Group Fitness Real Talk

We ALL live in hope that 2024 will be the year that instructor pay improves. But… this podcast is called group fitness Real Talk, and the real talk is that any big shifts - not matter how well deserved - don’t seem very likely. So how exactly can you make more money as an Instructor in 2024? I think you need to get smart in how you use your time and how you seek opportunities. And this is the subject that I’ll be discussing in this epsiode with Rosanna Tucker from CoverMe. Now I know that you’ve already got a headstart of the average instructor because you’re listening to this podcast. You know the importance of educating yourself and so I know that this opportunity will be music to your ears. So my advice is to get out there and take up this opportunity now, before the rest of the industry catch up. And - finally - check out the link below to get details on the VERY VERY special partnership discount that we have running with CoverMe. You’ll be able to access training in the SH1FT Fitness formats for a never before seen discount, exclusive to this partnership: https://sh1ftfitness.net/coverme If you’re a UK instructor, you’ll be able to set up and account with CoverMe right now - and start seeing what classes are available in your area. If you’re listening from anywhere else, you’ll still be able to access this exclusive discount with SH1FT, and you’ll be notified as soon as CoverMe hits your area.

As a GX Instructor, you’ve undoubtedly had pre and postnatal people in your classes. This is why it's important to have a solid foundational knowledge in how to provide these members with a safe and effective workout. ⁠ In this episode, Will speaks to Danielle Spangler, an industry expert on pre and postnatal fitness. ⁠Danielle has written many articles for fitness journals and education outlets about this very topic. Not only is she a GX Instructor herself, but she also owns a studio, Beach Life Fitness Boutique, as well as COREMOM Fitness, specializing in prenatal, postpartum, and women’s health and fitness. In this chat, Danielle is breaking down some of the things that can happen during each stage of pregnancy and postpartum, some of her observations from working in this field for a long time, and ways that you, as an Instructor, can make your classes more helpful, safe, and welcoming for people who are pre and postnatal. We also talk about why this is a great niche for more GX Instructors to explore. Before we get into the episode, please always ensure that a pre or postnatal member of your class has their doctor's clearance before partaking in exercise. And with that said, have a listen and enjoy this information packed episode with Danielle! Links and References mentioned in this episode: Core Mom Fitness: Instagram and Website Beach Life Fitness Boutique (online classes): Instagram and FacebookThe MedFit NetworkThe Gray Institute Female Kinetic Chain CourseWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

Today on the podcast, I'm talking with Rachel Holmes about all the things Instructors NEED to know about showing up on social media in 2023. Rachel is both a fixture in the UK fitness circuit and also smashing it on social media right now, so I really wanted to pick her brain and get her top tips for GX Instructors. Rachel is a seasoned fitness professional who transitioned from being a BMX champion (yes, you read that right) to a fitness Instructor, and is now teaching fitness professionals how to monetize their knowledge and build recurring income. In this week's episode, Rachel gets REAL about: Links and References mentioned in this episode: Rachel’s Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and online studioHow To Create Passive Fitness IncomeWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

Today on the podcast, I'm back with repeat guest, Kelly Coulter. Last time, Kelly came on to talk about the three biggest business building mistakes that Instructors make when they start out teaching online. If you haven’t heard that episode yet, be sure to give it a listen (you can find that here)! Now for this episode, we're talking about something a little different. Most Group Fitness Instructors are GREAT at understanding how to create a class, deliver it, and cultivate community. But many struggle in trying to put that into a business plan or creating a product that they can sell to make a living from. So today, Kelly is here to talk about how to package your proposition, what to do to make it marketable, and how to grow your income as a Group Fitness Instructor. Kelly is the host of of the Grow Your Fitness Business Facebook Group and founder of FitPros Connect. She loves helping experts in the fitness industry, like you, create and market high impact programs so they can make more money without burning themselves out. We also dive into what a proposition is (in case this is all new to you), what to charge so you can REALLY make a profit, the kind of programming she suggests for GX Instructors, money mindset, and much more. Links and References mentioned in this episode: Grow Your Fitness Business Facebook GroupGrow Your Fitness Business on InstagramFitpros Connect FB GroupFitpros Connect WebsiteFlourish with Age Facebook GroupWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

This is one of those episodes where we’re going to keep it REAL and hit you right up front. We think that a lot of Instructors listening to this podcast have entirely the wrong idea about rights-included music. We get it! You like to use the music that you hear on the radio in your classes. But we are living in a digital age where record companies and production houses are going to make it more and more difficult for you to use that original artist music in your classes, particularly online. At SH1FT Fitness, we believe in giving Instructors as many strings to their bow as possible, and that includes being able to teach their classes everywhere - on and offline. Today on the podcast, Will is interviewing Nikkie and Sam from Pure Energy Go. Nikkie is an International Fitness Presenter and Sam is a DJ who is currently working in the music industry. They're going to talk about how they work with some of the biggest DJs in the world (yes - the one’s you hear on the radio!) to curate and create incredible fitness music that can be used on any platform; in person on-demand, or live-streaming. As you're going to hear in this episode, the pandemic changed the way that we approached music specifically created for the fitness industry. It opened the gates to professional DJs and world famous artists who are now creating music specifically for use by fitness instructors across every platform. These are radio level DJs producing tracks that work with the special nuances of fitness classes. This is music that will never get muted when you put it on social media, music that you can use and commercialize across your live and digital businesses and music that is REALLY GOOD! So, if you're an Instructor who wants to be able to teach in as many venues and as many places online and offline as possible, you need to give this episode a listen. Sign up for the Pure Energy Go App here and check out these EXCLUSIVE discounts for podcast listeners: FOR MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTIONS: Use code REALTALK for £5 off your monthly subscription for the first 3 months (£14.99/month instead of £19.99). FOR PURCHASING INDIVIDUAL TRACKS: Use code SH1FT for a £2 discount on Purchases. Links and References mentioned in this episode: **Sign up for the Pure Energy Go App here. Use code REALTALK for £5 off your monthly subscription for the first 3 months (£14.99/month instead of £19.99). Use code SH1FT for a £2 discount on Purchases.**Pure Energy’s Website, on Instagram, and FacebookThe Pure Energy Go AppNikkie’s Website and InstagramSam’s Website and InstagramWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

Programming real strength development training in a group fitness setting has always been a challenge. But if you can do it well, it can be the biggest opportunity for you as a group fitness instructor to attract a broad audience of people to your classes. The question is, how exactly do you achieve effective strength development when you're dealing with the constraints of the group in the setting? And why is the strength development audience so attractive? In today's podcast, we're going to tackle these questions head on. We will look at the evolution of strength training as a group fitness format, and how it's changed from the traditional barbell pumped style class into something that's far more closely resembling gym floor training. We're also going to look at what we can learn from hugely successful strength training boutiques, and how we, at SH1FT Fitness, have translated all of these learnings into a group fitness format that delivers a varied and interesting workout that works with the equipment available in a typical group fitness studio and actually delivers on strength gains. Now, there's always been a fair amount of opposition towards strength in the group fitness setting, particularly from PTs who argue, perhaps correctly, that you can't achieve the same strength gains in the group fitness setting as you can with the gym floor program. But guess what? Most people aren't working out so that they can lift the heaviest weight possible. They're training to be fit, strong and healthy, and that's something that we should be able to 100% get behind and achieve in the group fitness setting. If you're a group fitness instructor that has any interest in teaching strength and conditioning based formats, I highly recommend that you give this episode a listen. Links and References mentioned in this episode: Learn more about L1FTFollow Sam on InstagramWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

Here at SH1FT Fitness, we like to make sure we are giving our instructors what they want in terms of education, product, as well as the topics they want to hear about on this podcast. We recently conducted a global instructor survey and were really stunned by the number of instructors who wanted to hear more about menopause, hormones, and their impact on both class members and instructors. Well, you asked and we’re answering! Today on the podcast, I'm chatting with friend and colleague, Tracy Minnoch. Tracy was previously on Episode 12 talking about Studio Fitness in Your 50s, but since then, has developed a platform called, Sexy Ageing, which is an amazing resource that is focused around menopause. As you're going to hear on the show, menopause is a process that half the population is going to go through at some point, one that completely changes the way women interact with life and fitness. It was serendipitous that this episode was scheduled to be released today on World Menopause Day. You may either be thinking that this topic is super relevant to you, or that it’s not something that's relevant to you right now, but don't switch off because as a fitness instructor, this is something you need to know about. Whether or not you will personally go through this process, your class members will, and having a base level of understanding will allow you to be a more compassionate instructor and create better connections with your classes. Enjoy this informative episode with Tracy! Links and References mentioned in this episode: Episode 12 with Tracy Minnoch: Studio Fitness in Your 50sConnect with Tracy on Instagram, Facebook, her PodcastSexy Ageing WebsiteSexy Ageing Lifestyle - Menopause Management Online CourseThe Balance App

