Ultimate Mind/Body Five years ago, yoga made its move, stepped out from
the crowd, and, today, VAC conducts more than 20 classes, in a number of different formats, each week, and, depend- ing on the season, up to 50% of its members take advantage of them. (Vail has a strong tradition of outdoor exercise, so, depending on the time of year, VAC’s membership fluctu- ates between 600 and 900.) All of the sessions are included within the $100-per-month membership. Between November 2005 and November 2010, the
average number of weekly participants in yoga classes skyrocketed by 74%. “Even with the recession, a development that necessi-
tated changes to a lot of our programming, yoga remained resilient,” reports Smith. “It’s now our strongest offering.” So what changed? How did VAC manage to transform
its program from “average” to “exemplary”? What happened was that the club decided to give yoga
the attention it deserved, and to invest in the expertise, staffing, and other resources required to make it a winner.
Expertise essential
When Smith stepped into her current role nearly six years ago, she quickly realized two things: “You can’t simply throw yoga on a schedule and expect it to be a success,” she says, “and I didn’t know a lot about it… I enjoyed practicing yoga, but I was just an enthusiast, and that wasn’t enough. I wasn’t able to be analytical or critical. So I’d think things like, ‘Oh, you seem like a good teacher—I guess.’”
“EVEN WITH THE RECESSION, A DEVELOPMENT THAT NECESSITATED CHANGES TO A LOT OF OUR PROGRAM- MING, YOGA REMAINED RESILIENT. IT’S NOW OUR STRONGEST OFFERING.”
She was, she concedes, operating blindly. That began to change, however, when a talented and
experienced yoga instructor who’d been unsuccessful oper- ating her own studio, approached VAC about a possible partnership. “That served as sort of the catapult for us,” explains Smith. “She brought her clients with her, but, more importantly, she brought her knowledge. She helped us to define and position ourselves as a specialized yoga studio that happens to be located in an athletic club—rather than merely a club that happens to offer yoga.” That person is no longer with VAC, but the lesson she
taught hasn’t been lost. It’s critical, Smith attests, to have a veteran yoga professional in charge of the department. “Find someone to help,” she suggests, “because you really don’t know enough to do it right.” Today, that responsibility falls to Rachel Nelson, a longtime VAC
38 Club Business Internat ional | MAY 2011 | www.
ihrsa.org
instructor who’s now its yoga studio coordinator. Nelson is a Yoga Alliance-certified teacher, is AcroYoga-certified, and has studied Baptiste Power Vinyasa yoga and trained at the Chopra Center. Vinyasa yoga, a format introduced by Nelson, has
given VAC a specialty product that’s tailored to the inter- ests of local residents and helps differentiate it in the marketplace. Though the club offers a variety of forms of yoga, Vinyasa, “a flowing, more-athletic routine,” has become the studio’s signature style. Given the sports- oriented nature of the area, with activities such as skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer, the decision to highlight Vinyasa was a “no-brainer,” observes Smith. “Many of our students are recreational athletes,” she
says. “They prefer a more aggressive approach. This is a good fit, and it’s proven very popular.” Nelson recommends that other clubs adopt approaches
that are most appealing to their unique clientele. “That way, you can, potentially, become the best at it in your community,” she says. “So, for example, if someone is looking for a great Vinyasa class in Vail—VAC is the obvious choice.”
Skilled staff required
Expertise at the top is essential, but well-educated instructors with highly honed skills are also crucial to ensuring excellent service and a successful program. At VAC, that involves identifying, hiring, coaching, and constantly reviewing the performance of qualified indi- viduals. Those tasks fall, by and large, to Nelson, who prefers to grow teachers from within the club, grooming students so they can eventually step into the role. But, no matter where prospects come from or what
backgrounds they have, all of them face an audition. “Applicants always teach a regularly scheduled class,” notes Nelson. “This lets me see how they interact with members; typically, 15-20 attend an average session. This also provides me with an opportunity to see how candidates react under pressure.” Smith, who, along with Nelson, decides whom will be
retained, explains, “We look for depth of understanding in terms of sequencing, the ability to offer modifications, and genuine concern for clients. Creativity is also impor- tant,” she points out. “Can a prospect, for instance, create 10 different class profiles, so that, if a member partici- pates every day, the instructor will still be able to provide them with an original experience?” VAC currently employs nine teachers, who conduct
1-6 classes per week, and are paid fees ranging from $25 to $50 per session. “I require a lot of my teachers,” admits Nelson. “You
can’t just come in, teach, and then leave. You have to be an involved, contributing member of our team.” Part of belonging to Nelson’s squad involves “practicing what you preach.” Instructors attend one another’s classes regularly, and, afterward, at monthly meetings, share
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114