KNR 286

Betty A. Henson

Goal is to teach exercise, not just give directions

Provide feedback to participants Be a motivator Understand cueing, transitions Use music appropriately Find your personal style that works Unlock your passion as an exercise

scientist

1969 Jackie Sorensen combined her dance background with music.

She utilized work by Dr. Kenneth Cooper on CV fitness

1969 Judi Sheppard- Missett founded JAZZERCISE – still going today

1980’s big boom in aerobic exercise Late 1980’s “low-impact’ was introduced Early 1990’s step aerobics was developed 1990’s name was changed from

“aerobics” to group exercise.

Cardio classes Water Kickboxing Step Boot camps HIT classes Yoga, pilates, fusion classes Les Mills classes Core conditioning Indoor cycling

Offer a variety of classes Vary length to accommodate clients Stress physical activity during the day to

meet the Surgeon General’s recommendation of 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably, all days of the week.

Moderate = (40%-<60% VO2) >5 days/week

Vigorous = (>60%) >3 days/week or 3-5 days combination of moderate and

vigorous

We are a service industry with emphasis on enhancing the quality of another’s life.

Need to be professional, motivated and educated.

Care about your class by connecting to them!

Be positive and upbeat ALL the time. Dress appropriately for the class

Discretely clothedClean and intact with appropriate footwear.

DON’T TRY TO TEACH ALL CLASSES

TEACHER-CENTERED

Leads to dependence, intimidation, unattainable goals and a reliance on quick fixes

Instructor their for his/her own workoutEmphasis is on getting movement exactly

right Instructor does not leave the front of the

roomClass atmosphere is competitive

STUDENT-CENTEREDStrives to establish an atmosphere of

independence, encouragement and attainable goals

Instructor is a people-person and a good listener

Instructor and students learn together Instructor moves around the room and

makes contact with all participantsMotivational, inspirational, creative,

educatedHelps each client enjoy success

GET CERTIFIED!!

ACE – American Council on Exercise ACSM – American College of Sports

Medicine NSCA – National Strength and

Conditioning Association AFAA – Aerobics and Fitness Association

of America Cooper – Institute for Aerobics Research IDEA Health and Fitness Association

Group cohesion will enhance adherence! To facilitate cohesion:

Learn your client’s namesSchedule social outingsShare personal storiesUse partner exercisesKeep track of attendanceCelebrate special occasionsHave holiday themesHave client’s interact during the workout

Throughout the years, the reasons for exercising have changed.

Previously – aesthetic reasons Today – functional fitness, energy, quality

of life Average life expectancy is 77 years old, but

only 64 of those are in a “healthy” manner. FUNCTIONAL TRAINING – “a specific duty or

purpose of a person or thing.” Functional exercise improve the ability to function independently and more effectively.

2000 - 35 million 2010 – 40 million (15% increase) 2020 – 55 million (36% increase)

Shift to health is a result of baby-boomers experiencing a lack of function in later years.

KNOWLEDGE is a characteristic that clients rated high as a desire for their instructor

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE is necessary as clients want to be remembered and feel important.

Be a part of a team and be able to “think on your feet”

Customer service is not a department, but an attitude!

BASIC CLASS SEGMENTS 1. Warm-up – Rehearsal of moves to prepare for cardio

activity. Low to moderate speed. Warm the body for further activity and increase blood flow.

2. Cardio-respiratory activity – Goal to improve cardio endurance, elevate HR for 10-45 min. Should include a post aerobic cool-down to lower HR and prevent pooling of blood.

3. Muscular conditioning – Strengthen specific muscles. Promote muscle balance.

4. Flexibility and cool-down – Stretching and relaxation to further lower HR and prevent muscle soreness and enhance flexibility.

1. Know your participants. Knowledge of their personal health is an essential part of providing excellent customer service and safety of the clients. Decreases liability. Ideally use Par-Q’s, Health History forms, Informed Consent forms.

2. Orient new participants. Provide some written information about exercise, the facility schedule or the program in general. Clients should feel responsible for their workout and inform the instructor of limitations. Communication is key!

3. Create a positive atmosphere. Introduce yourself to clients and have them introduce themselves to other class members. Wear proper attire and footwear. Explain the class format and review what clients can expect. Give motivational cues, smile, bring the energy! Bring water to class and encourage others to do the same.

4. Arrive early, have equipment ready to go and start on time!

Describe classes by their duration might help clients find the appropriate class for their fitness level.

