BODYCOMBAT shakes up Billings MT at Granite Health

 Picture with Shara Ford, General Manager and Jenn Thompson, Fitness Director.

"The team at Les Mills and Fitmarc trained our instructors to be top notch.  They put a great deal of passion into their trainings and their final product, and our instructors feel like they are a part of the "Tribe" when they teach.  They carry a lot of pride in their Les Mills certifications and teach as though it's a privilege and an honor to teach that program EVERY CLASS!"

"The support from Fitmarc and Les Mills is incredible!  If you have a question about how to help one of your instructors that is struggling, how to prepare for launch, or ANYTHING - they are there to help you!  I have appreciated the conversations I've had with the Fitmarc team helping us to present the BEST final product we could!"

 thanks again Lindsey!!!

Jenn Thompson

 Program Director at Granite Health & Fitness

One of my most recent trips was to Billings Montana to visit with Fitmarc Friends, on that visit I spent time at Granite Health.  Above you will see Jenn Thompson's feedback on what the Les Mills programs have done for her fitness environment.  I had the chance to take class while I was there and see their team in action, and let me tell you... they are cranking up the heat!  Members at Granite are truly benefiting from highly executed classes and the enthusiasm of participation is contagious.  

The buzz in the women's locker room prior to class was chat of how excited these ladies were for class and that a handful of them had already taken Bodypump that morning and were back for combat!  there is no denying it, the education and content that Les Mills has provided the folks at Granite has caught fire and the results are astounding.  

For quarterly launches Jenn shared with me that they move their classes to a larger footprint and have upwards of 80 participants on launch day, and are always looking for new ways to get more members moving.  Group Fitness connects members, giving them a community within their fitness home.  People that belong to a group within a club, stay, longer and are happier because they are part of a movement!  

Let me know, Lindsey Rainwater, what are your thoughts on group fitness and how is it linking to your wellness environments member satisfaction and instructor development? 

Get out of your comfort zone!

Last weekend I had the privilege of attending the Les Mills Instructor Training for BodyFlow.  What a wonderful experience! I wanted to share with you what my thoughts were upon the close of the training.

See the girl in white- That's me!

Having been out of the instructor side of things for a while, throwing myself into the memorization of choreography and music timing took a minute.  Once I started to get the program tracks in my body I was off to the races.  The classroom environment for Les Mills programs is welcoming of all learning styles and coaches directly to what the instructor needs to perfect in order to deliver a world class experience to their students.  I walked away encouraged by what I needed to continue to work on, proud of what I had accomplished, and new friends that I trained with.

If you have not been through a Les Mills Instructor training, I would highly recommend it! It was invigorating and challenging, and if you are an instructor looking to take yourself to the next level of class delivery, you would really benefit from the training!

Most importantly for myself, I got outside my comfort zone and tried something new! All of the trainings I have ever attended were in formats I was comfortable with and had spent a lot of time as a student memorizing choreography prior to training.  This was not the case for me this time around! I went into the weekend not having a firm footing of years taking the class.  The amount of humble pie I ate memorizing something new to me was glorious!

I love that sort of thing; a lot of growth that I have experienced in life has come in working through things as they are happening.  And as a result, the perspective of learning new things, getting a little uncomfortable and striving forward, has become very rewarding both mentally and physically.

If you have an opportunity in life, in your work place, where you manage, wherever! To experience something new, or take a risk, DO IT!  Take on the short-term discomfort for the long-term perspective! I know I sure do enjoy it, and will always cherish my Les Mills Instructor training for allowing me an opportunity to try something new and greatly benefit from the experience!

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts! What types of Fitness risks have you taken recently to get out of your comfort zone? 

Do they know Why?

The past 2 weeks, I have asked you to look at the position of the front desk within our fitness environments and really unpack ideas and feelings behind it.

We have looked at the role and how the person acting in it can affect many other parts of the business. We have also discussed best practices around hiring and recruiting what you are looking for and not simply filling the position.

This week, I will wrap up this conversation by discussing accountability and expectations of your front desk staff.  In any business model, being able to align all of your staff, regardless of position, with your business's purpose is key to success.

Sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But have you ever taken a moment to walk your fitness floor, personal training office, or group exercise room and talked to your staff? If you asked them what the purpose of  your facility is, could they tell you? Of course, a lot of us within the industry might say, “to improve peoples lives through health and wellness” or something candid and to that effect, but with so many different models of fitness centers, do those that work for you clearly understand what they are a part of? Do they have a purpose?

Spend a few minutes with that individual, share with them what your vision is for when that new member or existing member walks in your front door. Provide specific examples on how you would like the interaction to look, and ask for genuine connection. 

In my experience, when I offer someone in that position the tools to go above and beyond and make a genuine connection, I see the behavior manifest immediately.  Why? Because you have added value to that persons position.  You have spent time and energy encouraging a shift in behavior and something to strive for. 

After all is said and done, people really want to simply be a part of: a part of a team, a part of their gym, a part of a community.  If you can present those that connect with your members a framework of how to do that and what you expect, they then feel connected to you, and so they want to facilitate the same experience to your members.  But it all starts with being genuine, from you to them, and then it can be carried out. 

Tell me, Lindsey Rainwater how you connect with your staff and inspire action!

Culture and Community

How do you cultivate culture? 

Does that culture create community?

Within your fitness environment, how do your members engage?

 

Do they meet each other for workouts, grab coffee after and make new friends as a result of your environment? Imagine if they did!

They might even begin to think of your environment as a second home.

The reason I pose these questions is to generate thought and conversation about how we, in the fitness industry, build a community out of our desired culture. What are some of the ways that you have accomplished this? 

One of the proven ways to create community within a culture is to give people a place to gather. One of the ways the fitness industry does this is through group classes, both small and large.

Here is some food for thought.  If you're not in charge of the direction your culture is moving, then who is? And, if you're not in control, then how can you be confident it will move in the direction you want your business to move?

Is your culture one that creates the byproduct of community? 

Tell me, Lindsey Rainwater, what you do to create a culture that cultivates community!