Confessions of a Group Fitness Instructor: My Main Reason for being Over Group Fitness (Part 2)

In my last post I talked about the reasons I am over teaching Group Fitness as it related to the members, but here's my main reason for being over teaching Group Fitness.

I no longer look at it as a method of weight control and I don't want to end up getting injured.

Teaching Group Fitness for Weight Control

I believe the crux of the problem with Group Fitness Instructors and why I've cooled out on teaching is that many instructors are using it for weight control.  I can remember being one of the instructors bragging on Facebook about doing this many classes, running 5 miles, and then going to lift weights and guess what baby?  I was still chunky.

I understand that  may be teaching to pay their bills and that's why they are teaching a lot of classes but I believe many instructors are teaching lots of classes to control their weight and many are fighting a losing battle.

It's Not Your Workout

GROUP FITNESS CLASSES ARE NOT YOUR WORKOUT.  YOU ARE THERE TO COACH AND LEAD.  TEACHING TONS OF GROUP FITNESS CLASSES WILL NOT GET YOU INTO AWESOME SHAPE.

I cringe reading some Facebook updates:  Today I taught 4 classes at the gym, ran sprints, and tomorrow I'm teaching 3 classes in a row.  All I can think now is "When are you recovering?  Your poor joints"

It's not your workout.  I believe the best Group Fitness Classes are when the instructor may do a little of the class but spend the majority of the time coaching the group to do their best.  The training I attended for group cycling it was EMPHASIZED that instructors need to be OFF OF THE BIKE teaching and motivating the group.

I don't want to be injured

I've avoided injury and I believe one of the main reasons is that I didn't teach classes with a lot of impact but I can remember my shoulder beginning to bother me when I taught Bodypump two days in a row.

Now there is NO WAY I would ever do that.  It's unnecessary and way too hard on my joints.  Plus your body can handle higher volume workouts but it must be done in the context of smart programming which would involve periodization and switching things up.

Just so I make myself clear:  Teaching 15 group Fitness Classes a week is not going to get you into better shape.  Eating better, having a well designed fitness program, recovery, and eating better (yep said it twice) is what will do that.

Where do I go from here?

The Schwinn Certification really did motivate me to start teaching differently.  I will be off of the bike more and more diligent about my coaching.  I wouldn't mind teaching a metabolic circuit training type class that I was able to design and program for my participants.  I attended another training for that type of format which asked its coaches to have a PURPOSE and GOAL for your participants when they enter the room.   The workout should have a PURPOSE and GOAL.  In that training it was emphasized that we are to design programs for our demographic and really emphasize coaching rather than performing.  

I have not totally given up on Group Fitness but it has lost a lot of its luster for me.  I have just resolved to bring what I am learning to class and hope that my participants will learn, grow, and get results from my instruction.