Many will not attend class with names that include “turbo”, “ultimate”, or “extreme” in their title.

Offer shorter classes or those that include MS/E work or stretching only to help prepare the sedentary for longer classes.

REVIEW TABLE 3.1 AND 3.2 for common muscle imbalances.

Progression – Progressively overloading the body’s systems and increasing the training stimulus over time to gradually increase fitness adaptations.

Change frequency, intensity, duration and mode of exercise. Plan your workouts and decide what exercises to teach.

“Less skilled” exercises require less balance, stability, proprioceptive activity and motor control. Generally safe for everyone and require less cueing. More isolated movements.

“Most skilled” exercises are the hardest, least stable, appropriate for the advanced clients. Require more core stability, joint integrity and ideal alignment. May include more sport specific exercises and may need to be with a small group or incorporated into personal training.

CHOOSE WISELY AND KEEP THE CLASS SAFE!

LEVEL 1 – Isolate and educate. Focus on muscle isolation. Most often prone or supine positions.

LEVEL 2 – Add external resistance with weights, increased lever length, resistive equipment. May utilize a bench.

LEVEL 3 – Add functional training positions. Progress body position to sitting or standing. This increases stabilizer challenge.

LEVEL 4 – Combine increased function with resistance. Overload is increased and resistive equipment may be used. Most in a standing position.

LEVEL 5 – Multiple muscle groups with increased resistance and core challenge. Resistance, balance, coordination and core stability are progressed. May use upper body and lower body muscles at same time.

LEVEL 6 – Add balance, increased functional challenge, speed and rotational movements. 1-leg moves, plyometrics, SB, sport specific.

Make a connection. Clients want to feel special and not judged or embarrassed.

Make class a positive experience and provide feedback in a non-threatening way.

Your communication skills are essential to the success of the class.

MUSIC – This is a VITAL part of the class! It sets the mood and structure of the class. Most will perform better with music.

Many classes are designed to move to the beat and success comes when the moves and music are coordinated together.

Plan and prepare your music ahead of time and design your routine and practice with the music for success!

DOWNBEAT – Stronger beat. Odd beats in a measure – 1, 3, 5

UPBEAT – Weaker beat. Even numbers – 2, 4

1978 Copyright Law went into effect. Law states that copyright owner has right to charge a fee for use of his/her music in a public performance. All exercise classes whether in public hall or private club are considered public performances.

Public Performance – a place open to the public or any place where a substantial number of persons outside a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances are gathered.

ACE recommends that clubs and studios obtain a blanket license for their instructors.

1. Provide a variety of moves.

2. Balance the moves – forward/back, right/left, right lead, left lead.

3. Avoid too many jumps or repetitive moves on one leg.

4. Combine higher impact moves with lower impact.

5. Demonstrate proper technique and form at all times.

6. No ankle weights during high/low cardio due to injury.

7. Be careful of sudden directional changes.

8. Offer options for moves.

9. Avoid excessive momentum, knee and elbow hyperextension.

High impact vs low impact

2-count moves – step touch, JJ, knee lift

4-count moves – grapevine, V-step, mambo

32 counts = a block

(See text for list of moves and their counts.)

Lever variation

Plane variation

Directional variation

Rhythm variation

Intensity variation

Style variation

Moves need to flow together. Change only one move at a time.

Moves need to have a common starting and ending point. (Front lat to side lat)

Know lead foot at all times. Use connector moves. (JJ, plie, walk, jog) PRACTICE! – Always try the moves

together.

PROPER CUEING AND TRANSITIONS ARE THE KEY AREAS TO SUCCESS

Start with a basic move and add on. Build 32 count blocks with 1-4 exercises. Use movements that flow together. Balance complex moves with simple moves. Gradually add intensity and variation. Teach from simplest to more complex. (step

touch to grapevine to double grapevine to grapevine with a turn to v-steps at each end of grapevine)

Repetition Reduction – A move may be taught initially with several repetitions and then reduced to create the final combination.

Create blocks of exercises and then combine the blocks together to create a routine.

A – Walk forward, step R out/out/in/in (8 ct.) Walk back, step L out/out/in/in (8 ct.) 4 JJ (8 ct.) 2 Alternating knee lifts (8 ct.)

B – Grapevine to R, 1 V-step (8 ct.) Grapevine to L, 1 V-step (8 ct.) 4 strides (8 ct.) 4 step-togethers (8 ct.)

Proper cueing is essential for a successful class!

