6 Things To Look For When Choosing a Local Fitness Instructor

So, you’ve done some research and you’re super excited about our programs. You’re just about to take the first step and attend a free trial session but you find yourself wondering about what makes a great instructor.

Choosing the right instructor is the first and most important step!

Why?

Because choosing the right instructor ensures you’ll get the TOTAL fitness experience!

Read on to discover more information that will help you decide.

1.     They Have A Great, Approachable Personality and Strong Leadership.

From the instant you meet your instructor; they should give you a positive vibe and project a comforting first impression that sticks with you. They should have the type of personality that radiates charisma and gives you confidence they truly care about your needs and want to help you rapidly achieve your fitness goals.
When meeting your instructor for the first time, seriously ask yourself, “Can I picture both myself and the entire class feeling engaged?” And, most importantly, “Can I really see this instructor leading large sessions with diverse people and skill levels?”

Make sure you immediately get a good vibe from your instructor, because a strong, committed friendly presence is essential to making sure you and your entire fitness community get the results they want out of fitness sessions.

2.     They’re Highly Experienced and Super Easy To Follow.

Look for instructors with a strong background in fitness and dance. The right instructor should have many months of training, a proven, successful track record of experience and a list of participants who’ve already achieved results. During your free introductory sessions, your instructor should not appear nervous and provide clear direction to the entire group with polished, super easy to follow steps, regardless of participant skill levels.

Grea instructors use “non-verbal cueing” such as body movement and hand signals as their primary form of communication during the class. When attending your session, ask yourself, “Are they good at engaging participants in the front and back of the room? Are they consistent and clear from beginning to end? Can you understand what they are “saying” without words?” Watch their posture. Notice their footwork. Follow their arm movements. Do you see the entire move clearly from beginning to end? Check to make sure their moves appear fluid, but understandable.

Strong experience, great communication and clear direction are critical factors that you should look for when choosing an instructor because without them, you may as well be doing the workout at home.

3.     They Have Polished, Professional Instructing Skills.

Experienced instructors know their stuff. You’ll know if you’ve found a rockstar instructor within the first few minutes of your trial session.

Look for proof in their actions. Is the instructor confident and a true leader? If you’re unsure of any of these, get a second opinion and seek a seasoned instructor immediately.

Choosing the wrong instructor may cause you to learn steps incorrectly and prevent you from rapidly achieving your fitness goals or even worse, put you at potential risk of injury.

4.     They’re Well Organized And Super Committed.

Your instructor should take their sessions very seriously and know every participant by name. They pay attention to the need of all participants, give positive feedback. Your instructor should gear class routines to the appropriate participant fitness level and be aware of health concerns and overall physicality of all participants in their sessions.

It’s very important your instructor has a good rapport with all their participants by arriving early for sessions to speak with them about their goals and results.

Through these actions, your instructor will create a tight-knit local "family” having common bonds and a solid goodwill support network among participants.

5.     They’re an Authority And Keep Everything Up To Date.

Great instructors always keep their classes fresh and unique. They are up to date on continuing education and keep their class schedules current. The best instructors typically bond together and create a network “family” of instructors to constantly improve their offerings through sharing and leveraging new ideas to diversify their routines which means your sessions will never get boring.

When it comes to certifications, a great instructor should be broadly certified in fitness instruction. With each additional instructor certification, your instructor becomes a bigger asset to your fitness needs.

6.     They Host Rockin’ Master Classes And Community Fundraising Events.

Dedicated instructors always look for new ways to give back to their participants and become heavily involved with the supporting community. Organizing these extra rockin’ events take a lot of time and hard work but great instructors can easily call on their network of instructors and participants in the community for help. They also have access to fundraising marketing materials and merchandise to help support these types of events. When choosing your instructor, make sure you choose one that gives back to participants and supports your local community in times of need!