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: