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Got my two week notice

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you are fired

That sucks!

You thought you are doing everything right. You feel you've been a model employee for over 8 years. You're always punctual and prepared to teach a great class. The members seem to enjoy you and you've had consistently good attendance numbers. Other Instructors appreciate your willingness to sub for them and you (maybe mistakenly) thought your GF Dept Head liked having you on her team and would have your back in a situation like this.

But then you get an email saying simply; Dear , we're sorry to inform you that based on the fact you only have one scheduled class, your employment with us will end 14 days from the date of this email…

This didn't happen to me – but it did happen to a committed Instructor who posted at pedal-on.com about being fired from LA Fitness for only having one scheduled class a week – their minimum number of classes is two per week* to maintain employment.

You're just a number

You maybe on a first name basis with many of the managers and other employees at your Big Box club, but you're still just a number to some faceless person at corporate HR. If you teach for a Big Box you probably clock in using your employee number. Mine is 538**.  I'll posit that there was an annual review of all the Instructors at LA Fitness and those not meeting the minimum hours of classes were flagged for termination. HR then contacted each GFDH of the flagged Instructors, requesting that they either find another class for the Instructor – or thank them for their service as they're shown the door 🙁

Who's at fault here?

Or maybe the question is; “why did this happen?” I'm inclined to hold the GFDH responsible here. She should have known the rules about the minimum classes and appears to have ignored them – which obviously worked for a number of years. I was in a similar situation at LTF. During the summer months I was down to only one class, having cancelled my Sunday endurance classes from May to November. Our GFDH had my back until she too was informed of an audit from HR – except she was able to show that I was also subbing one or more classes a week – so I wasn't fired. I did need to pick up a second class and thankfully another Instructor retired, opening a spot for me.

What's a good strategy to prevent this?

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Originally posted 2014-05-01 10:12:15.

Life Time Fitness Instructor Audition Help

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Question from an ICI/PRO member:

Hey John & Amy, I have an audition coming up with LIFETIME for cycling instructor. OK, I'm given 3 minutes to present my best ride. Crunch time. Any suggestions or advice on this?

How exciting for you! Amy and I enjoy teaching at Life Time with their dedicated cycling studios, great sound systems, video projectors and fabulous bikes.

Only three minutes, eh?

OK, here's a few suggestions, including some that I had posted over at Pedal-On and here in January about acing your Life Time Fitness Instructor Audition.   

No Life Time Fitness near you? You can find Indoor Cycling studios who are hiring here. 

NOTE: What follows will apply to any Instructor audition, at any club or studio.
1) Memorize the LTF mission statement

Our Mission is to provide an Educational, Entertaining, Friendly and Inviting, Functional and Innovative experience of uncompromising quality that meets the health and fitness needs of the entire family.

This isn't about drinking the Life Time Kool-Aid. It's showing your determination to work for Life Time. I'm not kidding when I say memorize it as you may be expected to deliver it as part of your Instructor audition.

2) Understand that first and foremost your role as an instructor is to deliver a fun and entertaining experience for the members. You may teach the most real/authentic cycling class on the planet, but if it's boring because you feel constrained by focusing too much on what not to do, it will show in your class presentation and your chances of getting hired are slim.

3) Be prepared to teach a class that's appropriate to the audience. LTF wants to see that you are flexible as an Instructor and can teach appropriately to varying member groups. You may teach a very “cycling specific” class, but if your audition is to a room full of housewives during a 9:30am class see #2. That said you should be familiar with the LTF Heart Rate chart – 5 Zones with the top of Zone 3 being AT (it isn't LT at LTF) and give a few HR based cues.

Beyond that I would…

4) Choose an energetic song, without lyrics, that you love to teach to. But don't over think it 🙁

5) BE ENERGETIC! LTF doesn't hire dead fish. If it takes an extra cup of coffee then drink it. Your excitement and your energy should radiate from you like a spotlight.

6) Stack the Deck! If at all possible get some of your friends in that class. If you can't, I would be sure to get there early and connect with a few participants who are setting up in the front row. Nothing says “Friendly and Inviting” like connecting (eye contact) with members during the class and it may help reduce your nervousness to have someone to focus on. I had Amy come to my audition and having her there in the class, to draw energy from, was invaluable.

7) Teach an intense, simple profile.  Think K.I.S.S. Maybe a three step ladder profile where you have them up, out of the saddle, for the last 30 seconds when you…

8 ) Get off the bike and quickly work a few riders in the front row. Clap and congratulate your students at the end and then thank them sincerely for taking your 3 minute class!  

Hope that helps and feel free to ask other questions.

I'd say good luck with your interview, but you don't need it… you're going to be awesome 🙂
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Originally posted 2012-04-19 16:31:46.

Objectify Your Class

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Do you remember Lenny & Squggy's reactopm as a pretty women walked by?Short of provoking a sexual harassment suit, this maybe the best way to get your class excited about what you have in store for them.

I’m grateful because my riders often take the time to leave comment cards at the club’s front desk after class and my group fitness directors continually share the feedback with me. One “positive” comment that has been consistent is that members feels that I “set them up for success” from the start. When pushed further, they said, “Tom always tells us what his goal for us is and then how we are going to accomplish it”.

I — MUST — HAVE — AN – OBJECTIVE

As an indoor cycling instructor, I’m a slave to my coaching tendencies. Simply put, I can’t design a ride unless I have a clear objective. Because of my cyclist tunnel vision, I consider indoor classes either a training session or event (something we have trained for). So before I start selecting drills or music, I first determine my overall goal for the ride. Am I trying to help them develop some aspect of their fitness (if so, what is it)? Is the goal to climb to the top of a feared moutain? Are we racing in a stage of the Tour de France or a local criterium? I can’t help myself — I MUST HAVE A PURPOSE! Fortunately, this seems to be viewed as a positive.

Do You Have An Objective For Your Class?

Instructors often mistake all of the tedious work that goes into a profile as the objective. I do not doubt that a tremendous amount of time was invested in creating our ride profile, but more specifically, was the class designed around an objective. To find out, ask yourself, “What is the purpose of this ride? What does it produce or help my riders achieve?” Unfortunately, an answer of “to develop general fitness” usually doesn’t cut it.

Do You Explain the Objective To Your Class?

I proctor numerous auditions for instructors and sometimes sit in on classes (usually spying). In most cases, I’ll take a moment to talk with the instructor afterwards to introduce myself and ask a few questions about the ride. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to discover that many instructors have some cool objectives for their ride, but never told the class. They were equally surprised that riders would be interested in that level of detail. “Absolutely, it demonstrates not only a purpose for the ride, but the amount of thought and planning that went into designing it. Your class wants to know what to expect (physical demands), as well as, what (long-term) value it will provide.”

A Sample From This Week’s Ride

Here is the objective I communicated to my class for this weeks leg speed development ride:

“One key element of cycling fitness is steady, fast and powerful leg speed. Since we are in our base training mode, this is a perfect time to focus on it. We are going to approach this by first performing a drill that helps engage more muscle followed by a series of drills that trains the brain to send the signal to the muscle quicker so we can pedal faster and stronger.

Keep in mind, as you look at today’s profile (I hang an 11”x17” color laminated chart for each class) you will see a number of consecutive drills before we receive more substantial recovery. So pace yourself. Finally, remember that leg speed is a skill that must be trained. Be patient as you develop your own leg speed. It takes time.”

———————————

If you are in the habit of creating classes with a specific focus or training objective, make it known to your riders AND reiterate after class the value they received. If you have not been approaching your rides with a specific purpose, I want to encourage you to start. You don’t have to be “Joe Coach”, but it should be something that can be explained to your riders. Practice saying your objective out-loud and to yourself. If you are finding it difficult to come up with an objective for an existing class, well…. you may want to revisit the profile and tweak it until you can explain its purpose.

Just to clarify, “fun” is not a purpose, but rather how you deliver it. So Have fun! Really!

Originally posted 2012-01-19 14:19:42.

New Category Added – Big Box Instructor

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I was reading this post over at Pedal-On this morning. In it an Instructor was asking about securing a teaching position with Life Time Fitness – where Amy and I have taught for years and feel we know the company well.

