Very important article!!!
February 10, 2011Please learn from this article
My good friend John Macgowan of www.indoorcycleinstructor.com effectively outlined the three components of a group fitness class: 1) foundation, 2) media (i.e. music) and 3) presentation. It is my opinion that neither one, alone, will make your class great, but one, alone, can ruin it.
I participated in an indoor cycle class this morning and I am confident I will never attend this instructor’s class again. The foundation was great. The instructor chose to lead us through a moderately challenging endurance ride. We performed a combination of high and medium cadence sections both off and on our seats.
The music selection was good. Most of the music was easily recognizable and appropriate for the ride.
The presentation, on the other hand, was extremely poor. There was zero excitement and enthusiasm in the instructor’s tone and facial expressions (if there were any facial expressions at all). Eye contact with the fitness participants was minimal. Lastly, there was too much talking and explaining during the 60-minute class.
Unfortunately, the instructor’s poor presentation skills trumped the foundation and media components of the class, making the experience a negative one. I didn’t exert every ounce of energy I had to give. I can say the same for the other participants because they were busy chatting amongst each other during the entire class.
I have always taught athletes, coaches and fitness professionals to highlight their strengths and improve their weaknesses. I do not believe you have to be excellent at everything, but you must be adequate in all of the components involved in your craft.
I would bet this instructor spends numerous hours planning the foundation and the media components of the class while dedicating little time to the presentation and delivery. Although the foundation and media components were good, if not great, the poor presentation ruined the class. When I looked around I saw people talking and doing their own thing. A few participants left before the class was over, most likely to never return.
Call to Action:
We can all learn from this instructor. Identify your weaker links and spend the time and effort to improve them. If you don’t improve, your participants’ focus will be on your weaknesses rather than your strengths. However, if you do improve, it will be easier for the fitness enthusiasts to gloss over the weaker components of your class and focus on the components you excel at.
Believe and Achieve,
Dr. Haley
Agree, many instructors spend a large amount of time each week coordinating their music. Fewer spend time on their profiles. Many fewer spend time on their cues, visualization, and verbalization. I’m tempted to say that many instructors who emphasize music over profile and presentation are newer instructors who will improve with time. Sadly I’ve seen experienced instructors who don’t offer alternatives, don’t use any visualizations or only the same few over and over, and who use the same profile in every class. Reuse some music and designs and develop your presentation! Rehearse, just like you did for speech class in high school and college! Remember, as John MacGown once recalled, instructors used cassette tapes not so long ago and if the members were lucky made a new one once a month!
I received an email that I would like to share with you and then respond to:
Dr. Haley,
I found the article very interesting. It makes me a little insecure about my presentation skills. Do you think the instructor was nervous? Do you know how long they have been teaching indoor cycling? Since two key elements were there, I would assume the instructor does put forth an effort to create a great class and so he or she does care about what they are doing. Is the instructor burnt out or bored?
It sounds like there was not much energy in the class. How does an instructor convey that to a class? Is it something you have or don’t have? Can you create it? I am wondering all these things because this would be my weakest area. I work hard on my profiles and know my playlists. The only time that I am unhappy about a class I have taught is when I don’t hear, see, or feel energy from a class.
I have taught the same class to three different groups this week. The first two classes I taught were awesome according to the feedback I got. I taught the same profile this morning and didn’t feel the same enthusiasm.
What can I do to be a better presenter? Attending other instructors classes to see if I can learn a new way to present things is one idea. I need help with this.
Lee Ann
This is my reply to Lee Ann’s questions.
Do I believe the instructor was nervous? I do not. He/she knew his material very well and it was clear that he had been teaching for some time. He/she just didn’t deliver on the presentation component of the class.
The instructor could have been bored or be experiencing burnout. That could explain his low motivation to relate to his participants.
The best thing to do is simply relate to your participants. Say hi to everyone and ask them questions throughout the class. Look at people and not just at your handle bars and notes. Smile throughout the class. Let your participants see how passionate you are about your class, profile and music. Be the instructor you would like to have – fun, energetic, happy and positive.
There are many more topics to review when it comes to the presentation component of a class. But I would need to write a book or prepare a presentation at a conference (which I do have coming up at WSSC in June, 2011).
I strongly suggest you attend other classes to learn what not to do and learn what to do.
My intention is not to scare you and make you insecure. My intention is to bring awareness to this topic. There is so much discussion about profiles and music – not enough effort exerted towards presentation.
Set some goals for yourself. Set a goal to make eye contact with each individual in class. Work on your cueing and explanations to ensure each are KISS (keep it simple and specific).