49: Tips For Building Your Group X Community

In this community-focused episode of Group X Appeal, Kimberly and Terry dive deep into the art of transforming casual class attendees into a loyal, connected tribe. Discover why the most successful group exercise instructors understand that their role extends far beyond leading workouts - they're community builders who create spaces where participants don't just attend classes, they connect. Learn the proven strategies that turn your classes into communities where members become advocates and everyone feels like they're part of something bigger.

Tune in to Learn About:

• 🏛️ Culture Creation - Building a distinctive class atmosphere that participants can't find anywhere else
• 🎯 Identity Building - Why naming your tribe creates powerful belonging and connection
• 💫 Approachability Factor - Essential relationship-building skills that make you magnetic as an instructor
• 🎉 Engagement Strategies - Practical techniques to boost participant connection to you and the rest of the community
• 🙏 Appreciation Amplification - How showing genuine gratitude strengthens community bonds
• ❤️ Heart-based Leadership - Understanding your role as the pulse that keeps the community alive
• ⚡ Energy Exchange - How participants contribute to and amplify the community's supportive atmosphere

Perfect for group exercise instructors and yoga teachers who want to move beyond just teaching classes to creating movements - where participants feel so connected they can't imagine working out anywhere else. Evolve your classes from fitness sessions into thriving communities.

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Questions or topic ideas? Email us @ groupxappeal@gmail.com

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Stay Connected with Kimberly:
- @kimberlyspreenglick on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube
- email: kimberly@theinspiredlifeuniversity.com
- website: www.theinspiredlifeuniversity.com

Stay Connected with Terry:
- @terryshorter on Instagram & Facebook
- email: terry@rippedplanet.com
- website: www.rippedplanet.com

Transcript

You know those classes where people show up 10 minutes early just to catch up with each other and then they stay after to take selfies with the instructor? That's not luck, my friends. That's a tribe. Yeah, and today we're breaking down how to turn your participants into loyal super fans. People who don't just take your class, but become advocates, connectors, and the heartbeat of your fitness community.

Kimberly/terry (00:59)
Hey Difference Maker, welcome back to Group X Appeal where fitness leaders rise. I'm Kimberly Spreen Glick And I'm Terry Shorter. And in today's episode, we're talking about something that transforms a class into a movement, your tribe. This is for the instructors who want more than just good attendance. And for the participants who know there's something really special about the class where you feel like you truly belong. So why does this ⁓ episode matter? You know, I think that

We talked about in the last episode, the importance of creating a class experience. Well, at the end of the day, the reason we want to create a class experience that is unforgettable is because we want to build a strong tribe. We want to build this community of people who are connected, who are lifting each other up, who are holding each other lovingly accountable. Because at the end of the day, when we do that, it becomes a fulfilling experience for us as instructors, for the participants, and it helps them sustain long-term changes in their.

Lifestyle, you know when we are part of a community part of something bigger than ourselves We live healthier happier lives and so we get to be a catalyst for that through of all things Group X classes imagine that how cool is that? It's awesome. So so we got to talk about building our tribe. Absolutely and You know from a fitness facility standpoint, we talked about that as well

retention is an important factor for any facility, whether it's a small mom and pop studio, to the biggest ⁓ box chain gyms or clubs or studios. It doesn't matter. ⁓ Group X is the soul of any facility that has it. Absolutely. And then for the instructor, for you, of course, if you're listening as an instructor, your tribe helps to amplify your brand, helps you get out there. And you become, I guess, what you would call a brand ambassador.

And so we'll talk about, you know, some of the ways, some of the strategies that, ⁓ that you can take to build that tribe, you know, bigger, stronger, better than ever before, which I think in turn is going to help make your, your job feel that much more meaningful. Yeah. Cause I think that we, as instructors, what do we want more than anything? We want to make a positive impact on people's lives. And so as we build our tribe and we, we.

cultivate a larger community, it's just more and more opportunity to pour into and to uplift more people.