Anticipatory cues – Give advance information. Count backwards so class can expect a change. Always finish the move before teaching the next.

Movement cues – Call out movement such as a “grapevine”

Motivational cues – Motivate, encourage. Acknowledge those doing it right.

Educational cues – Provides relevant health/wellness information.

Safety/alignment cues – Teach proper form, alignment, position and safety information.

(Keep knees slightly bent, stay hydrated, work at your own pace)

Visual cues – Use body language to provide information. “From the top”, point out directions.

If you face the class, remember to give the correct directions and provide “mirror imaging”.

General feedback – Information given to the entire group. Safest type of feedback. Allows clients to remain anonymous.

Indirect feedback – More targeted to an individual and a particular problem. May be relayed with eye contact, instructor location in room, use of body language. Still relatively anonymous.

Direct feedback – Specific to an individual, should be constructive and sensitive to client.

Tactile feedback – Requires hands on touch for realignment. Know your participants and ask permission before you touch. Be careful of location of touch.

Deferred feedback – Given immediately after class. Allows for privacy. Should be constructive but never punitive.

Always appeal to a person’s safety and catch clients doing it right!

The first song sets the stage for the class!

Use dynamic movements for the warm-up, using large muscle groups.

Purpose is to prepare the body for more rigorous exercise and increase the internal temperature. To the point of breaking a sweat.

Rehearsing moves in the warm-up prepares the clients mentally and physically by practicing moves at a lower intensity. This relates to SPECIFICITY of training.

Stretching during the warm-up is still a debated issue, but an active stretch may be appropriate especially for the major muscle groups used (lower body, back)

Keep arms moving while stretching the lower body.

Warm-up focuses largely on rehearsing moves.

Verbal directions are clear, volume of music, tempo and atmosphere created by the music are appropriate.

Gradually increase intensity Give impact/intensity options Build sequences logically and progressively Incorporate exercises that target a varieyt of muscle

groups 134-158 bpm Strive for muscle balance Monitor intensity

HR RPE Talk test Turn music down or off for intensity checks using HR

and RPE and then provide an explanation about what it means and how to properly change intensity if they are working too hard or not hard enough.

HAVE A POST CARDIO COOLDOWN!

Principles to apply when leading class:

1. Give verbal cues on posture and alignment. When teaching MS/E exercises position lower body first for a stable foundation when executing an upper body exercise.

2. Encourage and demonstrate good body mechanics. Practice is key!

3. Observe the clients’ form and suggest modifications as needed. Skilled instructors must know many modifications of an exercise.

4. Give clear verbal cues and directions on posture/alignment and body mechanics.

5. Use appropriate music tempo for biomechanical movement.

~Know benefits of MS/E training and Flexibility training.

Conscious muscle contraction. “Mind to muscle.”

Resistive Devices Mode changes – Progressing from easier

to more difficult. Example: push-up variations

Repetitions

Safety should always be the priority. Be more cautious and conservative in the group situation than you may be with personal training.

Major cause of injury is too much, too soon. Progress class gradually and select exercises

appropriate for the population. Avoid risky moves and follow industry guidelines

with regard to high-risk exercises. Text lists higher risk moves as:

~ballistic stretches

~deep squats

~extreme or ballistic lumbar hyperextensions

~double straight leg raises

~plow (yoga)

~full straight-leg sit-ups

~unsupported forward flexion with rotation

**See text for additional exercises.

Key part of group class. Encourage clients to stay and complete moves.

Choose appropriate music (100 bpm) Include static stretching. Hold moves

for 15-60 sec. and repeat >4x Stretch major muscle groups in a safe

and effective manner. Stretching should be comfortable.

Clients can move to a position where they feel the stretch slightly and then hold. If they are shaking, reduce the intensity. Show modifications.

Provide a quiet, peaceful environment where Hr, breathing rate and blood pressure decrease.

Dim the lights.

Deep, relaxing breaths

Visualize a place of peace.

BODY ALIGNMENT

Shoulders back and relaxed

Chest lifted and body erect

Abdominals contracted

Neutral spine

Knees relaxed, not locked

Avoid hyperextension of joints

TECHNIQUE

Watch the platform periodically

Focus on the feet first

Step to the center of the step – heels on step

Don’t step down with your back to the platform.

Use a full body lean.

Stay close to the platform as you step down.

BASIC MOVESReady position

Staggered position

BASIC PUNCHESJab

Cross

Hook

Upper Cut

BASIC KICKSFront

Side

Back

Roundhouse