After posting my response a thought occurred to me; “teaching for a large multi-location chain like Life Time Fitness, with thousands of members and huge studios has it's own unique challenges… and I don't know that our existing resources really address the needs of a Big Box Instructor.”

So as a new service for our ICI/PRO members we will begin offering resources that are designed specificily toward helping those of you who teach at a Life Time Fitness, LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, Equinox or other large Big Box health club.

You will be able to find this new category under the Instructor Training > Big Box Instructor navigation drop downs above.

Here was my response to the question about Life Time Fitness:

I've taught for Life Time Fitness for 6 years. I have scheduled classes at two Athletic (Diamond) level clubs here in MPLS where it's all about the members. I also sub regularly at the Chanhassen club that shares the parking lot with the LTF corporate headquarters. For you or anyone else looking to join LTF as an Instructor I can offer this advice:

1) Memorize the LTF mission statement –

Our Mission is to provide an Educational, Entertaining, Friendly and Inviting, Functional and Innovative experience of uncompromising quality that meets the health and fitness needs of the entire family.

I'm not kidding when I say memorize it as you will be expected to deliver it as part of any interview or Instructor audition.

2) Contact the club's Group Fitness dept head and ask to schedule a time for a call or better to meet with them in person. Do not call and just ask if they are holding instructor auditions. Your objective is to meet the Dept Head to learn what she/he is looking for in the Instructors they hire… which may be very different than who is currently teaching classes at the club. If the club is looking for someone or has a scheduled audition time they will tell you. Also, my experience is that Dept Head's do have some authority to hire someone without holding any auditions if they like/need you.

3) LTF is very focused on their Club within a Club initiative where they create small groups of interest; Run Club, Cycle Club, Tri Club, Swim Club, etc… If you are an outdoor cyclist I suggest contacting Cycle Club coordinator at the location and become their friend  LTF is very interested in Instructors who could potentially take their Indoor class participants outdoors.

4) Understand that first and foremost your role as an instructor is to deliver a fun and entertaining experience for the members. You may teach the most real/authentic cycling class on the planet, but if it's boring because you feel constrained by focusing too much on what not to do, it will show in your class presentation and your chances of getting hired are slim. LTF's head of Instructor training Jeff Rosga said it best; “first you need to give them what they want, and then give them what they need.”

5) If you do get an audition, teach a class that's appropriate to the audience. LTF wants to see that you are flexible as an Instructor and can teach appropriately to varying member groups. You may teach a very “cycling specific” class, but that isn't what a room full of housewives want during a 9:30am class. (See #4)

6) Once you do get hired you can typically teach the class you want, remembering #4, as long as your numbers are reasonable, without interference from management. You are expected to follow the periodization schedule as to the objective of the class – but that doesn't dictate the actual profile you use.

Now I know there are many of you who instinctively revolt at the whole “you need to internalize our Mission Statement” group think thing. I know I did at first.

But when you consider that Life Time has thousands of Instructors, who are in front of  something like half a million members each month, you really do need to find ways to keep some consistency of instruction… without forcing Instructors into little boxes that crush all of their creativity and passion for fitness.

I can think of a bunch of people I could have on the Podcast to explore the challenges and issues facing the Big Box Instructor. Stay tuned…

Originally posted 2012-01-02 12:27:18.

Where can I get certified as a “Spin®” “Schwinn®” or any other type of Indoor Cycling Instructor?

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I get the “Where can I get certified as a “Spin®”,”Schwinn®” or simply an Indoor Cycling Instructor?” question a lot. While trying to be helpful, more often than not my response is “I'm sorry, but you are asking the wrong person.” “The person you want to ask is the manager at the club where you would like to teach.”

Many people skip that step – here's why you shouldn't…

Sometimes I feel like Dr. Alfred Lanning from the movie I Robot where Will Smith's character, Detective Del Spooner, is quizzing Dr. Lanning's holographic image. The Doctor looks at him and says “I'm sorry. My responses are limited. You must ask the right questions.”  

The right question is; “what do I need to do to teach a regularly scheduled Indoor Cycling class at my local club?”

