“Each one of our class- es is every-changing, so people never know what’s coming up next in the routine.”
Amber Adams The Social Club
prevent injuries and to reinforce good technique,” says Adams. With so many classes and the con-
stant changes, an outsider might think subbing would be an issue. Not so, says Adams, who ensures multiple people are trained for each class and piece of group exercise equipment. Instructors also familiarize themselves with each other’s programs so they’re prepared to deliver a great sub class if required. At the City of Markham community
centres, in Markham, Ontario, its tradi- tional classes are also jam-packed. “We love to do our own group fit-
ness development so we can have control and respond to what our cli- ent base wants,” says Carol Manning, community program supervisor for Markham East and who oversees 40 instructors teaching unique classes, such as BOSU and You, Cardio Salsa, and Piloga. “We always have lots of ideas coming from our instructors who are incredibly creative, inspired and committed. They all have 15 to 20 years experience, so they don’t need the support of a licensed program.”
Instructor-choreographed step classes continue to draw a crowd at the Fitwell’s for Women clubs in B.C.
Licensed Programs Deliver a No-Surprises Experience In contrast to the traditional-style
classes, licensing organizations believe that a standardized approach is the ul- timate way to create safe and effective group classes that truly deliver. In 1999, kickboxing instructor Ross
O'Donnell noticed a sudden surge of fitness instructors jumping on the martial arts bandwagon. He was alarmed to see many of them putting themselves and their clients at risk by using focus pads improperly and teaching poor technique. “At that time, martial arts clubs
taught relatively unstructured classes,”
says O’Donnell, who today operates Fitness Kickboxing Canada, which has 42 course conductors and almost 4,000 certified instructors. According to O’Donnell, historically,
top students were shifted into instruc- tor roles where they learned to instruct by simply observing their teachers. Alternatively, and like many licensed programs, O’Donnell’s approach is all about teaching proper form in a step- by-step approach. “We find that people will come back
to a martial arts program only when there’s a structured program that makes them feel confident and compe- tent,” says O’Donnell. Another major plus of licensed
programs is brand recognition, says Jaime Gateman, a hosting manager for YogaFit, a yoga instructor licensing program. “The YogaFit name and brand give
immediate strength to a club’s yoga program,” says Gateman. “We’ve been
“Repeating the same choreography over several weeks gives people a measuring vehicle to chart their progress.”
Town of Ajax participants show off the Ripstix used in their Pound class, a licensed program recently introduced to Canada.
Al Greene Mayfair Tennis and Racquet Clubs
November/December 2015 Fitness Business Canada 25 »
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