What I've described as the “SoulCycle Effect” appears to have caused a nice jump in the starting rate for IC Instructors. At many new boutique studios, the $50 – $75 per class rate advertised is the starting base pay rate. Consistently fill the room and the added $'s per-head incentives you'll receive could push your pay to $125.00 or more per class. Teach just six classes a week and you'll be making $15,000 to $37,500 a year… for a part-time job.
I don't know about you, but that's real money to me!
Big Box Clubs are feeling the labor pinch
Large health clubs are sensing competitive pressure from small/boutique fitness studios and it scares them. Not only are they losing customers, they're also watching their best Instructors walk out the door to join a startup down the street.
How do I know this? Because it was a common theme voiced by multiple club owners and equipment distributors I spoke with last month at IHRSA.
Which is a 180° flip from six or so years ago. That's when the small/boutique studio boom was ramping up. Then a fitness entrepreneur's primary strategy was differenciation. What can I do to be different from the local Big Box? Now it's the owner's and managers of these same large fitness clubs asking the same thing – LOL!
If it's been awhile, you're probably due a raise
If it's been a few years since your last review, now is probably as good a time as any to ask for an increase in your per-class rate.
Do a little research to learn what other studios near you are offering. It wouldn't hurt to graph out your class attendance and possibly list all of the times you agreed to sub other Instructors classes – so you can demonstrate your value to the business. Then be brave, schedule an appointment and politely ask for a raise. Unless you're a real flub, or there's no other option where you can teach, your current employer will want to retain your services = will want to keep you satisfied and offer you some additional $$$.
If that doesn't work – you can always check indoorcyclinginstructorjobs.com to find a studio who would love to have you on their team 🙂
Some of us aren't comfortable hearing our own voice.
Do you remember hearing the sound of your amplified or recorded voice for the first time? After recording 240 interviews I have learned that many (if not most) Instructors don't like to hear themselves speak. I'll include myself in that group. Over time we get used to it, but unconsciously you may have the tendency to try and minimize your level of exposure; i.e. you reduce the volume of your mic.
Think about it for a minute. Anytime you find yourself in a situation where you don't feel comfortable, where you feel exposed and may think; Oh my gosh, I'm completely naked, standing here for the whole world to see and be laughed at for my Love Handles… Your first reaction is to cover up. Right?
I re-read this post, Can you hear me OK? and thought; “I wonder if some Instructors unconsciously keep their mic volume down?”
I don't know the answer and I am interested in your thoughts.
Are you OK hearing yourself speak through an amplified system?
Have you at anytime felt a lack of comfort hearing yourself?
If so, have you become more comfortable hearing yourself over time?
My original concept for the Indoor Cycle Instructor Podcast back in 2008 was simple and yet unique; use the power of an Internet Radio Show, delivered through iTunes, to provide a platform for the many voices in our industry. The show wouldn't be “about me” or a few self described “experts”, but rather my vision was for a vehicle that would be truly inclusive of the most progressive manufactures and education providers in our industry. ®
Over the past three years we have executed on this vision through partnerships with;
With ICG / Livestrong MI's Dosta Dedic and Kimberly Treadway at Club Industry
To start things off I would like you to meet Jim Karanas, Program Director for the Indoorcycling Group (ICG for short). In this interview Jim and I discuss his 30 year experience in fitness, ICG, their relationship with LIVESTRONG® Fitness and touch on the fantastic FREE continuing education resources available to you from ICG.
The Indoorcycling Group supporting LIVESTRONG® fitness has made a substantial commitment to both sponsor our efforts here and to provide educational articles and Audio PROfiles for our ICI/PRO members. This is going to be a fabulous year 🙂
Meet Instructor Krista Leopold – another of our winners in the Ultimate Instructor Profile contest! Pedal-On members will recognize Krista as GroupFitPower.
Welcome to the Jungle – An introduction to Tabatas is a well thought out profile that you can use to bring this form of very high intensity training (HIT) to your studio.
A little bit about me….
I started in fitness as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer. I've taught nearly every style of group class that has been available in the 13+ years I've been teaching. I also have a dance background and have served as group fitness program director in two of the largest clubs in our area. I live in Charleston, SC with my husband Jason and our two children. When Jason and I were dating, the majority of our “dates” were at the gym, where we'd spend our time together lifting weights. Match made in heaven!
It might not come as a surprise, then, that as a fledgling instructor, my classes fell solidly in the category of “aerobics on a bike.” Fortunately, that attitude didn't last, thanks to the incredible team I joined from the beginning. I credit my turnaround and growth as an instructor to my mentor, Spinning® Master Instructor Luciana Marcial-Vincion. Luciana's patience and example have shown me that there is a much better way to both ride the bike, and to deliver class experiences that students want to be a part of.
I'm now a Star 3 Spinning® instructor with a passion for challenging my students to find something meaningful in every pedal stroke. I regularly schedule event rides that explore the mind-body connection. It seems I'm not the only one on a quest for truth and purity and the bike is a wonderful way to explore these concepts. However, the profile I submitted for the Ultimate Instructor Class Profile contest is not one of those rides. The Tabatas profile addresses our students' demands for high-intensity workouts (we have a large Cross-Fit population here in the Lowcountry), but does it in an educational and all-inclusive way. It is exciting and intense and a great challenge for both instructors and students. Just make sure you warn them that it is coming!
We were saving Kim Moody's profile; “The Gate” until it was closer to Halloween – and here it is!
Kim was one of the winners to the first Ultimate Instructor Class Profile contest as we really appreciated her take on creating a holiday based ride theme.
This profile is based on the urban legend, “The Gate,” in Libertyville, IL. One can find more information about this frightening place by going to www.hauntedusa.org/thegate
For this Halloween mixed ride, I wanted members to visualize the dark and desolate location so I began the class by retelling excerpts from the article to provide some background information and imagery material.