You may have noticed I took a break from the podcast over the summer to recharge - but I'm back and super excited for the shows we are bringing your way for the rest of 2022. Today's guest, Jayne Nicholls, is a fixture of the UK fitness industry, an International Fitness Presenter and the creator of Freestyle Fitness Yoga which is the UK's leading contemporary yoga program designed specifically for qualified fitness instructors. Jayne is the perfect guest for us to jump back in with, because as you're going to hear, she is 100% team 'Real Talk'. She doesn't beat around the bush with her views on fitness, where we came from and where we're going as an industry. My goal for this show is to always give you authentic and honest opinions from experts in the fitness industry and today, you’ll get just that. In this week's episode, Jayne gets REAL about: Links and References mentioned in this episode: Connect with Jayne on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedInThe GXT Studio WebsiteWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

Here today on the podcast is a cycling expert who you may recognise from our R1DE format, Sarah Stoneley. Sarah is a Master Trainer at 1Rebel and currently the Head of Brand Development for 1Rebel Saudi. I met Sarah back when I was the General Manager of ClassPass. At that time, I attended a number of boutique classes, and Sarah’s quickly became one of my favorites, mostly because she was one of the best cycling Instructors I had taken class with. In this episode, Sarah and I chat about her transition from the fashion industry to group fitness, the top qualities she looks for in a great cycling Instructor, and the importance of celebrating the beginners in class, not just the top performers. Enjoy the episode! Links and References mentioned in this episode: Connect with Sarah on Instagram1Rebel Saudi ArabiaWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

This week, we're doing something a little bit different. We are giving you a bonus episode, and this time, the tables are turned! I’m being interviewed by Ann-See Yeoh, a yoga and mindbody expert and teacher, for a special seminar series she hosted for Mindbody Fitness Professionals. Ann-See and I have known each other for a long time and worked together at Les Mills. She also has a great Facebook group linked in the show notes below, so be sure to check that out. We chat about how to have longevity in your fitness career, the future of mindbody classes, how instructors can tap into their unique strengths, how to stand out as a fitness professional, and much more! Links and References mentioned in this episode: Ann-See’s Facebook & WebsiteAnn-See’s Facebook Group, MindBody Fitness ProfessionalsWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

Today’s guest is a good friend and one of my Group Fitness role models, Bevan James Eyles. Bevan has been a world leading Instructor for a LONG time and one of the things I love most about him is that he still has just as much passion and gets just as much joy out of teaching today as he did 20 years ago. In case you missed it, checkout out his first appearance on the podcast all about building community and the secret to longevity as a Group Fitness Instructor. Now, Bevan is BACK and he wrote a book that I want you to hear about! “I Will Make You Passionate About Exercise” (the title of his new book), is NOT for fit people. It’s for people who struggle to exercise, period. As you may already know, reaching this demographic is important to my mission. You’ve likely heard me talk about how enormous the impact and opportunity is around the 80% of people who are inactive around the world, a sector that is often overlooked by big chains like Peloton and Apple Fitness+. If you’re passionate about this too, give this episode a listen and be sure to pick up the book as resource for your clients. Here’s the link: https://www.passionaboutexercise.com Bevan has also extended an opportunity for listeners of this podcast to bring in some extra affiliate income by referring this book to your clients. If you’re interested, apply here: https://www.passionaboutexercise.com/becomeanaffiliate Links and References mentioned in this episode: Buy the book: “I Will Make You Passionate About Exercise” Become an affiliate of the book and make a commission!Ep 09: The Secret to Longevity as a Group Fitness Instructor w/ Les Mills legend Bevan James Eyles Bevan’s website, Instagram and FacebookBevan’s podcast, The Fitness Behaviour PodcastWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

