Why I Love Group Fitness

Ever since I started going to the gym (in late high school), I took group exercise classes. Actually, that’s all I did when I first started. It was so much easier for me to work-out hard for an hour straight when I had people next to me.

The top 3 reasons I fell in love with group fitness:

1) It was challenging: What would they think of me if I didn’t do this jumping jack or that weighted squat or that sprint?

2) It kept me accountable: What will they think if I don’t show up?

3) It was FUN: That hour just flew by every time!

I knew after a few months that I could and wanted to become a group fitness instructor at some point, but the time was never right. I went to college out of high school and was engulfed in… college things, and I went into the USMC after college and couldn’t take on a second job. When I resigned my commission and left Active Duty, I took my chance at fulfilling the dream I started 11 years prior.

I was first licensed in my go-to, knock-’em-dead, and FAVORITE format: Turbo Kickboxing (Beachbody), then came Zumba and Cycle. I quickly fell in love with all three formats, not because of the choreography or music involved (which are easy to love), but because of the people I had the privilege of leading every class.

1) Teaching gives me energy, because PEOPLE give me energy.

2) Teaching gives me focus — I have to know exactly what comes next all the time, every time.

3) Teaching motivates me to be a better me tomorrow than I was today — How can I grow to improve my classes and help my participants reach their fitness goals?

4) Teaching helps me grow as an athlete — I’m forced to work harder than each individual in class… or at least try!

5) Teaching helps me grow as an individual — I am responsible for giving each and every participant a great work-out and a great experience every time they come. Can I learn their names? Can I open myself up to constructive criticism/comments?

6) Teaching exposes me to other perspectives — how do others teach? Why? Can I incorporate some of their methods to improve my classes?

7) Teaching forces me to adapt quickly to unexpected circumstances– The mic doesn’t work? Spotify is down? I forgot my iPad with all of my music on it?

-Do you love group fitness? Why, or why not?

-Do you have questions about teaching group fitness?

-Do you have a comment about anything I said above?

Let’s discuss!