Podcast
Group X Files
Hosted by Sara Keller · EN
The Group X Files Podcast is THE place to go to demystify the secrets to leading the best group exercise classes hosted by Sara Keller, an instructor with two decades of experience in addition to being the Group X Director of a high-performing team of 100+ instructors.
Each 20-30 minute episode, delivered directly (with occasional sass) and launched every other week, delves into a crucial aspect of instructor development to help take you to the next level of connection with members so you can fill your classes week after week. Whether you are just getting started on your instructor journey or are a veteran in the studio, we will have content to help you self-assess, make small tweaks to amplify your strengths, and grow through the areas that are not yet your strengths. Look for bonus content for Group X managers/directors on building a high-performing team.
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Become the Master
1w ago00:25:42Tap to summarizeThink about your favorite brands (and maybe some that were your favorite but lost you). What is it that you love about them. What do they do just so darn well? What are they the master of? (Or, in the case of a brand that lost you, what did they do to drive you away? Did they lose focus on what their target audience and dilute their product?). While we want to diversify ourselves, we must start with becoming the master of just one thing first. What is the one format you want to master? That you want people in the club to be like, "oh, you want a good ________ class, you've gotta go to (insert your name here)!" Listen in to learn about how to deepen your mastery of one format and how that can really impact the member experience for your core group of constituents.
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Be Happy
3w ago00:21:22Tap to summarizeThose 2 words sound so simple, but we know that in reality they can be quite a task, a responsibility. But just like our participants choose to show up for us, we have to show up for them. Listen in to learn how to leave the world behind and shift your mood and mindset to be the instructor you were always meant to be when you walk in the studio.
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Age Ain't Nothin' But a Number
Apr 2900:25:09Tap to summarizeEach and every one of us has walked into a studio and made assumptions about our participants based on appearances, whether we like to admit it or not. It is human nature. Our challenge is to look past those initial assumptions and get to who people really are and what they can really do. Age is one of the easiest factors we make assumptions based upon, but what if I told you age is not the limiting factor in determining level. Function and ability are the limiting factors. Listen in to learn more about keeping all ages moving as equally and successfully as possible.
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Imperfectly Perfect
Apr 1500:23:51Tap to summarizeIt sounds like the biggest contradiction, but in a world where perfection, whatever that means, is shoved down our throats, sometimes it is nice to know that you are welcome and accepted just the way you are. When people show up for class, we don't necessarily know their backstory for the day, so we need to give them the grace to be imperfectly perfect along the way, or risk being just another force demanding perfection.
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What's the Purpose?
Apr 100:25:00Tap to summarizeEach and every class we lead should have a purpose. That purpose is not the broad "to get fitter," "to get stronger," "to improve my cardio." That purpose is a truly focused and tailored expectation of what the participants can hope to gain from the class. It is not what you are doing but why you are doing it. The more we program with purpose, the more intentional the workouts we provide are. The more intentional the workouts are, the more people benefit from them. The more they benefit, the more they will go out of their way to ensure they can keep coming back.
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BONUS EPISODE: Leading from the Front
Mar 2500:15:33Tap to summarizeIf we are not moving forward, we are falling behind. As cliche as it may be, it is true. Herein lies the challenge for directors and managers today. It is not our grandmother's GX but it also still very much is our grandmother's GX, as we have more active aging participants in GX than ever before. Listen in to learn how to best position yourself to accommodate those who have been coming for decades and also those just aging in to GX and have different needs and goals.
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Musical Diversity
Mar 1800:27:26Tap to summarizeAs instructors we tend to get sucked into tunnel vision when it comes to music, relying on our favorites and classics that we know our classes love. Music drives our classes, arguably as much as the workout itself. It is imperative as instructors that we do our best to turn the workout into an experience if we want participants to keep coming back, and one of the best ways to do that is with a banging playlist. Tune in to learn how you can take your playlist from basic to banging.
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BONUS CONTENT: Lead by Example
Mar 1100:12:58Tap to summarizeIt's a cliche, but the best way to lead is by example. Talk the talk. Walk the walk. Inspect what you expect. Leading a team means executing the tasks you ask of your team in an exemplary manner. If you are teaching, you crush your classes. If you are walking the club, you are tidying up anything out of place. You are saying hi as you pass people. You are engaging with members and staff. Listen in to learn more about the trickle down effects of leading by example, and the detriments caused by not doing so.
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Simplicity for Consistency
Mar 400:22:59Tap to summarizeWhen we are teaching on a regular basis, we are tempted to re-invent the wheel to keep people engaged and keep "upping the ante," so to say. But what if we considered that a huge killer of motivation is not laziness, but complexity? If people are overwhelmed, they are less likely to continue to do something. Listen in for ways we can keep things accessible while also making them fun and engaging.
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Overcoming Setbacks and Rejection
Feb 1800:24:32Tap to summarizeSetbacks and rejections are something no one looks forward to. However, as Group Exercise Instructors, we are subject to scrutiny from others. And our "sport" is not one of fastest to the finish line wins. We want to pursue new and challenging opportunities, but they also come with the potential for disappointment if we are not selected. Listen in to learn about setting expectations, focusing on the things you can control, and reframing disappointing outcomes to continue to grow and develop as an instructor.
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