The fitness industry has just had a big shake up and if you aren't yet across it, you NEED to be because it's a complete game changer for instructors! On the podcast today, the tables are turned and Will is being interviewed by guest host Richard Playfair. Why? Because Will's got a story to tell that every Instructor needs to hear. We’re coming up to the 5th birthday of SH1FT Fitness, and we've made some BIG changes. Will doesn't often talk about SH1FT on the podcast, but this is a special occasion because these changes have caused a ripple throughout the entire fitness industry. Will gives background on the BIG swing the company has taken to put the needs of instructors front and centre of the group exercise conversation. Will talks about: To celebrate the launch of the industry's first ever multi-genre membership, PRO, we are offering all of our Group Fitness Real Talk listeners 25% off training in ANY SH1FT Fitness format. At SH1FT, we do not do regular sales or discounts. Our business model is built on keeping prices as low as possible for Instructors 365 days a year. But launching PRO is a BIG DEAL to us, so we are making an exception - this offer is a celebration! But it does mean that if you have been thinking about training in any of our formats, now is the time to buy, as you won't get these discounts again. You can sign up to train via the link below: https://sh1ftfitness.com/registration/formats Then enter the following discount code to claim your 25% off: REALTALK This discount is valid for any or all of our formats, and that includes our most popular option the PRO TRAINING BUNDLE which is training in all five SH1FT Fitness formats for the price of 3. If you use the 25% off code you can train in SH1FT, L1FT, R1ZE, M1ND & R1DE for an incredibly low USD$337 / £262. Even if you never intend to teach one or two of the formats, it's worth it for the value! This offer is valid for 7 days only from today. Links and References mentioned in this episode: Signup link for training (Don’t forget your discount code: REALTALK)Richards Facebook Group: Will’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

We talk about diversity in fitness a lot, and that applies to culture, ethnicity, body shape, and age. But it also relates to disabilities and physical limitations, too. Today’s podcast guest is Laura Ellis, a SH1FT Instructor. As you're going to hear, Laura was diagnosed with scoliosis at 11 years of age, and she’s been dealing with her back problems ever since. But that hasn't stopped her from pursuing her dreams of working in the Fitness Industry and meaningfully changing the lives of people in front of her. Laura talks about the transformation she has gone through just since the pandemic in the last year, from hiding her scoliosis to proudly showing what her body can do. In my view, one of the most important things we can do as Fitness Instructors is inspire other people into movement. And sometimes one of the most inspiring things we can do is be authentic and transparent about our limitations (or what other people may view as limitations), showing that we do not let those limit us. Here's Laura's story…

This week on Group Fitness Real Talk, I'm back chatting with Richard Playfair, founder of SweatLife Films, for Part 2 of "How to Nail Teaching Virtually in 2022". In case you missed it, go back and listen to Part 1, where we talked about the marketing and business elements of running a digital fitness business as an Instructor. Today, we delve into the technical side of things. Richard shares an updated list of useful tools and equipment to grow the digital side of your business, where you should and shouldn’t invest your money, and the importance of developing your talent in front of camera. Enjoy this short but practical episode! Here’s a glance at this episode… Links and References mentioned in this episode: Richard’s Facebook Group: Fitness Video Production Help For Fitness ProfessionalsRichard on LinkedInRichard’s YouTube: Sweatlife Films Episode 8: Digital Fitness: Pricing, Packaging and PlatformEpisode 10: 5 Pro Tips For Creating Better Virtual ClassesFREE Timer PackRode HS2 Headmic Trantec Headmic Rode Wireless Go IRode Wireless Go IINeewer LightsResearch HDMI Out Camera OptionsWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

Back in 2020, Richard Playfair, SH1FT Fitness Video Producer and owner of Sweatlife Films, came on the podcast to share his expertise on creating a better virtual class. ⁠Things have changed a lot since then, so now he’s back to give some updated insights on some of the business and marketing aspects of being a digital fitness instructor in the current industry. ⁠ In this week’s episode, Richard gets REAL about the biggest pitfalls he sees Instructors running into with their digital offerings⁠, his go-to platforms for managing the admin side of a GX business⁠, practical tips for structuring and pricing fitness packages⁠, and more! Enjoy this episode full of actionable takeaways! Links and References mentioned in this episode: Management platform: FituneRichard’s Facebook Group: Fitness Video Production Help For Fitness ProfessionalsRichard on LinkedInRichard’s YouTube: Sweatlife Films The Crystal MazeWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

