Getting ready to teach a fitness class for the first time can feel nerve-wracking at best and terrifying at most severe. Whether it’s a new-to-you format, a course at a new location or literally your first time ever teaching to a group, it’s normal to feel jittery as you branch out or make the leap from fitness college student to fitness instructor. Take heart in understanding that most instructors have felt this way at some point-it’s natural! Apply the tips here to make for a easy and enjoyable experience when teaching a fitness class for the very first time.
Prepare everything about the course. Winging it or going in with a half-baked notion of what you would instruct gets the potential to backfire, leaving you sense looking and panicked unprepared. New instructors often find it useful to write down the entire lesson plan. This lesson could be brought by you plan to class, but avoid consulting it too frequently when teaching.
What works better for class circulation is to memorize each 5- to 15-minute section of the class (e.g., 0:00-10:00 warm-up, 10:01-20:00 choreography stop 1, 20:01-25:00 squat and shoulder series, etc.). Bring your “cheat sheet” to course as a reassuring back-up, but refer to it only if needed. One of the better ways to battle nerves is to practice what you’ll be teaching.
That means in physical form going through each exercise in your living room (or, when possible, in the studio where you’ll train). Choose sequences and exercises that you are feeling most comfortable doing. Talk through all the cues, as well. Becoming very acquainted with the moves and cues helps quell nerves and increase confidence really.
Leading up to the course, each day visualizing yourself teaching a great workout spend a few minutes. Imagine yourself smiling up there at the front of the area, appearing relaxed and in charge of the group. Picture happy, friendly students approaching at the ultimate end of course to tell you they appreciated the workout. When you’re afraid or nervous, it’s tempting to keep your head down and go through the motions until the class has ended.
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But that doesn’t supply the best experience for individuals, or you. Remind you to ultimately make eyes connection with the group and exude energy as you educate, especially in the first few minutes of the warm-up. This is actually the first impression you’ll make as an instructor in action. Smile so you feel more relaxed and also to communicate that group fitness is fun. Concentrating on making participants feel welcome can help relieve your own tension. Remember that the class doesn’t need to be perfect.
Not at all. If you make a few errors- like heading off beat, forgetting a sequence or missing a cue-it doesn’t really matter. Even experienced teachers make errors. Avoid putting pressure on you to ultimately have every minute of the class unfold perfectly. What matters most is that the entire experience is safe, effective and enjoyable for the social people in the class.
Recognize your achievement-you’ve just completed your high grade! Shortly afterward, spend a few minutes reflecting on what worked well with this band of individuals and what you might need to tweak for the next time. Also, what experienced right for you especially? Teaching fitness is focused on gaining experience and refining your skills as you go. Your ability to teach fitness classes creates a rewarding opportunity to motivate people toward greater health and fitness. Concentrate on this important effort, along with the tips in this blog post, to help you teach any fitness class with success. Amanda Vogel, MA, human kinetics, is a self-employed fitness instructor, writer and presenter in Vancouver, B.C. Find Amanda at @amandavogel on Twitter, @amandavogelfitness on Instagram and @FitnessWriter on Facebook.