UPDATE: It can't hurt to check first to see which studios & clubs are hiring. This Instructor jobs board is a great place to start 🙂

“That's a question I can answer” 🙂

I'll put this in the context of a question our daughter Abby, a Junior in college, asked us last fall; “I'd really like to write for a car magazine… and get to drive a lot of cool cars!” “How do I get a job like that?”

“My responses are limited. You must ask the right questions.”

“OK, so what would you suggest I do to get into the car business?”

“That's a question I can answer.”

Our advice for our daughter Abby was to find a company (any company) in the car business and see if they have some type of entry level job where she can get her feet wet. Luckily for Abby, her mother (Amy) had a friend who's husband (Brandon) is an area manager for Enterprise Car Rental. Not “Car and Driver”, but for a 21 year college junior, quite possibly the perfect place to get her start in the “car business”. Long story short, Abby met with the manager and learned that they offer a select number of summer internships. During this initial meeting she asked a lot of questions about what Enterprise is looking for in the people they hire. Armed with this “insider information”, she was able to successfully navigate a long interview process (there are hundreds of applicants) and she starts Enterprise's summer Management Training program next month 🙂 It's hard to say where it will lead, but it's a very positive start for a sharp young women.

I feel the same thinking applies to securing your first teaching gig; there are a lot of people who would like to teach, but few who will do the exploratory ground work where they can “ask the right questions”. It's really just the tried and true sales process that's been followed for thousands of years. Here are the steps:

  1. Decide if you are willing to do whatever (within reason of course) it takes to secure a regularly scheduled class.
  2. Identify your prospect(s) (potential customer). You are after all selling something here; YOU! There maybe only one location, or there could be a dozens near you. Don't rule out anywhere that offers Indoor Cycling. Your objective is to get a scheduled class. I shouldn't matter where and it may not be in the most convenient location.
  3. Find the decision maker at the club/studio. This shouldn't be too hard; take a class there (everyone offers a free class) and ask the Instructor after class. It's important to be very direct with your intent; which is to learn who can say YES to you teaching there! Tell the Instructor that you are interested in learning about becoming an Instructor and you would appreciate knowing who makes the hiring decisions. That's all you want to learn from the Instructor – nothing more! Resist the temptation to ask if they are hiring – people tend to be protective of their “turf” and you want a friend, not someone who's fearful that you want to take their job. Be sure to get the Instructor's first and last name because you will need it later.
  4. Repeat at every location. Rejection is much easier to handle if you have multiple prospects 🙂 Do yourself a favor and don't get emotionally committed to only one studio if at all possible.
  5. Contact the decision maker (by phone or in person – never by email) with the objective of scheduling a short meeting where you can learn more about what the club looks for in an Instructor. That's it, nothing beyond the commitment to meet at a later date. You may say something like this; Hi Ms. Jones, my name is John and I took a class at your club last week. It was with (insert full name of the the Instructor here) and I wanted you to know that I really enjoyed her class and your club! Next you show him/her you're concerned about them; Am I catching you at a good time? I have a quick question I'd like to ask you. Wait for their response. If it's anything but I'm OK, offer to call them back when it's a better time.  “What can I help you with?” I'm really interested in learning everything I can about becoming an Instructor. (Instructor's first name) told me you have a lot of experience in the fitness industry and I have a number questions. I realize you have a busy schedule but could we schedule a time for a short meeting this Thursday or Friday mid-morning? Always offer an either / or option, not a question that can be easily answered by NO. If the response is anything like “we aren't hiring any new Instructors” affirm this and again ask for the meeting; Sure, I understand that you aren't hiring now. I was just hoping to gain from your experience. It should only take 15 minutes or so… would Friday at 10:00am work for you? There's nothing wrong with being persistent! It must have taken Abby a month for her to get Brandon's commitment to the first meeting. We had to repeatedly encourage her to keep after him and in then end he told her that it was her persistence that caused him to finally agree to the meeting.
  6. For many, securing the appointment will be the second hardest part of this process. With a meeting in hand you know the drill; show up on time, look nice, smile, etc… Keep your commitment to asking questions. Here are a few suggestions:
  • What certification do you require?
  • What makes for a popular Instructor?
  • Is there a certain type of Instructor your members appreciate more than others?
  • Do you feel you are missing/lacking any specific type of class format that would appeal to people who aren't currently members?
  • How do you decide on what types of classes you offer?
  • Do you have specific times during the year when you make class scheduling changes?