Today on the podcast, I'm talking about something that I get asked about a lot, which is how to set your prices for inflation. Today’s guest, Ollie Bailey from Gymcatch, is an expert on the subject. Gymcatch is a personal assistant app that helps fitness professionals manage bookings, fill classes and offer a great customer experience so they can focus on doing what they do best, teaching fitness! In this episode, we're talking about inflation and how it is affecting the GX industry, best practices for setting prices, and how to know if your pricing is on par with the market. There are loads of great stats in this one, so enjoy this episode with Ollie! Links and References mentioned in this episode: GymCatch Instagram, LinkedIn and WebsiteConnect with Ollie on LinkedInWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness WebsiteArticle referencing “best times of day to workout”

Today on the Group Fitness Real Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Sam Rider for another Reality Bites episode. This new series is essentially a bite-sized discussion on one topic of concern to Group Fitness Instructors. We talk about the best time to workout, the best way to workout, the myths surrounding those topics, and the role of fake news in the fitness industry. Enjoy! Links and References mentioned in this episode: Follow Sam on InstagramWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness WebsiteArticle referencing “best times of day to workout”

What's the tea on warm ups and cool downs? Love them? Hate them? How should it be done? On today’s episode of the Group Fitness Real Talk podcast, we’re starting a new segment, Reality Bites. It’s essentially going to be a bite-sized episode where we talk with a Group Fitness expert about one topic of concern to Instructors. I’ll set a timer for 10 minutes, set the topic, and then we’ll discuss until time runs out, a bit like a high school debate! Today’s expert is the grumpiest man in fitness, Sam Rider. Sam is a Creative Lead for SH1FT fitness, as well as a newly minted fireman AND father. For our topic of discussion, we’re dishing out some real talk about warm ups and cool downs. Enjoy this mini-episode! Links and References mentioned in this episode: Follow Sam on InstagramWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

Today on the podcast, I'm chatting with a good friend and co-founder of one of my favorite gyms in London, Dave Thomas from The Foundry. Dave has a wealth of knowledge on all things fitness, but today we're not here to talk about his gym. Instead, I wanted to get Dave on the podcast to talk about the future, and more specifically about something that we have all seen pop up across social media and various other places in relation to fitness, which is the metaverse of fitness. Now, as you're going to hear in this episode, it's not because I don't think these things are going to impact everyone in a big way, especially in the fitness industry. They definitely, definitely are. It’s more that the metaverse, and crypto, and blockchain are all getting so much airtime and that, for the average fitness industry professional, these concepts are a long way off from impacting how people run their businesses. It's causing a lot of people to stress about a failure to keep up with something that, right now, doesn't matter. Now, on with the episode… Links and References mentioned in this episode: Dave on LinkedIn and InstagramThe FoundryBored ApeWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website

For the final episode of 2021, I am reviewing the three key predictions I made at the beginning of the year to see how they turned out. Now, if you are paying attention to what’s happening in the world right now, you will be aware that in the last couple of weeks, things have gotten a lot more grim. It looked like things were pretty good during summer and we were hopeful that COVID was over. But now, thanks to Omicron, we are back in the depths of it. While this podcast is intended to be both informative and uplifting, as it says in the name, the most important thing is that it's real talk. So this episode is going to stay true to the Group Fitness Real Talk approach for this final couple of weeks of 2021. I'm going to investigate how accurate my original 2021 predictions were, review the statistics and consumer trends for the fitness industry this year, and share what you, as a Group Fitness Instructor, can take away from all of it. If you need to sit and marinate in the fact that this is a bit of a crappy time, allow yourself to do it. Give yourself the opportunity to mourn the fact that we've lost another Christmas period to uncertainty and to COVID. Just know that it is going to get better in the new year and that there’s heaps of opportunity left for us to take advantage of. Now, on to the episode… Links and References mentioned in this episode: Beachbody: Bagholders On-DemandPelton shares collapse momentum for its at-home fitness equipmentConsumer Trends 2022Lululemon slashes sales estimate for its mirror brand growthHybrid Fitness Revenue Expected to Almost Double to $1.2 Trillion in 2025, Per ReportThe Transformation of the Fitness IndustryFitness Trends 2022: ClasspassProfessor Chris Whitty Calls for Physical Activity to Play Key Role in Nation’s RecoveryWill’s Facebook, Instagram and Email AddressSH1FT Fitness Website