What’s Your GFI

A quick rundown from an instructor perspective as to whether or not taking group fitness classes or teaching them at a college or university recreation facility is an option for you. I’m of course going to only speak from my personal and professional experience in the University that I teach at so definitely look into your local one and do some research.

Let’s say this is part one of a series where I discuss different places that you can (a) as an instructor teach at and (b) as a participant find group fitness classes. Inspired by the recent closure of the gym that I was teaching at, this episode talks about my return to the YMCA after 10 years and why I recommend it to instructors and participants alike.

Studying for the AFAA-GFI Exam

Wanted to update my group fitness certification with a different organization and I love the credibility of certifications through NASM - National Academy of Sports Medicine.

This is me rambling my way through the Study Guide to prepare for the exam:).

Loved the review, loved seeing how much of my theory and education I use daily as an instructor, wellness advocate, chiropractic assistant and even in my part-time job at Under Armour.

You’re never to old to study and you can always learn something! #lifetimestudent

So I went over my study notes in the last few episodes and here I am talking through some practice quizzes. A lot of quizzes. Complied into one monster episode to listen to during work. What is your preferred method of studying?

Wanted to update my group fitness certification with a different organization and I love the credibility of certifications through NASM - National Academy of Sports Medicine.

This is me rambling my way through the Study Guide to prepare for the exam:).

Loved the review, loved seeing how much of my theory and education I use daily as an instructor, wellness advocate, chiropractic assistant and even in my part-time job at Under Armour.

You’re never to old to study and you can always learn something! #lifetimestudent

Wanted to update my group fitness certification with a different organization and I love the credibility of certifications through NASM - National Academy of Sports Medicine.

This is me rambling my way through the Study Guide to prepare for the exam:).

Loved the review, loved seeing how much of my theory and education I use daily as an instructor, wellness advocate, chiropractic assistant and even in my part-time job at Under Armour.

You’re never to old to study and you can always learn something! #lifetimestudent

Wanted to update my group fitness certification with a different organization and I love the credibility of certifications through NASM - National Academy of Sports Medicine.

This is me rambling my way through the Study Guide to prepare for the exam:).

Loved the review, loved seeing how much of my theory and education I use daily as an instructor, wellness advocate, chiropractic assistant and even in my part-time job at Under Armour.

You’re never to old to study and you can always learn something! #lifetimestudent

Wanted to update my group fitness certification with a different organization and I love the credibility of certifications through NASM - National Academy of Sports Medicine.

This is me rambling my way through the Study Guide to prepare for the exam:).

Loved the review, loved seeing how much of my theory and education I use daily as an instructor, wellness advocate, chiropractic assistant and even in my part-time job at Under Armour.

You’re never to old to study and you can always learn something! #lifetimestudent

Wanted to update my group fitness certification with a different organization and I love the credibility of certifications through NASM - National Academy of Sports Medicine.

This is me rambling my way through the Study Guide to prepare for the exam:).

Loved the review, loved seeing how much of my theory and education I use daily as an instructor, wellness advocate, chiropractic assistant and even in my part-time job at Under Armour.

You’re never to old to study and you can always learn something! #lifetimestudent

Wanted to update my group fitness certification with a different organization and I love the credibility of certifications through NASM - National Academy of Sports Medicine.

This is me rambling my way through the Study Guide to prepare for the exam:).

Loved the review, loved seeing how much of my theory and education I use daily as an instructor, wellness advocate, chiropractic assistant and even in my part-time job at Under Armour.

You’re never to old to study and you can always learn something! #lifetimestudent

Wanted to update my group fitness certification with a different organization and I love the credibility of certifications through NASM - National Academy of Sports Medicine. This is me rambling my way through the Study Guide to prepare for the exam:). Loved the review, loved seeing how much of my theory and education I use daily as an instructor, wellness advocate, chiropractic assistant and even in my part-time job at Under Armour. You’re never to old to study and you can always learn something! #lifetimestudent

Not much to say except I have some really big anxiety about returning to the gym for the first time in almost half a year I wanted to talk about it LOL.

Has your purpose shifted during this Pandemic? What things have you done differently for personal and professional development during this time? I ask you a ton of questions about how you’re doing and share a bit about my thoughts on lockdown. I hope you’re doing well and will get through this together!

Although Lisa is an instructor too, our chat was more directed at how quarantine and shutdown affected her personal workouts and training. She gave some awesome perspective as a participant as to how important social interaction is to getting results and how relationships built before shutdown were critical to the process. It was a short episode but a long chat because I needed to catch up with my girl!

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated - Maya Angelou All of the changes in the group fitness industry over the last 30 years could definitely be enough to send some people over the edge. If you were a participant and you’ve tried every class and program out there with no results that can really get you down. If you’re a group fitness instructor who has lost wages or jobs or opportunities to the ever changing landscape of the industry that can also get you down. With out going the optimist and pessimist route perhaps looking at things from a victory standpoint is the best way to go. Think of it as winning and learning versus winning and losing. Happy motivational moment everybody!

Whether you think you can or think you can’t; you’re right. ~ Henry Ford. Fitness instructors and participants can totally relate to this famous quote. But things aren’t always as black and white, right? If it was that easy then there wouldn’t be a need for professionals in the industry who have a genuine desire to help others.

I miss talking to this girl regularly at work so this was a great catch up for me and of course fantastic insight for you the listeners when it comes to being a fitness mom! Enjoy and of course HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY EVERYONE!

Could go on for hours thanking everyone for their support for my brand and this podcast but I want to keep you as listeners so I won’t 😆! So this a short but sweet few minutes of my gratitude and a teaser for the next episode🙌🏾!

Albert Einstein’s Quote - “Creativity is Intelligence having FUN!” - has got me circling back to the age old group fitness debate of freestyle or per-choreographed classes. Which one motivates you?

When I had my surgery on my knee never in 1 million years did I think to ask for occupational therapy to go along with physio. The irony was that my job at the time was 95% physical and in group fitness but I didn’t consider it my “occupation”. Wondering “what if?”🤔. What if I had been given exercises to help me get back to performing my job as a fitness instructor in addition to mobility rehab? What if I had told my therapist that I was worried about being able to perform and teach my classes at the same level as I had before I was injured? And now I wonder how many fitness are in the same boat now? So instead of wondering I sat down with my fitness instructor friend and occupational therapist Jennifer to talk about all of this and to learn more about OT from a group fitness instructor perspective. Great episode to pair with the one I did with Rhonda and her shoulder injury and massage therapy and FMT with Rui at Stretch Health Canada.

Diana, Communications Expert and long time Group fitness instructor and I talk in what will definitely be a regular series about best practices for leading classes.
Today we talked about pre-recorded, livestream and live classes.

When your international #fitinspos have their own fangirl and wardrobe malfunction moments during class you know everything is gonna be alright!
Lyndsey and Ricky from the UK on the podcast is like chocolate spread on biscuits ... follow them on social media and you'll know what I mean lol.