Group X Files

Those 2 words sound so simple, but we know that in reality they can be quite a task, a responsibility. But just like our participants choose to show up for us, we have to show up for them. Listen in to learn how to...

Each and every one of us has walked into a studio and made assumptions about our participants based on appearances, whether we like to admit it or not. It is human nature. Our challenge is to look past those initial...

It sounds like the biggest contradiction, but in a world where perfection, whatever that means, is shoved down our throats, sometimes it is nice to know that you are welcome and accepted just the way you are. When...

Each and every class we lead should have a purpose. That purpose is not the broad "to get fitter," "to get stronger," "to improve my cardio." That purpose is a truly focused and tailored expectation of what the...

If we are not moving forward, we are falling behind. As cliche as it may be, it is true. Herein lies the challenge for directors and managers today. It is not our grandmother's GX but it also still very much is our...

As instructors we tend to get sucked into tunnel vision when it comes to music, relying on our favorites and classics that we know our classes love. Music drives our classes, arguably as much as the workout itself. It...

It's a cliche, but the best way to lead is by example. Talk the talk. Walk the walk. Inspect what you expect. Leading a team means executing the tasks you ask of your team in an exemplary manner. If you are teaching...

When we are teaching on a regular basis, we are tempted to re-invent the wheel to keep people engaged and keep "upping the ante," so to say. But what if we considered that a huge killer of motivation is not laziness...

Setbacks and rejections are something no one looks forward to. However, as Group Exercise Instructors, we are subject to scrutiny from others. And our "sport" is not one of fastest to the finish line wins. We want to...

You want to be the person that members are immediately drawn to when they enter the studio, right? Aside from club-branded gear and a headset, how do you achieve this? Listen in and learn how to use your physical...

We have looked at the instructor why in prior episodes, and many directors still work as instructors too, so it is important to be connected to that why. But what about your director why? With all of the demands of...

Our bodies are the most complex machines out there, and if we want them to perform with max efficiency and effectiveness, we have to respect them and care for them as such. Tune in to learn why it is so important to...

In today's instantaneous world, we have lost a sense of what it is to have to wait for something. However, we don't grow our skills as instructors overnight, nor do we become ace participants overnight. Instead, we have...

We may not think that people are listening closely to each word we say. And they likely aren't. But they hear what they want to hear, and perceive how they choose to based on their experiences. We can't know every...

One of the easiest things to find slipping further from our control is accountability among our team. We are pulled in so many ways that we don't worry about this other little thing. But then that other little thing...