80: What Makes People Fall In Love With Group Fitness?

Think back to your very first group fitness class. What made you nervous? What made you stay? And most importantly—what made you come back again and again? 

In this heartfelt episode of Group X Appeal, Kimberly and Terry explore the magical moments that transform first-time participants into lifelong group fitness devotees.

From the instant someone walks through the door to the final moments of class, discover the specific experiences that create belonging, build confidence, and spark joy. 

Tune in to learn why some classes feel unforgettable while others are quickly forgotten—and what instructors (and participants!) can do to create those game-changing moments in every single session.

Whether you're an instructor seeking to deepen student loyalty or a fitness enthusiast who's ever wondered why you can't miss your favorite class, this conversation reveals the psychology and heart behind what makes group fitness truly life-changing. Spoiler: it's rarely about the choreography.

What was your "aha moment" in group fitness? When did you realize you belonged?

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - @groupxappeal.

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

Get your FREE Guide To Holistic Well-Being here: https://gxaguide.com/

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

Think back to the very first group fitness class you ever took. And what made you come back again and again and again? Today we're talking about the moments people fall in love with group fitness.

Kimberly/terry (00:49)
Hey there, welcome back to Group X Appeal. My name is Kimberly Spreen Glick and I'm here with. Terry Shorter. Hey, we're so glad that you are with us because we are talking about the moments that people fall in love with group fitness. Not just the moment. No, not the moment. Several. There are several moments when it can happen. I mean, let's face it, you people walk into their first class. I can absolutely relate to this. When I worked into my first class, it was a jazzercise class. was 18 years old.

And I felt all the things I felt nervous. felt unsure. I was wildly intimidated. And I think a lot of people feel that way. I certainly did as well for sure. But something happens during a great class, right? And you laugh, you sweat, you perhaps feel supported, right? Not just by the instructor, but other people around you in the room as well. By the community. Suddenly you realize you've found something special. Yeah.

And understanding those moments really helps instructors create classes that, know, first time folks, they basically turn into lifelong participants. Definitely. So let's talk about some of those moments. The moments. Can I kick it off today? Yeah, kick it off today. And we also want to know if any of these moments you can relate to. definitely.

So the first moment I think that it's like a magic, we'll call them magical moments. Could you say magical moments in one of your voices? Magical moments. Oh my. Yeah. So the first magical moment would be just the moment when you feel welcome. know, Terry kind of alluded to this earlier, but it's that moment that you walk in, whether it's the instructor or other members of the community, it's that first smile, that first greeting.

that can change someone's entire experience. So as instructors and those of us that are participants in classes, if we can remember that, when it's people coming in for the first time, if we could be the one that makes them feel welcome, that's a magical moment that will make them fall in love with group fitness for the long haul. For sure. And that's one of the basic human needs, right? Feeling included, belonging, right? So.

right out of the gates. And we shared in the last episode, episode number 79, ⁓ for those instructors that kind of create, ⁓ you know, an exceptional experience, walking through the door and greeting that person for the very first time, finding out their names, so on and so forth. Check out that episode. We talked about that. So feeling welcome is paramount. So important, right? And then also one of those other magical moments. And this is, I remember this, it was for me, you know, realizing, my gosh,

can do this. I can do this. This must've been made for me. Right? So when participants feel or discover that they're stronger than they thought, they're in it to win it for the longterm. And I do remember it was a turbo kick with Shalene Johnson. I walked in there very, very intimidated. Like Kimberly was talking about before how she felt when she walked into a Jazzercise. I felt the same way. I walked in at first and I was like,

very unsure, very nervous. ⁓ But as soon as the music turned on and we got moving, I had this sense of success pretty much out of the gate. And I thought, my gosh, I can really do this. They like me, they really like me. And I think whether it's out of the gate or at least just by the end of the experience, you feel like you've accomplished something, you're successful. That moment of going from, I'm not sure I can do this, to I did it and I am capable.

I mean, that's magic for sure. is. feels so good. Definitely. You know what else feels good? And it's magical. me. Laughter. Yeah. I know it's shocking that we would talk about laughter. I mean, personally laughter is like air, I think for both of us, just as human beings. But think about it in a class setting and that experience to, you know, have a joy breakout.

