It’s easy to be a group fitness trainer or instructor when you have regular students in your class. We know them, and they know each other. We’ve seen them enough times to get to know them. We have seen them do exercises for a long time, so we know what they are good at and what needs to be modified. It’s harder to manage participants who come in frequently or for the first time. You know nothing about them. Your first impressions may not be accurate.
My Story
Every week, I teach a HIIT workout at a gym for women in my area. The majority of women in my class come every week. They represent a variety of ages and body types as well as fitness levels. As I was preparing for the morning’s class, I noticed a new person enter the studio. She placed herself at the back of the studio (as far as possible away from my position in the front). This woman’s body would be described visually as obese. I’m hesitant to make any assumptions about a participant based on their appearance. Does she regularly exercise? I don’t really know. Does she enjoy exercise? I don’t really know. Does she seem anxious about class? I don’t really know. These questions are for any new student. It’s not like training an individual, as you cannot dig deep into their past and mindset in the first meeting. When someone enters a group setting just minutes before class, you’ve got to “read” that person quickly and adjust your hello-welcome-to-class spiel accordingly. This new participant avoided eye contact and gave me the impression that she didn’t want to be fussed over with a lively, one-on-1 introduction. As an introvert myself, I understand. Some people like to remain anonymous until they get to know their instructor and/or exercise environment. This is their comfort zone. So I introduced myself and gave her a brief overview of the equipment she would need to attend class, before asking her name. In this article, I’ll refer to her as “Sarah”. I always provided many options to each exercise during class. Sarah seemed to be doing well with her modifications. To my great disappointment, Sarah left the gym about half-way through. Why? Why? Let’s pretend that she didn’t feel like she was keeping up. I wanted to run after her and encourage her to stay. I had a class to run and I didn’t wish to embarrass Sarah. In retrospect, I wish I had done more to ease Sarah’s transition as a newcomer into the class.
Clarifying Your Interactions With New Participants
The time available to instructors and group trainers for setting up the class and greeting participants is limited. We must still find ways to quickly and deftly integrate new students into the class, while also conveying that it is important to us. This task can be difficult when dealing with students who would rather be somewhere else than in your class and may not want you to draw their attention. Here are some strategies.
- Explain what to expect
It’s difficult to describe how someone should measure up when it comes to group fitness. It’s impossible. Each person has their own challenges and abilities. A new participant may think that the others are miles ahead. Consider what you could say to everyone in the group before the workout. Explain that you’ll be observing people and modifying the workout if necessary. You can reduce the stress by telling them you expect them to customize the workout according to their own needs. The key message is that we don’t have to do the workout the same way.
2) Don’t be a stickler
Fitness professionals can be very particular about the workouts that are best for their clients. Is a high-intensity, advanced class the right place to start for a beginner? Most likely not. Not everyone needs to go full intensity. A format with short challenges and frequent breaks could be exactly what some people are looking for to gain confidence. In the HIIT classes I teach, I’ve witnessed it many times. As an instructor, I am not going to kick a new student out of class just because the exercise is labeled advanced. You don’t want to tell someone that they chose the wrong class when they have made a sincere effort to attend. Remember: Some people may choose your class, even if it is not their ideal level of intensity. Teach to all levels.
3) Prepare for “Next Time”.
Some new students may be “flight risks,” which means they might feel frustrated or embarassed and leave class before it ends. You can’t make them stay. You could introduce your class to the workout by saying something like this, but make sure you address everyone in the room so that you don’t single out anyone.
If you have to leave the class early or cannot stay the entire time, please cool off before leaving. Please come back next time. Next week, I will be looking for your presence. “We’re all here to support one another.”
Wish I had given this speech before class the day Sarah left early.
4) Customize the Experience
A second mistake I made with Sarah was that my initial conversation with her felt a bit too formal. I felt she was uncomfortable, so I did not want to interrogate her. In truth, I was going to talk to her after class. I would have asked how her workout went and said I was looking forward to seeing her the next week. But I never got the chance. What’s this? She hasn’t come back to my class. You may only have one chance to reach out to a new person.
Learned: Use the time before and during the class to create a personal connection.
Here are a few tips that instructors and group trainers can use to encourage new students to come back and feel comfortable. Have you got a tip to share about this subject? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.
The original version of this article appeared on the NASM Blog. Back to Main
