Series Song / WorkoutSong
Warm up“It’s Tricky,” Run-D.M.C.
Song 1: MHHB“Let’s Go Crazy,” Prince
Song 2: Climb“Everybody’s Fool,” Evanescence
Song 3: Reverse Tabata“Party Up,” DMX (clean version but you may want to replace if you don’t like the bleep outs)
Song 1: MHHB“Krazy,” Pitbull, Lil Jon
Song 2: Climb“Foolin’,” Def Leppard
Song 3: Reverse Tabata“Crazy in Love,” Beyonce, JAY-Z
Song 1: MHHB“Taken for a Fool,” The Strokes
Song 2: Climb“Act a Fool,” Ludacris
Song 3: Reverse Tabata“Fools,” Van Halen
Song 1: MHHB“She Drives Me Crazy,” Fine Young Cannibals
Song 2: Climb“Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” Queen
Song 3: Reverse Tabata“Crazy Train,” Ozzy Osbourne
Cool Down“Foolish Games,” Jewel

Want to hear the songs? I’ve added all these songs and more to my Spotify playlist here.

Catch ya next week!

Disclaimer: Readers who rely on this information do so at their own risk. Instructors must be properly certified, insured, and have the music licensing in order to teach a cycling class. GroupXFitnessTips.com is not liable for any injuries or negligence that occurs.

April Fool's Day Indoor Cycling Routine and Playlist
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April 2017 Links I Love for Fitness Professionals

April Links I Love for Fitness Instructors

It’s that time again! Another month has come and gone, along with a lot of great fitness and health articles and studies. For me, April was a blur, between celebrating friends’ birthdays, picking up my wedding dress (5 months to go!) and keeping up at work. I’m really looking forward to May — lots of planned family and friend time, and I’m hoping for good, sunshine-y weather. Before we jump into May, I want to take a second to look back at the top articles in fitness and health, so that other fitness professionals, like yourself, can keep up with the latest trends and happenings.

If your month was anything like mine, it was quite the challenge to stay in the loop on everything that happened in the fitness industry in April. There were a few important studies you’ll want to brush up on and viral articles you’ll want to make sure you read. That way, you can come to your next group exercise class armed with the most up-to-date knowledge to better their experience.

Here’s a look at my favorite fitness and wellness articles from April that fitness professionals should read.

  1. One study found that high-intensity intervals were the best for making our cells regenerate, so on a cellular level, interval training helps us look and feel younger (reported by Inc. magazine). I tried to explain this to my spin class, and as soon as I mentioned “mitochondria” their eyes glazed over. So, if you do share this information in your class, be sure to keep it simple.
  2. The 5 Most Common Excuses Holding You Back by Susie Moore via Greatist. Yes, I’m obsessed with Susie Moore — if you ever catch me reading one of her articles, you will see me nodding along in agreement the whole time, eyes affixed to the screen. She speaks to my soul.
  3. 10 reasons why you should be stretching by Jessica Matthews via ACE Fitness. If you’re already a fitness professional, chances are you already know the benefits of stretching, so this is a great tool to share with your classes to encourage them to stick around and do stretches after exercise.
  4. How to do a bodyweight split squat via New York Times Well blog. I love the angles and color of this post. Great exercise to add to your next group exercise class, too.
  5. 3 Lessons About Mental Toughness You Can Learn From Yoda via Tor Constantino for Entrepreneur magazine. We all know participants show up to your group exercise classes so you can motivate them and get them to work harder than they would on their own. These mental toughness tips are great to try in your next class.
  6. If your talk doesn’t do these three things, don’t give it, via Neil Pasricha for Fast Company. While we all know how important it is to provide participants with a safe, effective workout, it’s also just as important to entertain and educate. We need to think of ourselves as not only lesson planners, but also public speakers and teachers.
  7. 5 must-do exercise to do if you want a stronger core, via Lee Boyce for Muscle & Strength. Crunches are a thing of the past, yet many participants will still show up expecting to do “abs” for the last 10 minutes of class. Here are some great core exercises to try that will get away from crunches and sit-ups.
  8. Why Vanessa Hudgens never wears a shirt to the gym via Haley Goldberg for Self.com. Whether you teach in just a sports bra or not, this is a trend that seems to be getting attention right now.

If you liked this roundup, you may also like the fitness and wellness articles from March and February. You can also check out the group exercise ideas page.

And, let’s connect on Twitter @GroupXMich!

(Image Source: Vanessa Hudgens’ Instagram/Self.com) 

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Why I have an ACE Group Fitness Certification to Teach Group X Classes

ACE Group Fitness Certification handbook

If you want to become a Group X instructor, you’ve likely started researching different fitness certifications that you can get to teach, including the ACE Group Fitness certification. You may have noticed that all you need is a Group X certification and CPR/AED to technically teach group fitness classes; however, some certifications are more impressive and widely-accepted than others.