Amongst, amongst the community, out of nowhere. mean, talk about something that breaks tension and builds connection. Yeah. Laughter during the workout, whether it is because the instructor told a joke or there's just some, someone made a mistake and then we make, are able to make light of it and have fun with it. Laughter. Let, let joy erupt at any moment and be the, be the instigator of joy in your classes. If you're, whether you're an instructor or participant.

without being disruptive, of course. But be the instigator of joy, create that laughter, and you will create a moment that will cause people to fall in love with group fitness and never, never wanna miss another class. And I think ⁓ having that ability to not take ourselves too seriously, whether we're an instructor and as a participant, we can't take ourselves too seriously. ⁓ Yes, the word is workout, right?

Truly, it's playtime. It's time to enjoy ourselves. It's time to let loose. It's time to unwind, right? To de-stress perhaps. And so, and when we add that laughter or that's at least the smile, at least smile during a workout, ⁓ there is research, there are studies that have shown when you smile, you burn like a hundred extra calories too. So imagine when you laugh, how many more you burn. And it's core work. ⁓ You can't laugh without your core. I just felt it.

There it is. There it is again.

Yes, laughter is medicine for sure. So, ⁓ so don't be afraid to do it. ⁓ you know, another one is feeling part of something, you know, that's a magical moment too. And you again, it's kind of like that inclusion thing again, right? The group energy creates belonging. Right. one of the things that, ⁓ that I, I've made a habit in my classes is before we start,

As I'm getting the playlist going, I'll encourage people, hey, turn to someone that you haven't met before. Introduce yourself. Just say hi. High five. Fist bump. Head bump. I don't care. Just big hugs. don't know. Air kisses. Just acknowledge the person next to you, someone that you've never met before. That helps immediately lighten up, not only lighten up the room, but also it makes people feel immediately like they're part of something, like they're part of the community, like they're supposed to be there.

I think our first tip was talking about making sure people feel welcome. And I think that that's one way to start on the path of feeling like they're part of something. But it's one thing, I think, to feel accepted. Like, it's OK that I'm here, but it's another level to feel like I am part of this community. And they would miss me if I'm not here next week. That's huge. Yeah, they will miss me they will tell me that I should have been there. I mean, how cool is it when the other participants for instructors listening,

when other participants hold each other accountable. So you don't have to. absolutely. It's called job security too. Right. Right. And then another magical moment is that simple feeling at the end of class when people feel better than when the class began. I mean, the, the, concept of, I wish I hadn't taken that class. I think as thought by no one ever, because always by the end of the workout.

physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, spiritually. Like there's a transformation. I've never, I certainly had a hard time getting into a workout. think we could all probably kind of resonate with that. What am I doing here? Why did I show up? I should have stayed in bed. but, but I don't think any of us have gotten to the end of a class, the end of the workout with all of these other magical moments as part of it and said, ⁓ man, I wish I hadn't come to class today. No. One of the things I asked class at the end,

or I'll ask for a response and say, if you feel better than you felt an hour ago, let me know. And they'll just woohoo. And it's just that moment of magic where it's like, we're all acknowledging that we're better. We're stronger than we were an hour ago. We feel better than we felt an hour ago, myself as the instructor included. Like we're part of this too. That is a powerful, magical moment. Yes. And there's many more, I'm sure. And you know, it's about that moment when someone realizes that they belong in the room.

Right? That's when group fitness becomes life-changing. That's what keeps people coming back. 100%. And as instructors and participants, we all play a role in creating that experience together. For sure. And so let us know if there's any other magical moments that you've experienced, both either as an instructor or a participant.

What do those look like? When did you have that aha moment perhaps? When did you feel that sense of, my gosh, this is amazing. I love group fitness and kept bringing you back. ⁓ Or if you think about your favorite class, what is it? What is it that brings you back over and over again? Yeah, for sure. it one of these things or is it something different? Share.

Yeah, we'd love to know and so we appreciate you as always joining in we really encourage you and would appreciate it means the world to us when you leave a review you share this with your friend you tell everybody about group X appeal because we're truly here to help help you and others live happier healthier lives and and by sharing you're doing the same. Absolutely.

So thank you so much for tuning in. We look forward to continue to being of service. Let us know if there are any topics you want us to cover. We've definitely covered some topics based on questions we've received and requests we've had. So we want to continue showing up for you. Absolutely. And so until next time, as always, I'm Terry Shorter. I'm Kimberly Spreen Glick. And we encourage you to make it a fantastic day. And why, Kimberly? well, it is a fantastic day to have. Yes, it is. Take care. Peace Much love.