This isn't the time to talk a lot about yourself 🙁 Even if the manager gives you an opening “why do you want to be an Instructor?” resist the temptation to say too much. Keep your answers brief and end them with another question. People love to be interviewed and talk about themselves, so keep asking them questions.

  • How long have you been in the fitness industry?
  • Why did you first get into the fitness industry?
  • Do you participate in any events; triathlon, 5k, charity rides, etc.. ?

Then comes the hardest part (and only if you feel you've developed some rapport with him/her) where you ask a “If I could, would you?” question, as in; If I could get a (insert the certification they named) would you consider evaluating me as a potential Instructor? And then wait for the answer. 

If it's positive then visit this site to find an Indoor Cycling Certification and also review this post about auditioning for an Indoor Cycling Instructor teaching position.

Many clubs and studios now accept an online certification. If they will you can get certified here.

If it's not positive, ask some more specific questions to learn exactly why and then thank them for their time and move on to your next meeting.

Please let me know if this was helpful to you by leaving a comment below – or visit indoorcyclinginstructorjobs.com to find your new class 🙂
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Originally posted 2012-04-24 09:22:21.

3 Steps To Managing The “First Indoor Cycling Class” Jitters – More Commonly Known As Stage Fright

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Spellbound

So you made it through your audition and your name is listed as “Instructor” on the schedule. Congratulations!

It's very common for the initial excitement, “I can't believe it… I'm an Indoor Cycling Instructor!!” to quickly fade away, replaced by fear and anxiety. The realization that in __ days you'll be mounting the bike and leading your class for the very first time, typically solicits “HELP! I'm teaching my first class on Thursday!!”

That “HELP” is based on FEAR > the perfectly natural fear of presenting or speaking to a group. Fear that you won't do a good job. Fear that you'll look foolish. Fear that you won't be liked, etc…

So to help you manage the fear that's going to come when you teach your first few class, I thought you'd appreciate three suggestions for mitigating that fear. Then you can get on to the task at hand > which is delivering a FUN and entertaining class for everyone who shows up.

Step #1 Prepare… But Not Too Much

If you were to ask me, “John – which do you feel would be better for my first class?

A. I walk in super prepared, with lots of detailed notes and cues on multiple 3×5 cards…

or

B. I have a simple/basic framework/profile for the class, leaving some room for spontaneity and my personality to shine through?

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Originally posted 2015-02-23 12:49:23.

Who’s looking to hire passionate & talented Indoor Cycling Instructors?

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Indoor Cycling Studios Hiring Today

So which fitness club or cycling studio is looking today to hire a passionate & talented Indoor Cycling Instructor?

EVERY. CLUB. AND. EVERY. STUDIO.

How can I say that with such conviction, without actually surveying every club/studio on the planet?

That's easy 🙂 Every successful business owner/manager I know, is continuously looking to hire good people. It doesn't matter if they have a “help wanted” sign hanging in the window or not.

EVERY. BUSINESS. IS. LOOKING. FOR. GREAT. PEOPLE.

Why is this important for anyone interested in securing their first regularly scheduled class? Because, quite simply, it's important for you to understand (and more importantly believe) this when you approach a studio owner or manager. Having the perception that they're buying, what you're selling, is a great confidence builder.

So is 2017 going to be the year you land your first teaching gig? Or maybe the year when you'll decide to move beyond your comfort zone and audition at the hot, new studio opening down the street?

Either way, I'm thinking some of these articles will be helpful for you.

ICI Podcast 315 — Christian Noni is looking for a great story from you! Owners and managers are looking beyond where you were certified. What's your story?

Are you the next Women’s Health Fitness Star? Are you presenting yourself as a fitness celebrity?

Life Time Fitness is hiring Fitness Instructors – good info regardless of the Big Box brand you're interested in.

5 Reasons Instructors (that would be you and me) Need A Professional Headshot – have one?

Would you teach indoor cycling in a facility that required exclusivity? The question will probably come up… how will you answer?