If you have a specific gym in mind, you’ll want to make sure you ask the group exercise director that runs their program what fitness certifications they’ll accept. It might also be worth emailing the gyms nearby to see what fitness certifications they require in case you decide down the road you want to teach there. Otherwise, you’ll have to decide for yourself what certification to take.

Here’s why I chose the ACE Group Fitness Certification.

When I was taking UCLA’s Fitness Leadership Program back in 2010, we were encouraged to take the ACE Fitness group exercise certification test, because it was one of the most accepted and respected options for Group X instructors. There were other choices, but this one was strongly encouraged. I didn’t think anything of it at the time and just selected the ACE Fitness test, but I was so glad I did.

Moving up to San Francisco Bay Area after college graduation, I started looking for gyms I could teach at, and every single one accepted the ACE Fitness certification. For reference, I’ve been on the group exercise instructor list at more than five gyms. A year in, one of the gyms I taught at ClubSport even changed its policy and required instructors to have either ACE or AFAA nationally-accredited certification. Many instructors were frustrated that they had to go out and get another certification. If you’re just starting out, you can avoid this scenario by choosing ACE or AFAA in the first place.

For more advice, check out the group exercise ideas and tips page.

(Image source: ACE Fitness) 

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March 2017 Links I Love for Group Fitness Instructors

One of the group fitness instructors leading a class

March was a month to remember, with the SCW Fitness convention in Burlingame and family trips to San Francisco. Once again, it feels like we’re flying right into the next month. I’m pretty excited about April. This next month will kick off the six-month countdown to my wedding in October, and it’s the one-year anniversary of starting this fitness blog with you all, my fellow group fitness instructors!

Before we dive into April, I want to take a minute to share my favorite article links from the past month that group fitness instructors should check out. This is a round-up of the top fitness and health studies, tips, exercises and stories. For anyone that had a busy month, now is your chance to catch up on all the major news happenings in the industry. For example, a recent study was published revealing the benefits of strength training (see bullet 4).

Here are my favorite March 2017 links I love for group fitness instructors.

If you liked this roundup, you’ll also like my “Links I Love” roundup from February and January. You can also check out the group exercise ideas and tips page for more posts.

And, let’s connect on Twitter @GroupXMich.

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Fitness Blog Post Ideas to Wow Readers

Group fitness instructor reading fitness blog post ideas

Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about starting a fitness blog. I’m happy to see many fitness instructors interested in creating a professional website, blog or social media profile, because these will help strengthen relationships with existing members and provide a way to meet potential new clients. I have a lot of experience with blogs. In my day job, I launch and grow company blogs in a wide range of industries. Couple that with my experience writing for you here at GroupXFitnessTips.com, and I have many tips, tricks and fitness blog post ideas to share for anyone looking to start a blog.

So, I’ve decided to pull back the veil and add a new category to the site on starting a fitness blog. I’m going to be writing advice posts and lessons I’ve learned along the way. So, buckle up — fitness blogging is truly a wild ride!

For my first post, I thought I’d share fitness blog post ideas to wow readers, because oftentimes brainstorming topics is the hardest part. I like to plan ahead, and map out the posts I’ll write each month. Of course, the schedule almost always changes, but it’s helpful to plan ahead and adapt, as needed.

Before we dive into fitness blog post ideas, I want to share a few general tips for writing engaging blog posts people will actually want to read. No matter what topic you choose, you’ll want to make sure you follow these tips for Grade A quality blog content.

  • Share the bad stuff — obstacles, challenges, mess ups. People want to hear about the times where you overcame difficult times in order to succeed, or the times where you screwed up and learned from it. If you stick with just the good stuff, nobody will care enough to read it. When you think about the stories you read or movies you watched growing up, they revolve around a conflict. There’s always a whole lot of stuff that happens before the fairy tale ending, and that’s the stuff people want to hear.
  • Only post things you would actually read. This one seems like a no-brainer, but sometimes we have to take a step back to ask ourselves if we would actually read this stuff. If not, why would you expect anyone else to read it? Think about what you’re clicking on throughout the day. You may notice some themes about the types of stories and articles you like. Are there ways you can mimic those stories? That’s a good place to start.
  • Make sure the topic aligns with your passions. Do not try to start a blog or write a post about a topic just because you think people will click on it. Click-bait doesn’t work, and these posts come off as inauthentic. When you enjoy writing about the topic, your content turns out much better. And besides, blogging can be grueling. It’s better to blog on a topic you love.
  • Proofread your work. Now I don’t mean just read the post through one last time at the end before you post. Write up your post, let it sit for a while, then come back to it with fresh eyes to review another time before you post it. This will take your writing up a notch, and will help prevent ramblings, errors, confusion, etc.