purpose and of course implementing some of these strategies will ⁓ I think really foster longevity too in your fitness career as a pro. So let's jump in. Let's do it. You want to start or am I starting? Yeah, I'll start. All right. Yeah. What you got? Well, we've got five tips total. And the first one that I'd like to share with you is just create some kind of

know, a good word for it might be like a ritual, but just a culture within the classes you teach. And it could be that you start the class with like a signature greeting, or maybe it's like a word or a quote of the day, or maybe you end the class with some kind of signature quote or mantra. And we did talk about in the last episode how I end my classes with an affirmation. All of my fitness classes in yoga, I actually end with a blessing. And so ⁓ it just becomes part of the experience that

builds a culture that people can feel connected to and when people are connected to a culture, they tend to ⁓ be more connected to each other and then you kind of grow from there. Absolutely. ⁓

you're a long time listener of this podcast, of Group X Appeal, at the end of every single class, or every single episode rather, we have something that we say we're not gonna share right now, see if you catch it. So let us know down below once you- I say that at end of all my classes too, yep. So, you know, some of the other things that I like doing in my classes. ⁓

I'll ask anybody, you know, as soon as like, let's say a brand new month starts, let's say August 1st, I'll start by saying any August babies, any August birthdays in the house, you know, I love when people raise their hands excitedly or anniversaries to any anniversaries coming up. So that gets people engaged, gets them involved, gets them excited. And they, that's great. They love the playfulness. another key strategy, talked a little bit about this in the last episode, an episode 48.

⁓ Name your people and I'm not just saying not only don't call them names. I mean, yeah, you don't want to keep your job. Yeah, but know the names of your people, but also give your tribe perhaps a fun name. Give your crew an identity. Yeah, right. So you have your what do you have your class on Monday morning? Monday's Monday Warriors. Okay.

Yeah, because they show up on a Monday morning and it's kickboxing and strength training. So they're ready to go. Yeah, I love it. it. ripped classes. It's ripped family. So in my cycling class, it's a high vibe tribe. Love it. So yeah.

give them some fun names that they can feel like they're a part of. Again, that identity, because again, like Kimberly said earlier, people really wanna be a part of something and wanna belong to something that has shared values and shared energy. That one always is fun to play with. And I'd say another great tip for just being able to build a strong community, a strong tribe is to be approachable. Being approachable as opposed to

creating any kind of hierarchy. So when you create a hierarchy, like I'm the leader, you are the follower, that never plays out well in the long run. just doesn't last. You're not creating the kind of connection that people ultimately feel fulfilled by and want to keep coming back for. So be approachable. Obviously, in class, in person, if people want to come up to you and ask questions or share with you, you want to be able to welcome that. And then for those of you that are on social media,

Maybe on social media use that platform to be able to share ⁓ the class, of course, but maybe any kind of ⁓ wins that you want to celebrate or updates about the class, you know, ⁓ what's coming for a soon to be class. Like I know with you doing themes and classes, sometimes you'll throw a shout out. For example, every Halloween in his dance jam, they do the Thriller dance. And I'll notice on his social media, he'll put that the Thriller dance is coming and it just,

It gives people something to, know, news to share and something to look forward to. So making yourself accessible, obviously in class, in the facility where you teach. And then if you happen to be in the social media world, not saying you have to be, but if you are, be accessible there too. And just connection is what builds relationships. Relationships are what build community. So, ⁓ one of the fun things that, ⁓ that tend to work in

people like to participate in. I'll ask, you know, at the end of class, hey, if you have questions, comments, feedback, or song requests, there's a song, favorite song that you'd love to hear in one of these classes, please let me know. And that gives them that sense of ⁓ kind of like co-creation. So that's always a fun one to do as well.

And it's also, it exposes me to music perhaps that I would have never listened to. Or certainly never used. Right. Yeah. So it happens. It definitely sparked your creativity when you hear a song that's never knew we could cycle to a country song, but we did. We've done it. It works. It does work. so, know, because of that, as an instructor, that also, I think broadens your range as an instructor. Um, so, you know, don't be afraid to, to include, you know, people's, um, you

their creative input.

It's kind fun to play with. Yeah, it's a great, it's a great tip. So, which is the, next tip, which is just involving people. Yeah. It was like foreshadowing. It was really fantastic. It was well played. I like that. So by, you know, letting them suggest the songs, ⁓ another thing you can do, maybe have them vote on a theme day. yeah. For example, my one that's coming up this Friday, ⁓ I'm doing a dance, some choreography to the BG staying alive. my gosh. So guess what everybody wants to do on Friday? They want to dress.

