People love fitness classes. As a matter of fact, 90% of exercisers report they would prefer to workout in a group. Approximately 60% of people report group fitness classes as the #1 service they look for when choosing a fitness studio.Leading group fitness classes can be a challenging task. To carve out a piece of this growing market, your fitness studio needs to offer fun and exciting group fitness classes. You also need to know how to effectively manage your group fitness classes if you want them to succeed. Read on to learn some tricks of the trade to effectively manage your group fitness classes in your fitness studio.
Be prepared
It’s essential all of your group fitness instructors are prepared. While this may seem obvious, it serves as the foundation to effectively manage your group fitness classes.Instructors need to know how and why they are teaching their class. Encourage your staff to prepare class lesson plans and to attend fitness education classes whenever possible. This builds leadership skills and confidence.Stepping into a group fitness class with a plan helps the class run smoothly. For group fitness classes with many components, such as a boot camps, develop a plan for how members might move from one section to the next. Practice also makes perfect. Have group fitness class instructors practice their class a few times before you open it to your fitness studio members. They can practice alone or with their fellow fitness studio team members. Practicing helps them spot any lulls or bumps that might hinder class progress and flow.
Consider group fitness class size
When it comes to group fitness classes, size matters. On one hand, you want to create a buzz with a full and energetic class. On the other, you don't want to overwhelm the class instructor or crowd your class space. When determining how many slots to include in your group fitness class, consider the following:
- Studio space size.
- Type of fitness class (i.e. boot camp, yoga, pilates, etc.).
- Capability of the class instructor.
Go with the flow
Even the best-laid plan is sure to have some bumps in the road. Group fitness instructors need to anticipate challenges and problems. Anticipating bumps in the road before they happen helps instructors prepare for inevitable problems that will occasionally happen in their group fitness plan. Instructors need to be able to go with the flow. Group fitness instructors should also pre-plan exercise modifications for pregnant or class members with injuries. Try to expect the unexpected and be ready to modify the plan at any given time.
Make a class schedule
Create a group fitness class schedule and stick to it. Group fitness class members enjoy the community within their class. They look forward to seeing familiar faces on the floor and their fitness class instructor.Your group fitness instructors all have different styles and they will develop their own following. When they sign up for their favorite instructors class, they want to experience that instructor. Not a sub.Business management and fitness tracking software makes it easy. Scheduling software lets you setup, view, and display all of your fitness studio classes. It even let’s studio owners and instructors view who’s signed up to take their classes.Of course, life happens and there will be times you need to make changes to the group fitness class schedule. When this happens, just shoot your class members a message so they stay in the loop.
Identify your group fitness class leaders
Encourage your group fitness class instructors to get to know their regular class participants. These members are most likely to promote their group fitness class by word of mouth and on social media. Each class will develop a group of "regulars.” Use these regulars to your advantage. They will create a buzz about the various group fitness classes in your fitness studio. Fitness platforms, such as OneFitStop, provide a great avenue for fitness studios to organize their group fitness classes, manage payroll and marketing campaigns, and much more. With the right software, your fitness studio can streamline their operations, increase productivity, and manage group fitness classes. If you’re interested in learning more about how OneFitStop can help your fitness studio, contact a member of our team to today.