10 WAYS TO GROW YOUR BOLLY ACTIVE CLASSES
Energy It's contagious. Share yours; your class needs it. We can have great choreography and be very knowledgeable but without a little charisma, our classes might fall short. We don't all need an over-the-top personality but we DO need some stage presence. After all, we are in front of a group. We need to be engaging. Great music is a huge part of creating an energetic class. Spend time finding music that represents you and your personal style. If the music rocks your world chances are that energy will shine through to your class. Humor As group fitness instructors, we should take what we do seriously, but not at the expense of creating an environment where people cannot have fun. Laughing can help alleviate the physical discomfort of an intense exercise or create the camaraderie needed to find success in an exercise. When we mess up as instructors, we should be able to laugh at ourselves and own the mistake. Assist & Relate Get to know everyone in the class by name and introduce them to each other so they feel a community connection. Tell them to bring their friends and significant others. In an early morning class, be very respectful of time. Start right on time, move quick and end early so your members can get on with their day. Starting and ending on time also applies to all classes.
Appearance Your physical appearance should convey that you’re neat and professional. Wear clothing that keeps you appropriately covered & comfortable during all movement. Make sure your hair is away from your face and you are able to focus on your teaching skills rather than your outfit. Each facility and modality may have its own unique culture and attire, but professional and conservative is always a safe bet.Flaunt your Bolly Active wear with panache ! Attitude Nothing is more off-putting than an instructor with a diva attitude. We have the opportunity to impact people who take the time out of their busy schedules to follow us and learn from us. Be nice. Be kind. That saying you get more bees with honey is true! Smile This may seem obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. We are in the business of relationships. Smile at your class. Smile before class. Smile after class. Let your students know that you like being there. Your smile may be the only smile they get all day. It's like a ray of sunshine. Spread it. It makes you feel good and it feels good to those who see it. Learn Go take other classes & workshops. Never assume that you don't need refreshing. Even if you have many years of experience in the industry, we should always desire to change, learn and tweak our craft.
Humility Admit that you are not perfect. Hear constructive words. Swallow your pride and ego. When you screw up, own it. It allows your students to screw up, too, and to feel human. We need more of this in our industry and in life! Know that you do not have all the answers. It will create a space for your classes to thrive and grow Balance We become so focused on health, fitness, diet and new moves that we lose sight of the rest of our lives, and on quality time with family and friends. Take time to turn off electronics and sit in silence. This downtime is an important part of wellbeing and health. I once heard a group exercise manager say to an instructor who was stressed out and trying to get a class covered because she had a sick baby at home, “Honey, it's just aerobics." Pursuing excellence should be celebrated and could be an appropriate goal for some people. But realizing when our pendulum has swayed too far to one side is a sign that we have lost a sense of balance around our work. Striving to keep the pendulum centered is a great objective. Fun Create a fun environment. If our members are not having fun, they will not come back! Let your creative juices flow— celebrate someone in class, dress up for festival or center a class around a theme. There are so few places in life where it’s safe and acceptable to yell and get crazy. Take advantage of that and don't forget to share this on social media !