Without further ado, here are 5 fitness blog post ideas to wow readers.

  1. The NSFW songs you secretly play when you work out. Whether it’s Kanye or Eminem, we all have that song we love but would never be caught dead playing it in a Group X class. Although we can’t play songs with foul language or bad lyrics in class, that doesn’t stop us from having that jam we like to throw on when we’re working out on our own. Share those songs with your readers, and you’ll likely be surprised you’re not alone.
  2. What you do when you don’t feel like working out (or other common challenges in the fitness industry). There are a handful of issues a lot of people face in fitness: finding time to work out, finding motivation to work out, building confidence to step foot in a gym, learning the exercises, etc. Think of unique solutions to these problems you can share. Keep in mind we’ve all heard the cookie cutter answers to most of these, so you’ll need to find a way to bring new advice to the table.
  3. Your 5 most embarrassing gym moments, and how you survived them. Have you ever ripped your pants while teaching and wanted to sink into the floor? Everyone has had their own mortifying moments at the gym. Share the ones you’re able to laugh about now, and ask readers to chime in with some of their own.
  4. That one exercise that’s always been a challenge for you. Sometimes we look at fitness bloggers and it seems like they have it all together. It’s nice to see that they’re just like us, and also have things they’re working on themselves.
  5. Your No. 1 guilty pleasure food and five healthy alternatives. Here’s a chance for you to show your human side. Give readers a peek into your own honest food regimen, and share advice for health options.

Again, you have to ask yourself: would you read a blog post on these topics? I certainly would, but you need to make sure you would too before setting up to write one of these fitness blog post ideas. I’ll be posting more advice soon on how to start a fitness blog. In the meantime, check out more group exercise tips here.

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February 2017 Links I Love for Fitness Instructors

Shay Mitchell's Workout for Fitness Instructors

February was a fun month for me. I got to share resistance band workouts and how I became a spinning instructor with my favorite fitness instructors and enthusiasts (yes, that’s you :)). On a personal note, I got to go bridesmaids’ dress shopping with my gals and celebrate National Margarita Day/Presidents’ Day with friends. My wedding is this October, so buckle your seat belts because it’s going to be a wild ride until then, but I will continue to post most Mondays and Wednesdays in between planning.

I may have been busy this month, but that didn’t stop me from keeping up on the latest fitness tips and trends. I pulled together a list of my favorite articles for fitness instructors, so you can easily keep up on what’s happening in the health, wellness and exercise industry.

Here’s a roundup of 10 February articles that fitness instructors and enthusiasts should read:

  1. Shay Mitchell (or should I say SLAY Mitchell?) recently posted her workout on Instagram and it is straight fire. SELF broke down all the moves in the video here. Also, those braids?! #GOALS.
  2. How to pack on muscle with eccentric exercises — I love seeing articles that teach the body mechanics behind exercise.
  3. Refinery29’s hip dip plank exercise. I anticipate group fitness participants bringing their booty too high in the air for this one, so something you’ll want to monitor when you introduce in your next Group X class.
  4. I have yet to try an Orangetheory Fitness class, but this article points out all the reasons I want to go: “Orangetheory Fitness Wants to Shame Your Half-Assed Workouts Out of Existence”
  5. Why Shape Magazine’s fitness director Jaclyn Emerick wakes up at 5 a.m. everyday. Advice for anyone looking to become a morning person.
  6. Fun Lower-body exercises to add to your fitness routine for dynamic balance.
  7. On days where you need some serious #fitspo, check out these 28 black fitness pros you should be following on Instagram.
  8. 5 creative body-weight exercises to mix things up.
  9. My kind of Valentine’s Day love: why exercise is good for the heart.
  10. And, in case you missed it, my most popular blog post from last month was this Valentine’s Day spin playlist. I’ll tell you, it was a big hit with my spinning classes!

If you liked this list, you’ll also like my link roundups from January and December. You can also check out other group exercise ideas and tips here.

(Image Source: Byrdie)

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Stop Using Food as a Fitness Instructor Motivational Cue

Don't use food as a group fitness instructor motivational cue

When participants leave a group exercise class, they should be absolutely glowing. As a fitness instructor with a unique personal style, this may not be your goal exactly, but the effect is still the same: participants should leave feeling like your class was a positive and valuable part of their day. Unfortunately, fitness and body image are such sensitive topics that participants may encounter a group fitness instructor motivational cue that ends up damaging their experience. Have you ever been to a class where the instructor said something that rubbed you the wrong way? I know I have.

