Spokes: Camilla Sunner, Chief Commercial Officer UK/Europe, for Xplor Technologies
Would you go to a salon if you didn’t like the hairdresser who worked there?
This is the lens through which we should view our fitness instructors. As a service-based industry, the quality of our individual instructors, and how they function as part of a team, is not only vital to the success of the fitness club, but to genuinely improving the health outcomes – both mental and physical – of gym goers.
2020 saw the fitness industry upended. As gyms and fitness clubs closed their doors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, fitness fanatics turned their bedrooms and living rooms into makeshift workout areas. In parallel, technology took on a much more prominent role in the daily workout routines of the nation. And while many fitness instructors quickly shifted to remote, Zoom-based sessions, new competition emerged from alternative digital platforms, with pre-recorded or live streamed workouts, separating instructors from their beloved – and typically loyal – customers.
Adapting to change
While this trend continued into early 2021, with lockdown starting to ease, gym goers are more than ever recognising the value of personalised engagement from instructors who can truly keep them accountable. Indeed, according to new research from Xplor Technologies, the number one reason people were dissatisfied with their lockdown fitness routine, was due to a lack of motivation (41%). 32% miss the social element of the gym experience, while additionally, 16% of people missed a specific class or instructor and 17% missed the challenge that the gym setting offers. The service of providing tailored classes or personal instruction, where instructors can marry up their specific skills and specialisms to match an individual’s unique needs or goals, does not have a digital comparison.
Put simply, while a gym’s reputation or latest equipment may get people through the door initially, it is the instructors that keep them coming back.
The power of technology
That’s not to say we can disregard the importance of a digital offering altogether. We know many gyms would not have survived without turning to online programmes during COVID-19. And similarly, many members would have simply abandoned their fitness ambitions.
We should consider technology as part of an integrated approach in the fitness ecosystem. For the time being, online classes remain an essential alternative to the in-person experience. But come 17th May (with luck), they will continue to provide a supplementary offering, especially for those that still may not feel comfortable attending a group class in person. For those that are ready and eager to head back, online programmes and services can be used for value-added additions – building on the time people spend in the gym – whether that be nutritional advice and meal plans, additional exercise, low-intensity stretches, or a relaxing yoga class.
It would also be remiss to not appreciate the many apps and technologies that provide instructors an avenue to focus on their true skills rather than dealing with the class bookings administration that comes with the role of working in gyms or fitness clubs. From rostering to class schedules, there are now technologies that ensure fitness instructors can spend more time doing what they do best – improving the health and wellness of members.
The gift that keeps giving
With instructors able to focus on motivating, inspiring and retaining members, and services that allow intuitive booking, membership and payment, the process for a modern day fitness club or leisure centre is frictionless.
Now more than ever, we’ve come to recognise the true value in the instructor-client relationship. No individual’s fitness experience is the same, and building a relationship with one’s instructor allows for a nurturing and adaptive programme, where you can grow together; learn together; meet and exceed goals together; and, together, display vulnerability and growth.
Experienced Group Fitness Instructor of 29 years, Diana West, comments on the elements that make group exercise so appealing – for both parties: “The best thing about teaching group exercise is the sense of community, especially seeing how participants feel united in and gain confidence from the euphoria of the music and my motivation, alongside like-minded individuals. Most participants come back time and again because they need the encouragement of the instructor. And sharing the workout with friends and like-minded people gives many people an experience that is so much more than just a gym workout.”
They say never underestimate the power of a good haircut, but really what we’re saying is never underestimate the power of a good hairdresser. The same can certainly be said for our fitness instructors!
