When I work with clients, be it through fitness classes or one-on-one personal training, I’m always looking for fresh new ways to motivate people to keep fit. Why? Because monotony is a common problem individuals face when it comes to exercise. If you’re bored with your routine then you are less likely to make exercise a part of your day.
Although my training style might be different than other MacEwan University Sport and Wellness trainers, I notice that we all switch things up to help our clients stay motivated. Here are some ways I shake things up to keep people wanting more!
- Music: I am a massive music fan. If I’m teaching a fitness class, you bet I’ve worked hard to choose a
Zumba Step
playlist that reflects the class I’m teaching. If I’m not feeling the music, I have a hard time feeling the class. Result? A less-enthusiastic Amy. It’s something often overlooked by instructors, but I think a playlist can make or break a class. Not only that, but I find people look forward to listening to your new songs; I’ve definitely had people come up to me and ask “What was that song about the ___?” and it always fills me with pride.
- Switch up the exercises: This more so applies to group fitness. With one-on-one clients who want to get progressively stronger, I do switch up the exercises to a certain degree, but the key is to keep it similar, and try to increase the weights instead. (If that’s what they want of course!) With group fitness though, I try to keep it fun and fresh every time (of course keeping some exercises to help them feel a sense of mastery). This way I don’t get bored teaching, and my class doesn’t feel bored participating.
- Keep it light-hearted: I don’t think I’ve ever been called a drill-sergeant or have been told my classes/training style is scary intense. I’ve been told my classes are
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challenging, but not to the breaking point. To keep my classes inclusive and fun, I need to have fun myself, which is usually met with positivity or hilarious snarky comments. I think if you make exercise too serious, it becomes a chore and no one likes chores.
- Switch up the style: Sometimes I do act a bit more seriously with clients who need structure, or if they’re having a bad day, maybe I’m a bit more lenient and chatty. I think of myself as a bit of a chameleon and am able to adapt myself to what my client needs. It’s funny looking back on how I used to teach fitness classes, and how scared I was to be outgoing and loud because my personal training style isn’t like that at all. Now I have no fear to be loud and outgoing, or quiet and intense. Depending on what the situation calls for, you can pick the kind of class or workout that fits with your mood.
- Build upon the exercises: When you become stronger, your exercises will become more difficult. If
Pilates for Weight Loss
you can finally hold a push-up plank for more than 30 seconds you better prepare for me to add some “fun” additions to them. In my fitness classes, I also start with simple movements to warm the body up for more complex ones. Again, this gives the feeling of mastery and progression. If people don’t feel like they’re progressing, they will question why they’re being active in the first place. So when a trainer gives you exercises that are really difficult, it’s not because we don’t like you. We know you’ll get more out of the session, and out of yourself, if we challenge you.
If you want to beat stagnation, you should check out our Fall Fitness and Aquatic classes. There are a variety of different classes ranging from personal training to registered (paid) classes and value-added (free with facility access) classes.