Oh yes! That's awesome. So yeah, not just Thriller. We do that in Thriller too in October. The last Friday of October, this is running out 11 years now, the last Friday of October after they've learned the dance, after I've taught it for the entire month, on the last Friday they all dress up, you know, their favorite Halloween costume. That's awesome. With a good taste though. Yes, of course. I love that.

So gotta keep it fun, right? Yeah. So, and again, what that does is just makes the experience feel co-created. Yeah, they just, they're involved. People like to, you we've mentioned it a few times now, they want to feel like they're part of something bigger. So when you involve them in the experience, it's just a win. So huge tip here, ⁓ appreciation. ⁓ that's a good one. know, whenever we can live,

in a state of appreciation. mean, that's about the highest vibe there is love and appreciation are the two highest vibes out there. So show appreciation, appreciation for the people in your class, whether that's through shout outs during class, maybe do member of the month, or maybe you actually do handwritten thank you cards like that. That would be, that would be pretty out of the ordinary in these days and times, which would be pretty amazing or birthday cards or something like that. It just depends on the scenario you're in. But also

having clear appreciation for what you get to do in your role as an instructor. Because I promise you this, the people who are experiencing your instruction, your class, they will be able to tell if you feel like you have to be there and it's a job, or if you get to be there and it's something that you've been looking forward to since you got out of bed that morning. ⁓

have an appreciation for the people who are taking time out of their day, doing whatever they need to do, knocking whatever they need to knock off their to-do list, carving out the time, dealing with maybe the traffic or the parking, whatever it is they needed to do to get there to be in your class, have appreciation for that and have appreciation for the fact that you get to be this role model whose job, whose passion, hopefully,

is to uplift other people and help them live healthier, happier lives. Like what's not to appreciate about that, right? And when you show up feeling like that, people can feel that and that will spread like wildfire and more people want to be around that kind of energy. I know I always want to be around that kind of energy. It's one of the reasons I love your classes so much. Same. stop it. Oh, go on, go on for longer.

Yeah, so I think showing the appreciation for your participants is super key.

showing the appreciation for our opportunity and chance to do what we do. ⁓ You know, one of the things I love doing with social media, it's a cool thing that we can do as well. You can show appreciation to the facility for having you as a team member by posting your classes, posting those results that maybe someone's proud, one of your members is excited about and tagging that facility as well. So they know what kind of community you're

building there at their facility and that you care. Yeah. One of the things I've been doing at the end of class as well is just reminding them, you know, since we're speaking about community, about tribe, reminding them we are stronger together. I thank them every time I say thank you for being here because you being here matters. Because when you show up to one of these classes, you're lending your energy to the whole and it makes us all better.

that like join energy, like we're so much stronger than any of us could be on our own. So by definition, we are stronger together. So I just remind them to keep showing up because it does matter. so, yeah, huge appreciation for that. I love it. So, I mean, at the end of the day, people, when they walk in the door for the workout, but

They walk in the door for the workout, but they stay for the people. Yeah. Right. That's you. Yeah. Hello. They really do. They stay for how you make them feel and the tribe they become a part of. Right. Yeah. Those relationships and connections they make. keep in mind, instructors, leaders, difference makers, you are the heartbeat of that community. So don't just teach the moves. Cultivate the culture. Start small, stay consistent. Your tribe will grow stronger than you ever imagined.

And to our participants who may be listening, you are part of this magic. Your smile, your energy, your support of the others in class alongside you, it matters. So keep showing up. Yes. And so if this episode gave you ideas or reminded you how special your community is.

take a screenshot please and tag us at group X appeal on social media platforms and tell us about your tribe. What's the name, the vibe, what's the ritual and let's celebrate the communities that make group X appeal unforgettable. Yeah, group X is unforgettable ⁓ because it is more than a class. I mean, it's a connection and together we're not just moving, we're belonging because we get to belong to each other and that's a beautiful thing. Absolutely.

So that's it for us today. I'm Terry shorter and Kimberly spring click and as always we wish you an Incredible day today. my because it is an incredible day to have