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Dance-Based

Exercise/Class Formats

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Exercise/Class Formats

Ballet, Body Control and Balance

Do you have clients who want to improve their balance and body control? Encourage them to try ballet. A study published in the Journal of Neurophysiology (2015; doi: 10.1152/jn.00758.2015) found that individuals who regularly practiced the dance form had better muscle coordination.

Creative Ideas That Inspire

At several City Surf Fitness locations in Texas and Louisiana,

City Surf

offers participants the benefits of surfing—even though there aren’t any waves nearby. According to the website, the class is taught on SURFSET® RipSurfer X boards and features “fun surf-inspired movements, utilizing surfer-specific muscle groups.” Classes are open to every fitness level, and instructors provide modifications for more or less intensity.

Creative Ideas That Inspire

While not exclusive to men, Yo-Bro YOGA at RIO Pilates & Yoga
Studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is a high-energy class that allows
practitioners to explore their physical limits. Catering to the
masculine energies of both men and women, the program offers
techniques for strength building and endurance—as well as opportunities
for arm balances and inversions. Participants are rewarded for their
efforts with craft beer at the end of class.

Creative Ideas That Inspire

At multiple locations throughout the country, Equinox offers

The Pursuit,

an indoor cycling experience that combines video game technology and visuals to create a competitive and interactive ride. There are two class options available—

Burn,

which aims for maximum calorie expenditure, and

Build,

suited for cyclists who focus on distance and endurance.

Sample Class: 3-2-1 Kick!

Are you ready to mix up your martial arts moves? 3-2-1 Kick! is an interval kickboxing class that integrates cardio, strength and core work. In each round of the work phase, innovative cardio kickboxing combinations, martial arts–inspired strength work and core moves are performed in quick intervals to keep participants engaged, motivated and challenged.

3-2-1 Kick! Details

Goal/Emphasis: total-body kickboxing interval training workout

Time: approximately 45 minutes

Equipment: dumbbells, stability balls and mats

Should You Freestyle or Prestyle?

Are you having problems deciding whether to jump on the prechoreographed workout bandwagon or stick with the more traditional “freestyle” method of teaching? Let’s look at both.

A Formula for Fitness & Fun

Millions of people around the world participate in prechoreographed group fitness programs. The popularity of these classes can’t be ignored, and the instructors must be doing something right. A debate is currently waging as to which instructors are better—those leading the prechoreographed programs or the die-hard “freestylers.” While prechoreographed content may garner differences of opinion,…

Sample Class: 3, 2, 1 Dance

So you think you can’t dance? You don’t need to be a professional dancer to teach a fun, heart-pumping, soul-soaring dance-based class. If you can walk, you can dance—it takes three easy moves. The only differences are style and a touch of attitude. Also, if you don’t believe that you can dance, how can you instill confidence in your students? If you help them believe that they can dan…

Real-World Step

It’s the first day of the convention, and you walk into th…

The “Perform or Create” Continuum…

Group fitness instructor #1 picks out a favorite step CD, thinks of a few base choreography patterns on the way to the club, and then teaches a freestyle class that h…

Building Socialization Into Choreography

Creative choreography is both an art and a science. It can even act as a catalyst for social connections in older-adult classes. As participants age, developing new friendships can be…

Make Progress With Breakdowns & Progressions

This article is based on a workshop I present with Isabelle Guay, the group exercise coordinator at FitCity for Women near Vancouver, British Columbia. We started this workshop to help…

Dial-A-Combo: Creating Choreography

Brand-new or laden with experience, group fitness instructors all around the globe face a common challenge: creating fresh choreography. This need may be fueled by our personal expectations and preferences…

Dial-a-Combo

Brand-new or laden with experience, group fitness instructors all around the globe face a common challenge: creating fresh choreography. This need may be fueled by our personal expectations and preferences…