General articles about successful auditioning

 

 

 

 

5 Reasons Instructors (that would be you and me) Need A Professional Headshot

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Zion Anderson Head Shots

Thumbs of Surge Cycling's Zion Anderson Headshots

Update 12/11/16 – I thought of this post after an unnamed contributor responded “no, sorry” to my request for a new picture to include in an article.

There were two things that got me really motivated to get a professional headshot last week.

The first was talking with Darcy Knoblich and learning how she's benefited from the self-promotion she's doing online. Take a quick peek at her website and the first thing you'll notice are all the gorgeous pictures she's displaying of herself. Pictures that were obviously taken by a professional and not with an iPhone.

The second was the request from MINDBODY Online for a high quality picture of me that they could use on their website. They recognise the resources we've provided here and at CyclingStudio.org for new studio owners. MINDBODY has a team of fitness studio business experts and they'll be contributing informative articles and Podcast interviews for our ICI/PRO members.

Hiring a professional photographer is expensive, right? Well no, it doesn't need to be. I started asking around and it turned out that a former roommate of daughter Abby is Kelly Jo Kusilek and she was starting her own photographer business. Perfect and since I only needed her for about an hour the cost was a very reasonable (to me) $150.00 – which included any editing I would need.

NOTE: If you're near Minneapolis please contact Kelly Jo Kusilek – she may be young, but she's a professional and I'm very pleased with her work.

Next I needed somewhere to take the pictures. No – the local park or warehouse district may work for High School Senior picture, but I needed a cool Indoor Cycling Studio. And I had the perfect place in mind – Surge Cycling Studio which is just a few minutes from me.

That's the owner Zion Anderson above. I was so grateful for the use of her studio, I paid Kelly to take headshots of Zion and a few of her Instructors.

Zion has a special class on Wednesdays that I'm planning to attend frequently.

Zion has a special class on Wednesdays that I'm planning to attend frequently.

So while I was motivated to get a professional headshot, you may not be. So here are 5 reasons I feel it's something you should consider…

  1. You're a celebrity – act like it. Every wanna-be actor/actress/dancer/model on the planet has a professional headshot. Many most have been digitally “enhanced” using Photoshop for the express purpose of making them look as good as humanly possible. Now a full Madonna transformation maybe over the top, but a little “touch up” certainly could be within reason.
  2. You're a celebrity – act like it, part 2. Self-promotion is like oxygen to celebrities. They understand that a huge part of their success is selling themselves. Google any known celebrity and you'll find hundreds or thousands of professional photographs of them, in all different settings.  While I'm not saying you should hire a few paparazzi's to stalk you before/during and after your classes – spending 30 minutes to an hour with a photographer (who's taking dozens or hundreds of images) will give you a bunch to choose from. The end result will be a few really good pictures of you, that you'd be proud to see posted online.
  3. We live in a digital world. Like it or not, pictures are a big part of how the world perceives you. If you're auditioning for a new Instructor gig – including an attractive, professional photograph of yourself, along with your resume, communicates; I'm a fitness professional and I take my job very seriously.
  4. Other people feel you're attractive… don't disappoint them with a crappy photo. How many times have you seen a picture of someone you know and thought; “that's not a very good picture of such and such”? Wouldn't you rather hear; “wow , that's a great picture of you on the club's Meet our Instructors page.
  5. You just may feel a little bit better about YOU, knowing that you are represented well, in the images of you, that other folks are finding online 🙂

I'm still deciding which picture I'll submit to MINDBODY.com – This one with Zion, in the entry way of her studio, is fun!

Would you teach indoor cycling in a facility that required exclusivity?

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exclusivity1

 

Would you teach indoor cycling in a facility that required ?

I live, work and play in and around Denver Colorado.  The indoor cycling studio scene has not yet made its way into the Mile High City.  We have some awesome stand alone studios like Breakaway, Epic Ryde, Beat Cycle and the Dailey Method, but the big boys with the big money like Soul Cycle, Flywheel or Full Psycle have stayed in the larger metropolitan areas like NY, LA and Chicago.