This puts a lot of pressure on us as instructors to say the right things at the right time. While we can’t be perfect, we can make sure we’re practicing our motivational cues, talking to fellow instructors and continuing our education in order to provide the best experience for our class.

To start, I’d like to point out one particularly harmful fitness instructor motivational cue that I hear on the regular: food as a reward or punishment.

For example, I’ve witnessed an instructor shuffle on up to the stereo and say, “hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend, now time to work off that extra BBQ!” Or, I’ve heard, “if you do one more plank, you can have an extra glass of wine this weekend.”

Here’s the problem: talking like this in your group fitness classes creates a reward and punishment relationship between food and exercise. If you eat too much, you need to punish yourself with exercise. If you work out, you can reward yourself with food. It makes it seem like we must always be suffering for either food or exercise.

I understand this is complicated. Food and exercise are intertwined, and we’re all familiar with the “calories in, calories out” equation. But, unless you’re a registered dietician, I’d argue that food has no place in your group exercise studio. Instead, I challenge you to up-level your motivational cues. Find ways to inspire your participants that don’t leave them feeling chained to their kitchen table and guilty for what they ate yesterday.

Am I saying you should never eat that extra burger at the BBQ? Absolutely not. If you want to have two burgers, have two burgers! What I am saying is we need to stop feeling guilty for what we are eating. Even more so, we as instructors need to stop making our participants feel guilty for what they are or are not eating.

So what fitness instructor motivational cue can you use instead?

  1. Explain how these exercises are benefitting their bodies.

Exercise is so good for us. It helps us think better, move better and live better. Talk through the healthy advantages of working out.

  1. Make a goal for the class, and work towards it.

It can be as simple as how you feel afterward. You want to feel like you gave it your all, and have nothing left to give by the end. Or, you want to feel refreshed and ready to start your day.

  1. Express gratitude.

Studies show that there are positive benefits to thankfulness. Thank you participants for coming, and also encourage them to be thankful for everything their body can do today. Did ya’ll just do 10 push-ups on your toes, something you couldn’t do five weeks ago? That’s something to take pride in, and be thankful for.

  1. Do the same ‘ol thing you always do, without the food talk.

Some of these motivational cues may not be a fit for your teaching style. All good with me. Just stick with the style participants have come to love, and hold back on the food comments.

I know finding the perfect group fitness instructor motivational cue is incredibly challenging, and it’s okay if we mess up now and again. There are plenty of times where I’ve said something and immediately regretted it, sometimes even before I finished saying it! Oops. But, that’s where self-compassion comes in and we remind ourselves that we’re doing our very best.

For more tips and tricks, you might also like my Top 5 tips for cueing group fitness classes. You can also check out all of my fitness motivation and cueing advice here.

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Group Fitness Instructor Tips for Small Class Sizes

Group fitness instructor teaching a small class

Sometimes beyond all of our control, we show up to teach our group fitness class only to find just a couple participants ready to join in. I know firsthand that this can feel embarrassing and stressful. But, when there are holidays like Presidents’ Day, or it’s the first beautiful sunshine-y Saturday after months of gloomy weather, it’s hard to fault your regulars that decide to skip class. Here are a few group fitness instructor tips for making the most of smaller class sizes.

  1. Do not focus on what (or who) is missing.

A natural reaction to walking into a seemingly empty room is to ask, “Where is everyone?” However, you do not want to call attention to the fact that your class is small today. If you focus on what’s missing, you make it seem like the participants that did show up are not important. Why give any extra energy or attention to the folks that aren’t there when you could be instead focusing on giving the ones that did show up the best workout of their lives?

  1. Frame the small group fitness class size as a positive.

What can you do with this group of people that you couldn’t do with a larger group? Can you play that song that you love that one of your no-show regulars always complains about? Can you do those leg exercises that you normally can’t do because they take up too much room? Is there any equipment you can dust off because there’s now enough to go around?

Take advantage of the smaller class size to do some of the things you normally can’t do.

  1. Throw in some of those all-time favorite exercises.

If folks usually love the arm exercise routine you do, then use it as an opportunity to please the participants that showed up. Crowd favorites are my go-to on days where the class size is smaller or I’m feeling off for some reason.

  1. Above all else, give the class a challenging workout.

Participants are willing to overlook a lot as long as they get a good workout. Maybe they are the only ones who showed up, or maybe you led the same routine you did last week with the same playlist, but as long as they leave feeling like they got the workout they wanted, it’s all good.

It can be unnerving to walk into an almost empty group fitness class. As long as you try to spin it as a positive, and focus on giving the folks that did show up the workout they want, everyone will be happy. It also makes me feel better to think that most people probably won’t remember this class in a couple months, maybe even weeks, and we still get paid no matter how many people show up.

For more tips and tricks, check out the group exercise ideas page.