I think the attitude of the instructor is paramount in this program. An instructor has to love this program to sell it and be genuine about it at the same time. In my class, I make sure that I always start with a very warm welcome and ask if there are new people. I also ask the members to introduce themselves to each other before class as I get the music ready...it's a great ice breaker. I have also asked the class if there is any good news they would like to share..After all, part of the BodyVive mission is to build community and this is a great way to start that mission. I would say my attitude that has proven to be successful is that of openness, positive, smiles, humor added in, and I always invite the class to sing. I will actually sing a part of a song and they do the response part if the music allows for it. Really getting a handle on who is attending your class will help form the attitude as well. I focus on the aspect of the options and working at one's own intensity. I will ask returning Vivers to really get lower reach higher to get that heart rate up. In my class in particular my demographic serves the mid 30's to early 60's. I don't get many 20 somethings and that is ok...there are other classes to serve them in a different way. Vive is unique in our club, it isn't really about making fit people fitter. It's a great class to get non exercisers started on a fitness journey in a very non intimidating way with fun music, allowing women who are pregnant who cannot do the other Les Mills Programs in any part of their pregnancy, It's great for people who have aged through the years of fitness and pounded their bodies for the last 20 some years and can no longer take the high impact of other programs, it's great for people returning from surgery who want to get back into a class but need the flexibility of many options and still feel good about getting a good workout, It's for people who are bored walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes and then doing their weight training on machines, it's a great way to introduce people to a group fitness class who have never experienced one. We end the class in a circle with our hands in the middle and finish with a group cheer at the end (It's a club thing for us...we start as a team and finish as a team and then we shout something together like.."I feel Great!" or our club name "Momentum" whatever strikes us at the time) Also, I always make time to follow up with new people after class to see how they felt, and offer any suggestions and encouragement for them to come back, I check in with my regulars when time permits to follow up to see if they had a good time and follow up on any concerns they have or issues with, knees, neck, back etc...When I've done this, I've noticed people returning more regularly. This is a great class to really connect to members who want to have fun, break a sweat but cannot tolerate a class with higher BPM's, or the high impact of other classes...plus you get a variety with the strength,core, and yoga/tai chi. So Vive doesn't necessarily attract the folks who are die hard participants of Body Step, Attack, or Combat...that's ok..those other programs are there for them. Body Vive is for the rest of the population who want to celebrate there bodies with movement wherever they are and feel successful about the workout and have a good time doing it. Since the USA is in an obesity crisis, Vive can be such a great program to begin to attack the problem..you've heard of gateway drugs....how about a gateway fitness program? You may not find a regular stepper,combat person, or attacker coming to Vive on a regular basis, but more than likely , you will have a Viver begin to try the other Les Mills programs and after all we are about changing the world 1 fitness experience at a time. Good Luck!
Giesala
Viver, Flow-er, and soon to be Jammer!
Momentum Fitness Center
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Giesala M. Collins