A few months back rumors started to surface that an indoor cycling studio franchises was going to finally try to break into the Denver market.  Indoor cycling, endurance coaching and personal training are my livelihood and I love to experience the differing atmosphere and energy of all the facilities I’m a part of and groups I lead.  Having never taught, on a regular basis, in a studio setting I was excited to experience the interview and audition process in an attempt to be offered an instructor position at a facility who’s soul focus is indoor cycling.  There are many large health clubs in the Denver area and most of them have successful indoor cycling programs but indoor cycling is only a small part of their many fitness offerings.  Stand alone studios have the ability to give indoor cycling and it’s participants the 100% focus needed to provide the best possible experience.

So as the weeks went by I kept an eye on various fitness and local business press releases waiting for the news to break on who was this big indoor cycling franchise coming to Denver.  Eventually it was announced and I was excited to hear that it would be Bill Pryor and Alex Klemmer’s CycleBar.  This was great news to me, Bill Pryor is one of the most experienced and successful studio owners in the world and he has consulted with many successful studio owners throughout the county.  This studio was going to be an instructor’s dream: new bikes with power, an awesome sound system, a group display system, a top notch instructor training program and best of all it was opening only 1 mile from my home in Greenwood Village CO.

Bill and Alex own the CycleBar Franchise but they are not the owners of the Greenwood Village CycleBar, so it took some searching on the internet to find the franchisee owners but before long we were trading e-mails.  I to let the facility owners know who I was and that I was very interested in being part of the studio cycling scene in Denver.  I was told it would be a few months before the build out was complete and they started auditioning instructors, but they had all my information and emails would be sent out on a regular basis keeping me up to date on the latest news.  I waited patiently for news and even started putting together some simple sets with music and choreography preparing for my audition.  Finally I received an e-mail from the one of the facility owners saying they were getting ready to set up interviews and auditions and if I could send a short bio, teaching experience, any indoor cycling certifications, where I currently teach now and how many classes I was looking to teach at CycleBar.  I put all this information together and e-mailed it back.

The reply I received back shocked me!  I was told that my history and experience was impressive but If I wanted to teach at CycleBar I was going to need to be exclusive.  I’ve been teaching in Denver for 20 years and this is the first time I had ever heard of a facility requiring exclusivity from their instructors.  Well, I’m sorry to say this was a deal breaker for me.  There was no way I was going to walk out on the 12 other classes I teach every week at multiple facilities and the thousands of riders I’ve spent countess hours coaching and riding with.  My hope is that this policy will some day be changed or that some other indoor cycling studio comes to Denver and doesn’t have this exclusivity policy that I personally believe is business suicide.

Studio cycling may not have made it’s way into the Denver market yet, but the fitness minded people of Colorado know indoor cycling.  21% of Coloradans have gym memberships, second most of any state in the country, and most of those gyms offer FREE indoor cycling classes.  Since these large facilities are the only indoor cycling game in town all the best and most experienced instructors teach in them.  These classes are included in the club membership so they are essentially free.  One of the instructor perks of teaching in one of these large clubs is a free membership to a big beautiful full service facility that offers a variety of group exercise classes, pool, weight room, cardiovascular equipment, a full size locker room with whirlpool, sauna steam and multiple showers and free child care.  So the question I ask is, “Why would the best indoor cycling instructors choose to work exclusively in a cycle only studio and give up their free membership to a full service health club?  And, If the best instructors are teaching free classes in these full service health clubs why would someone pay to ride in a cycle only studio?”

Life Time Fitness is hiring Fitness Instructors

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life time fitness instructor auditions

Will you be auditioning ?

Life Time Fitness is hiring! If you've always wanted to teach Indoor Cycling or Group Fitness, at one of their 100+ beautiful upper-end big box clubs, this is could be your big chance 🙂

They (LTF) are all about member experience. The equipment (awesome sound system/twin big-screens for video + FreeMotion S11.9 Indoor Cycles with power) and their studios are fantastic. Their pay is respectable and you aren't forced to use music that's provided for you like at LA Fitness.

What should you do?

First, so you know, I know LTF 🙂 I'm lucky to live smack dab in the middle of four Life Time locations – with regularly scheduled Indoor Cycling classes with them since 2008.

