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Hi everyone! I would just like to say hello to you all, since this is my first post in this forum. I've been teaching BV since it's release here in Scandinavia (no. 3). We had our ups and downs with the program and lately it's going down. So hopefully with this new release (no. 12) things will change. This is what I always hope for, though.

We're three BV instructors at our gym, and all BV classes has been going down in numbers. I'm not sure what we're doing wrong, since the numbers have never been what we hoped. To give you a picture; we teach BodyPump, BodyAttack and BodyStep with numbers 25-50, but BV stay at like 3-10. I love Les Mills, and I love all the classes i teach, but it feels like fighting an uphill battle.

We believe in BodyVive! High Vive everyone!

- Stig, Norway

Well hello..is it really The Stig???

I have the same issues as you and your club..an uphill battle, but still fighting the fight!!

Fingers crossed we find a direction that hits the mark!

We also have 3 BV instructors at our club with 6 classes a week.  We offer morning classes twice a week, afternoon classes twice a week and then evening classes twice a week.  We have the largest members during the afternoon classes, but I have the night classes and they stay pretty packed.  I try different things to keep them coming... I have a purple wig I wear sometimes and then hats to go along with some of the songs... I just try to entertain them while I get on with kicking their butts!!  I am in Salisbury, NC and the program is at the local YMCA.  I have all ages and I just try to cut up with them and make it fun!  I encourage people to work low into their legs and to get their arms up!!  Of course we always have those that refuse to do like we want... but its their workout right... so I try to at least help them have a good time!  Keep up the good work... trust me we would all love to have BV in all of the clubs that we teach at... but the Y has an advantage having it and the class numbers really reflect it!

Its not you or any of us really vive is struggling alot of places, and ive heard its even struggling in NZ!

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SMILLING is OPTIONAL QUITTING is NOT

Feb 2010 Vive will be 3 yrs running in Holland. Since the early start I am a Vive instr., so I have gone through the whole evolution of this program. I also give freestyle classes, similar to Vive, and invite participants to a Vive class to find out what the reason could be not to visit Vive classes. I get the same answer everytime again, they like the 2nd part of the class, the first part is too simple in choreo, not challenging enough, and therefore `dull` after 3 times. Although I try to explain why it is simple, they do not like it anymore after 3 or 4 times. Only clubs that have no  similar freestyle class have a greater number. I do notice a decline in instr. numbers at the qlies and the list of names of instr. that passed. I think it´s a shame for it is a very good program. Can you remember the old format of BodyJam? It was changed into more of a flow of movements locking into each other, like you would have in a freestyle class, building to a peak. Since than BJ numbers have grown. Maybe that could be a solution for the choreo, with options like in BJ, in the first part. For my freestyle class I make 3 blocks of 32cts, build these symmetrically and then glue them together in a flow r-l-r-l-r-l and I repeat that 3x, and I give variations. This choreo I use 3 or 4 times before changing just a little bit. Participants do not remember this, to them it is every time new.Then I cool down, actively and do some dynamic stretches and go on with lower body strength, big muscle group,well warmed up, upper body strength,by that time heartrate is down so it is safe to ly down,  abs and back, stretches. I really hope Susan goes on developing Vive, it is a great program. I hope what I have written is coherent to you all. Maybe we could send Susan our ideas to help her and let her know we support her efforts. Keep Viving !

 

Annelies,

I know for a fact that Susan reads the forums.  She listens to the good, bad and the down right ugly!!!  (Think Free your Mind four or five releases ago!!:)

I think your idea for building the cardio and incorperating it into a final peak like in Jam is an interesting one and would LOVE to hear Susan's thoughts on this.  I'm not sure how that would look, but again, it's an interesting thought!!!

This is still considered and "introductory" class for Les Mills.  And unless that changes, people are going to get fitter and move on to the other classes.  I hate it, but thats just the way it is. 

Catherine

There's been a bit of doom and gloom about Vive lately and I just wanted to say that it's not the case everywhere...Vive is going gangbusters in our club. Full classes and great feedback from the peeps .We offer it three times pw (Tues night, Thurs mid-morn and Sat mid-morn) which seems to be a good mix. Could actually really do with another evening class.

There's only me, so big pressure to perform every week.  I want this program to stay!!!

 It's difficult to pinpoint exactly why it's successful somewhere and not others. For  those that are struggling with numbers, hope things change for the better 'cause it's a brilliant program and the whims of participants, demographics, seasonal class numbers etc. are the things we can't control.There's a bit of plain old luck involved here too and the tide can change at any time so stick with it....

