Are your clients struggling to show up to and make it through your hour long workout? Offering different class lengths to your clients may be something you need to think about to help your clients fit in a workout that meets their scheduling needs while still supporting them to reach their fitness goals.
We talked with two Recess instructors, Debbie Gleeson, a fitness instructor with decades of experience who loves to learn, and Melora Storm, a fitness instructor out of New York City with a passion to help others create healthy lifestyles, about what they consider when it comes to altering their classes to meet client needs.
Allow for Flexibility
Those trying to fit in a workout into a jam packed schedule are looking for something quick and easy to commit to. Debbie highlights that “online classes can be harder to commit to” because a client is not getting up and going to the gym with the sole purpose of taking a class. So, it’s important to make your class stand out and pack a strong punch to keep clients coming back. “I don’t want time to be the excuse to skip a workout. I like to give people the option to get a quick workout in, something fun and explosive that you can fit in whenever you can,” says Melora.
Promote a Healthy Lifestyle
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With increased flexibility, clients are more likely to make working out part of their daily routine. Shorter classes help create a healthy lifestyle with a stable exercise routine. 20 minutes? 30 minutes? 45 minutes? Classes of different lengths give your clients the necessary tools to keep their fitness game strong. Melora reminds instructors that the important part is that fitness becomes a part of your client’s lifestyle.
Create a Time for a Focused Mindset
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Debbie’s first consideration when mapping out a shorter class is considering what will hold her clients’ attention. “If you know you only have 30 or 45 minutes to get a workout in, you will focus more on what you are doing and will work harder.” Create a short burst of time for your clients to focus only on their fitness goals. When their mind is focused on the movement, not only will they work harder to reach their goals, but they’ll make every moment count, increasing the overall quality of their workout.
Prepare, prepare, prepare!
Knowing that more people will commit to a shorter class than a longer one, it’s imperative to get as much movement in as possible for your client. “Be very prepared and intentional. Make every minute count,” says Debbie.
How? Here’s how Melora works through adapting her classes of various lengths:
- For shorter classes, I talk as I go to ensure flow. We get a good amount of work done in a short period of time because we’re continuously moving.
- For my longer classes, I’ll go into more detail. I use more technical terms and break things down before we start moving. I’m giving more time for clients to think in a longer class.
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Recess pro-tip from Debbie: To make sure you’re making the most of every minute, “I highly recommend using the Recess timer feature.”
Ready to alter your class lengths to give your clients more from your workout? “Experiment with different programming and try to find a flow,” suggests Melora. “We want our clients to work hard and get the most out of a workout without the intimidation of a long time commitment.”
Trying out a shorter class length? Let us know how it goes @we_recess and #itsplaytime.
You can follow Debbie at https://recess.tv/@Debbiegleeson, Maggie https://recess.tv/@maggiescott, and Krista at https://recess.tv/@Kristakubikyoga.