#1 Read through these articles. We've helped dozens of Instructors get hired by Life Time

#2 Memorise the Life Time Fitness Mission Statement

Our Mission is to provide an Educational, Entertaining, Friendly and Inviting, Functional and Innovative experience of uncompromising quality that meets the health and fitness needs of the entire family.

Don't take knowing this mission statement lightly – it's not optional. YOU WILL BE ASKED TO RECITE IT AS PART OF ANY AUDITION.

#3 Go to your local club location and find the the sign that looks like the image at the top of this page. It will include information about the audition schedule, name of the Dept Head running the auditions, etc…

NOTE: Some locations might not have immediate openings, but I wouldn't let that stop you from attending and showing your stuff! 

#4 I'm big on taking bold action, so I'd recommend finding a way to meet with the Group Fitness Dept Head, before the audition day, in person > if at all possible. You might ask the front desk if he/she is available right now.

If yes, then introduce yourself and expressing your enthusiasm for being part of her/his Instructor team. Ask an open ended question like; “what can I do to prepare for the audition?” and then listen. Now isn't the time to sell yourself… unless you are asked a specific question. Be respectful of their time and say so; “I know you're a very busy person, my objective to let you know who I am and that I'm very excited for the audition on ___________ and look forward to seeing you again then.

That's it, unless she/he appears to have more time for you. Be very careful not to ask anything beyond advice.

If no, ask when would be the best time to call and what number. They work crazy hours, so I'd call at different times until they answer – I wouldn't suggest leaving a message or emailing. Call until you get through. Tell them about your interest in teaching for them (again, NO SELLING) and then ask if you could meet them for two minutes to introduce yourself in person. Give two very specific days & times – DO NOT ASK; “what would be a good time to meet?” Busy people hate it when they're asked that… but they love when you give them a solid time that they can easily say yes/no to. Then follow the above.

These articles will guide you further.

No Certification?

No worries > they'll train you! Life Time realises that they need to develop/train people passionate about fitness, to become Instructors, through their Life Time Academy.

Group Fitness Instructor Training Overview

The Life Time Academy Professional Fitness Specialist program provides a unique educational experience of on-line, in classroom and hands-on learning, integrated with practical experiences that prepare graduates to succeed as a Professional Fitness Specialist in their respective area of emphasis.

The emphasis of the Group Fitness Instructor Program provides a quality educational experience that prepares graduates to succeed in the area of group fitness instruction, whether they are new to the industry or expanding their skills.

Topics covered in the Life Time Academy Group Fitness Instructor Training (GFIT) 50-hour program meet or exceed all the required standards set forth by the American Council on Exercise to achieve certification as well as the practical skills to lead a best-in-class group fitness experience.

With an 8-week curriculum, totaling 50 contact hours, the instructor-led coursework consists of approximately 30 hours of online study (reading, videos, activities, assignments and quizzes), 16 hours of in-club lab class time and 4 hours of practicum.

Curriculum includes:

  • Exercise Science Foundations

  • Essentials of Group Fitness

If you don't have a certification, I would ask the GFDH during your intro meeting for their advice for getting your training. LTF has multiple workshops throughout the year where you can receive the training you need.

Good luck and let me know when you're successfully on the schedule!  

Great resource for brand new Indoor Cycling Instructors

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Lena-square

There's an old saying that goes; “I've been at this so long… I've forgotten much of what I didn't know, when I first started.” I've taught Indoor Cycling classes since 1998ish. A long time ago for sure. Even back then I had an advantage over most new Instructors. I'm married to the “Senior Group Fitness Instructor” in my family. Amy began her fitness career in 1994 and Spinning® in 1995. She was there for many of my early classes to help guide and critique me and my classes. I had her positioned front-center in the class during my first audition at Life Time – yes, I passed 🙂

So a lot of time has passed between those first classes and today. It's hard for me to think back on the nervousness and insecurity that's common in most new instructors. What's needed is a newer Instructor who's willing to share their ideas and solutions. That sounds like my friend Lena Hershey 🙂

This page at leanlena.com has links to multiple articles writen by Lena > New Instructor Tips specifically for those of you just getting started in your teaching carreer 🙂

 

 

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