Equipment – Group Fitness
The Science of Stretching Before Your Workout: Help or Hinder?
For years, athletes and fitness enthusiasts were told to hold long stretches before exercise to “loosen up” and prevent injury. Recent research, however, suggests that the type of stretching matters…
The Bender Ball™: The Crunch-less Core
Leslee Bender has been a leader in the fitness industry for over four decades and was a pioneer in creative functional training, even in the early years of its development….
A Career Path for Pilates Instructors in 2025
With 8.6 million participants, Pilates is the fastest-growing exercise activity in the United States, according to a recent report from the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (Rovell 2010). The 2010 IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Trends report found that 90% of facilities represented in the survey offer Pilates, up from 63% in 2002 (Schroeder 2010). What’s more, many facilities provide both group and private training, as well as fusion formats (e.g., Pilates-yoga). So it’s not surprising that Pilates instructors today have many career options.
How to Become a Yoga Teacher in 2025
If you are enthusiastic about yoga and have seen its transformative effect in your own life, it’s natural to want to share that with others. And if you are comfortable in front of a group but also know how to connect one-on-one, teaching yoga may be a perfect fit.
Pilates and Yoga Instructor Salary and Compensation Guide
Pilates or Yoga Instructors: Job Description & Stats
Pilates or yoga instructors teach classes and have specialized training in yoga or Pilates
Source: 2010 IDEA Fitness Industry Compensation Trends Report
Yoga and Low Impact Exercise Helps Older Women with Incontinence
Incontinence is one of the most common health issues for women as they age. Yoga and low impact exercise for at least 12 weeks significantly reduced incontinence episodes, according to…
Class Essentials
What “go-to” items and class essentials do you keep in your backpack or duffle bag? What’s in your professional instructor “kit” and why?
HIIT Cycling With a Side of Strength
A well-rounded program includes cardio and resistance training, so how do you bridge the gap? Try HIIT cycling with strength.
Pilates Training Is a Game-Changer
Strong evidence shows that Pilates training is an effective conditioning method for healthy individuals, particularly those wanting to increase core stability. Furthermore, Pilates can be a game-changer for athletes. Benefits…
A New Meeting of Mind, Body and Soul
Here’s a peek into that world where the mind can explore new ways of approaching classic formats; where your imagination can stretch along with your body; and where your spirit can soar through pure and powerful inspiration that nourishes the soul.
Indoor Cycling by Science
There you sit, spinning your mental wheels, trying to create a successful indoor cycling workout . . . again. What if you had an easy-to-follow template that would empower you to design effective, fun classes and get results week after week, ride after ride? These programming formulas can easily be adapted to cardio indoor cycling classes, using the four-step system described here.
Overpronation in Fitness Classes
Overpronation is a fairly common problem among many fitness enthusiasts, including the ones who take your classes.
Creating a Fitness Class Family
As group exercise instructors, we can get wrapped up in creating
choreography, choosing music, cuing effectively and teaching proper
technique. While all these aspects are important, we sometimes lose
sight of the overall picture and miss the opportunity to connect with
participants.
Fitness Classes for Everyone
Fitness classes abound and it has never been easier for movement-hungry people to find a workout experience that appeals to them.
Small Exercise Equipment for Big Impact
Whether you’re instructing virtually or in person, small exercise equipment still tops the list of effective do-anywhere, use-anytime tools.
How To Create a Workout Community
As we return to the group exercise studio, it’s good to remember how a workout community not only brings us together, but helps us thrive.
Sample Class: Band Blast!
If you want to keep participants engaged and challenged, this high-energy class will do the trick. Break out the exercise bands and add targeted strength moves to high-intensity intervals. This format includes three phases, each consisting of one Tabata round followed by four resistance exercises. Bands are safe, easy to use and portable, making this a great class to offer in any location.
Add Competition to Boost Benefits of Wearables
If you use wearables with clients, consider adding competitive challenges to improve results. University of Pennsylvania and Deloitte Consulting LLP researchers found that simply giving wearables to people in the workplace did not increase physical activity; the key was to add fun and competition.
Virtual Reality and Indoor Cycling
Indoor cyclists who wore virtual-reality headsets experienced less leg-muscle pain during brief, high-intensity intervals than cyclists who wore headsets showing static images, according to a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2019; 51 [10], 2088–97).