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So, your club has had “step” for years. The same 5 instructors teaching the same 30 participants who occupy all the best time slots and complain loudly if there is a sub or any attempt to change anything! The owner is demanding more participation, the ‘other’ members want something they like, and the instructors are at war. Sound familiar? What you need is a bridge to BODYSTEP™. A segue to a more inclusive, accessible program that will meet the expectations of the owner, the instructors, and, most importantly, the members.
Like any other change, there will be innovators who are ready to get on the band wagon immediately. These are your cheerleaders. Encourage those with an interest in teaching to attend the instructor training. Also, make sure the current teachers of step formats receive a personal invitation. Utilize a group of progressive thinkers to generate excitement for something new. BODYSTEP™ will not disappoint them.
 For the early adapters, build excitement in the club with marketing materials that target potential participants as well as existing steppers. As the first BODYSTEP™ class approaches, ask all the current participants to invite a friend to class for free! Attempt to build camaraderie with those already teaching step, and ask them to announce the new class to their participants. (The club manager or GFM should do this). Post teasers about giveaways or the special event in which the launch of BODYSTEP™ will be included. Get everyone talking, this is critical!
Your biggest challenge will be to get the early majority interested. This is often more than 1/3 of the membership, and these participants are necessary for your program’s success. Creating a party atmosphere, promoting an event, and/or communicating the efficacy of BODYSTEP™ will attract this ever important group. Be careful not to have the excitement “peak” too soon, 2-3 weeks is more than sufficient to “hype” the launch for optimal participation. Also, once the launch date has been set, it must not change. The instructors need to be prepared to deliver the class of a lifetime, for some, the first class will determine if they ever return to BODYSTEP™. Encourage all the initial participants to try the class AT LEAST 3 times before deciding if they like it.
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When you answer that inevitable question at parties, “What do you do for a living?”…what first comes to mind? I’m a Personal Trainer or I’m a group exercise instructor or both! The fitness industry has seen a unique melding of the two sides of the fence, so to speak. Hobby instructors fall in love with changing lives and helping people and look for a way to actually make a living doing it, often resulting in their certification as a personal trainer. Likewise, trainers sometimes need a way to either better recruit clients or better serve clients in a group setting, thus they turn to group fitness. How is it working for you?
No matter which you were first, it is important to know which you do best. Have you accomplished the goals you set out to achieve with your second foray into fitness? Are your clients progressing and seeing results? Are your students so inspired by you that they seek you out for one on one attention after class? Has your audience grown, both in the studio and in the weight room? Have you maintained high standards in both arenas? The answers to these questions are vital to your ability to learn from your mistakes and move forward in your career.
When you first decided to get into fitness, you were likely just “testing” the waters to see if your passion to be fit was also a passion to inspire others to do the same. Now, consider why you bridged into additional areas, either training, teaching, managing, selling, etc. Did you need to make more money? Did you want more credibility? Did you hope to improve the program in which you were teaching? Did you expect more clients/participants? Take a moment and consider how you’ve done. If your goals have been met or progress has been made, congratulations! If not, try to HONESTLY examine the reasons why. This kind of reflection can serve to not only inspire you to reconnect with your fundamental beliefs about fitness and your role in the industry, but also to enlighten you as to where your path might go next. Make a list of successes and failures. Then, try to find a lesson in each. Finally, determine if you are where you should be or what you must do next to achieve your goals.
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Creative launches, demographic sensitivity, and excellent group fitness. That is what we love to celebrate here at Les Mills Midwest. Shantel Eagan and her team at Gold’s Joliet North and South are doing it very well. Continue reading to see how to replicate their success in your own facility!
LMMW: What is your title with Gold’s Joliet North & South and how did you get your start in fitness?
Shantel: I am the Group Fitness Manager. I began teaching 9 years ago getting certified with ACE and AFAA. I went to college and graduated with a degree in Physical Education and Health. I have been teaching ever since, but have never seen results like I have with LMI classes.
LMMW: Tell me about your club and clientele:
Shantel: We have 2 clubs in Joliet, IL which are 3 miles apart. This allows me to offer 2 great balanced schedules to our members. If there is not something at north club at a certain time slot, it is probably offered at our south club. We also have another club about 45 minutes away from Joliet in a town called Bradley-Bourbonais.Joliet North is primarily middle class working adults between the ages of 25-55. They are a conservative crowd. Our Joliet South club is made up of a bit younger group, which includes a lot of college students from the University of St. Francis. They are up to try anything! The Bradley club is a wide age spread between 20-60’s, but they all love the classes!
LMMW: What programs do you have? When and why did you add LMI?
Shantel: We currently offer everything except for BODYVIVE in the Joliet clubs, at Bradley we offer BODYPUMP and BODYCOMBAT and plan to add BODYFLOW in the fall. We began adding the programs the summer of 2006, beginning with BODYPUMP. We had heard from other Gold’s Gym owners how successful the programs were.
LMMW: How have the programs affected your club?
Shantel: Group Exercise is now a main selling point for memberships. Our gym is one of the only in our area to offer these classes, and the difference is amazing to anyone that walks in the door! Members rave about our classes and they have become so popular we are not seeing much of a “summertime slump”. No one can live without LMI classes, no matter what the season!
LMMW: How did you develop your timetable?
Shantel: I use the Timetable creator on the LM website. I also linked it to our Gold’s Gym website. Members love that they can check the group fitness schedule from anywhere—work, home, etc. We have 2 clubs within 3 miles of each other, so I try to balance the schedules so there is something for everyone!
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aerobic workout. The simplicity of the class makes BODYPUMP™ a great starting point to develop strength and confidence. Hot sounds and compelling choreography keep you going through each 45-minute or one-hour workout. You’ll use a step platform, a bar and a set of weights.
