Revamping Your Group Fitness Program
By: Pam Archer

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The success of any group fitness programs depends upon several things:

1. Effective Leadership
2. Enthusiastic, personable instructors
3. Meeting the needs of your particular population
4. Support from the owner of the facility
5. Creating a safe and happy environment

These are not necessarily in order of importance, but all work together to provide optimum growth and maintenance of a group fitness program. I will address each one separately. I could write volumes on each, but I will keep my comments simple, hitting the high spots.

1. Effective Leadership:

An effective leader is a good listener! He/she listens to the members, to the facility staff and to the instructors. Not only does an effective leader listen, but they also hear!  They hear the needs of the members, they hear the input from the staff, and they hear the concerns of the instructors.

An effective leader offers incentive programs for member attendance and retention. They offer incentives for instructors too! Instructors perform better and are more conscientious with proper motivation. A sliding pay scale to reward instructors for continuing their education, attaining additional, specialized certifications, loyalty to the facility (teaching only at that facility), and years of service goes a long way to improve morale and quality of instruction.

An effective leader is nurturing, not demanding, avoids using condescending comments and tones, and encourages with words and/or notes of affirmation when deserved, and politely and tactfully corrects when warranted.

Ask yourself...are you being an effective leader? This would be one of the first steps in revamping any program!

2. Enthusiastic and personable instructors:

A few years ago we did a survey of our members. The survey included rating the importance of qualities of the instructors. I don't remember all of it, but it went something like this...
Educational background, certification
Looks, hard-bodies. beautiful
Enthusiastic, personable
Good choreography
Good cueing
Safety
We were shocked to read the results. The overwhelming #1 thing the members rated as most important was enthusiastic, personable instructors! We were sure it would be educational background & certification, but oddly enough, that was at the bottom of the list, just above the hard bodiesone! The second was safety and the third was good cueing!  What an eye-opener that survey was to us!

While having qualified staff is crucial...we know that...to provide safe and effective classes, it is also important to have instructors who can create rapport with the class. The participants vote with their feet. If you don't already, have the instructors record the number in each class. We have a printed schedule by the stereo and we write down the attendance for each class. This gives management an over-all look at cost per class. For example, if an instructor is being paid $20 per class and they only have an average of 5 people attending, then the cost to the facility is $4 per person. This is way to high! The cost should be below $2 and ideally below $1 per class. If the class is costing too much you have choices. You can change the class format, the class time or the instructor! If, after moving an instructor around to different times and/or formats, they still draw a poor attendance, then it is time to say goodbye to that instructor!

In my opinion the instructor has to be teachable, or they are a goner! Nothing hurts a program like an arrogant, know-it-all instructor, who doesn't play by the rules. 

Build a great instructor TEAM! One bad apple.....

3. Meeting the needs of your particular population:

Survey your members and find out what would entice them to come into a group fitness class. Is it a new format, a different time slot, an introductory class, a particular instructor?

To put a bunch of boot camp and kickboxing classes on a schedule of a facility where the average age of the member is older, is a waste of time. More yoga, core-strength, low-impact, exerball, body sculpting, and stretching classes are more appropriate. However, if you have a younger clientele, go for the hard-core classes. 

A few years ago we opted for BodyPUMP as opposed to spin classes because our bicycles were never used! It was a wise decision! Look at your cardio equipment floor and take a hint from that. ( Editor insertion here...the safety
of ANY program, albeit Yoga, BodyPUMP, spin, etc. is dependent upon the instructors! All programs can be safe and injury free if taught properly! )

So you think the general population doesn't like or need cookie cutter fitness? Check out the attendance of such programs. People are tired of having to figure out what-the-heck the instructor is doing. They want familiarity and repetition. They don't mind to think about form, alignment, and technique, but they are tired of having to think about choreography. There are a few people who want the fancy stuff... and I will continue to teach to them too, but they are not the majority.

Survery the members! They will tell you what they want.

4. Support from the facility owner.

How frustrating it is to try to build a quality program when the owner doesn't see the need to spend any money. Do the aforementioned and increase his bottom line. That is when you will recruit his support!

5. Provide a safe and happy environment

By that I mean, make sure floor surfaces are clean and sanitary, free of obstacles and safe. I am astonished at the lack of attention to such details when I travel around to different facilities!

Who wants to lay down on a floor that reeks with old sweat?  Dust bunnies floating around the room are rather unattractive don't you think? Fingerprints on the mirrors block my view!

Adequate sound systems, which include microphones WITH batteries, that are not blaring to the point of deafness are a necessity, not a luxury. BTW, don't scream into the microphone. The purpose of a microphone is to amplify your voice, we don't need to help it along!

Equipment should be clean, neatly stacked and in good condition. It may be time to retire those 12 year old steps that are now warped and de-treaded. Plastic peeling off of hand weights can cause horrible disease! Just being facetious, but really, what kind of image of the facility does this neglect project?

The ASCM recommended temperature for exercising indoors is 68-71 degrees. People hate to be too hot, plus it can be dangerous, and they want ventilation and the air to circulate.

Paying attention to detail and being service oriented will result in satisfied customers and to their long-term commitment to your group fitness program and your facility.

Pam is the owner of Archer Fitness Consultants, Inc. in Kingsport, Tennessee. She is Co-Host of the “Jenny’s Fit In 15” TV show on The Health Network. She has produced six exercise videos and starred in seven. Pam travels extensively training and certifying group fitness instructors for The Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) and The American Council On Exercise (ACE). Her fitness related articles have been published in American Fitness and IDEA Source magazines as well as numerous newsletters, including her own, Archer Fit Press. You may visit Pam on-line at http://www.archerfitness.com or e-mail her at pam@archerfitness.com

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