INSTRUCTOR QualificationsA qualified instructor will have vast knowledge of safety and injury prevention, safety tips, alignment, breathing, form, modifications, intensity. A professional instructor should also be knowledgeable in anatomy, exercise physiology, exercise principles, first aid, monitoring and managing class, and be CPR certified. Instructors have many opportunities for ongoing training and continuing education. Most experienced instructors will have certification in general or special fitness classes.Continuing Education and CertificationACECommunication TIPSSpeak clearly and loudly with cues and directions that are easy to follow. Explain each exercise in several ways, illustrate or point with your hands.Demonstrate beginner and advanced modifications. Explain the benefits and muscles worked for each exercise. Remember to thank everyone for coming to class. Start on time, finish on time. Enthusiasm counts!! Routines should be creative, easily followed, safe, within performance level of all class participants. Routines should change often enough to prevent boredom. MAINTAINING FITNESS Once a given fitness level is attained, either duration or frequency can be reduced by up to two-thirds. If intensity is maintained, there will be no loss to conditioning. |
Managing a GroupIntroduce yourself to the class. New people would like to know your name and a brief history of your teaching experience. Greet new members and inquire about medical conditions/ exercise experience. Have they ever taken any of your classes before? Have they had this type of class before? Have they had any classes ever? Give suggestions and tips for your class before starting (i.e. new Step people can do exercise on floor if on bench is too challenging). Answer questions regarding exercise and fitness before and after class.Music SafetyStyle, speed, and volume must be considered if you choose to use music. Some specialty music might be more appreciated by some groups more than others. Make sure you use music that designed for safe performance of the moves. General guidelines are: 120-124 beats per minute for Step and 136-148 for low impact aerobics. The slower beats are better for teaching Beginners classes. Music is optional for some types of exercise. Instructors already compete with bad acoustics at indoor pools and planes and other noise pollutants at outdoor pools. General atmosphere must be considered. It’s better for new students to hear the instructions and save the instructor’s voice from straining during all the extra explaining. Sometimes a class full of regular students would need the extra boost of an entertaining tape. Downbeat and Upbeat Choreography In professionally created fitness music the songs are designed to support and help the instructor. The songs are created with 8 beat or 32 count “phrases.” If you were marching, every footfall is a beat. Alternating feet as marching does, you would step 4 times on each foot in an eight count. The foot that steps first is called the lead foot. For a well balanced class you should alternate which foot is doing the leading on your moves. The first beat (that the lead foot starts) on is called the “downbeat.” The second beat is an “up beat.” In an eight count there are 4 downbeats and 4 upbeats. Some choreography has the main action on the down beat, and other choreography has the main action on the up beat. An example of the upbeat choreography is a kick or knee lift. To kick with your right leg you first have to step onto your left leg. The physical action is step-KICK, whereas the march on the downbeat is STEP-step. Pay attention to your music and see if some songs fit better with different types of choreography. See if you can pick out the downbeat and upbeat and see if that’s why some moves fit and some don’t. |