  So just wanted to put my two cents worth in and Susan,if you are reading, don't change a thing...(IMO)

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Certified Bodyvive Instructor,Certified Personal Trainer,participant in everything LM.

Well said Maddy!!!!  I still love Vive.  It has completely changed my life and was truly a gift for me!!

I teach 5 classes a week and love every second of it!!!!  I started on release 4 and have seen the changes that have been made.  Vive has figured out who it is, and we need to embrace it!!!!  We should all take pride in the fact that someone who has not worked out can come to our class and feel like they belong and can get moving!!!  It's always been about THEM, not us....

Vive On!!!

I have enjoyed reading all the threads and as stated previously I hope that Susan is reading these too!  There are a lot of good ideas out there!  I have taught this since BV2!!  Talk about all the changing it has done!!  I have nothing but admiration for it!  I sometimes have to defend it because there are people that started with BV2 and decided right then it was not for them.  So I challenge them to come and try BV12 and see if they still feel the same way.  I believe that a lot of the problems that Vive has experienced is due to the marketing in the beginning... people have not forgotten that!  I have participants that are in high school as well as people older and retired and all inbetween!  One lady takes just about all the classes that are offered!   She swears it is what has gotten her into shape and why not with cardio and toning as components??  I love it and I love teaching it... although I have to tell you that that at times I do think some of the songs are a bit corny!  hehe!  I love New York, New York... but the class was over it after the first couple of times.  I do find that I mix quite a bit, but do not go back normally further than a couple of releases.  My classes still beg though for certain songs like "Brickhouse" and some of the Ricky Martin songs!  So I am more than happy to accomodate!  Seriously... it is all about the life we as instructors breath into it!!  I love to surprise them with purple wigs and when we release BV 12 next week I'll have a rose to clench in my teeth for the dance track!!  BodyVive leaves a lot of room for entertaining the troops while we kick their butts!  Our members have ordered shirts this time to show their love for us!!   Keep it coming Les Mills!!

Funny you mentioned "Brickhouse". Taught that track yesterday for the first time in about10 months! Also did "I was made for lovin you" which is interactive cardio from release 4. Best track ever in my opinion. Gets a big laugh every time!

Good luck with BV 12 next week. Your members sound like a great bunch- they must love what you do...

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Certified Bodyvive Instructor,Certified Personal Trainer,participant in everything LM.

madari:

There's been a bit of doom and gloom about Vive lately and I just wanted to say that it's not the case everywhere...Vive is going gangbusters in our club. Full classes and great feedback from the peeps .We offer it three times pw (Tues night, Thurs mid-morn and Sat mid-morn) which seems to be a good mix. Could actually really do with another evening class.

There's only me, so big pressure to perform every week.  I want this program to stay!!!

 It's difficult to pinpoint exactly why it's successful somewhere and not others. For  those that are struggling with numbers, hope things change for the better 'cause it's a brilliant program and the whims of participants, demographics, seasonal class numbers etc. are the things we can't control.There's a bit of plain old luck involved here too and the tide can change at any time so stick with it....

  So just wanted to put my two cents worth in and Susan,if you are reading, don't change a thing...(IMO)

Maddy, just wanted to say that I am completely in your camp with everything that you've said. Vive is also going completely gangbusters at our club here in Carnegie, Melbourne. We currently have 5 classes per week of Vive, and each of them is pulling in great numbers, including my Wednesday night one! Really good feeling for someone just starting to teach it!

I can certainly appreciate the angst that some people on here have felt re Vive in recent months, but I think having been trained by someone who loves Vive with every fibre of their being and is extremely knowledgeable on the subject has also made me very reassured about the direction that Vive is taking. And again I agree... keep it up Susan! We love your work here :)

And yes I know it is the fitness industry and we have to be realistic and everything else... but there is also nothing wrong with being positive about the program and selling that positivity to your members, because that's what will keep them coming back at the end of the day. If some members want to move on from the program despite that, then we can't force them to stay, as disappointed as we would be by it. We just gotta keep going and keep the members that we do have fizzing with energy

High Vive! 

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There is no such thing as 'normal' in this world!
Certified BodyJam instructor since 15/4/2009.
Certified BodyVive instructor since 25/11/2009.
Certified BodyStep instructor since 5/3/2010.