Enough with the nickel and diming of group fitness! We were making $25/class when I first started 25 years ago so I’m tired of seeing posts with fellow instructors asking for « going rates » and watching comment after comment with abysmal wages.
This is only going to change if we ALL WORK TOGETHER at shifting the value of what we offer by getting confident as employees and entrepreneurs.
The industry isn’t going to take group fitness seriously unless we get serious about the qualifications, capabilities, and worth related to group fitness.
There is lots of work to do, here’s a start:
STOP SAYING "I JUST TEACH CLASSES"
Stop saying “I just teach classes” in relation to personal training: the education and certifications differ, but the skills required to provide safe, effective, and fun fitness experiences to large groups of people (oh and all the while utilizing music!) are NOT LESS than those required in personal training. Let’s stop selling those skills short and remove the word “just” from our vocabulary.
FREE IS ONLY FOR MARKETING PURPOSES
Charge for all your classes! This just isn’t seen in other professions, certainly not anything related to health and wellness. You can give-away trial classes or show sneak peaks of what you do best on social media, but people will continue to ask us for free or discounted classes as long as we aren’t crystal clear on the phenomenal value we provide.
DECIDE ON YOUR RATE
Decide on your rate vs ask your employer what they’re willing to pay: this is negotiation 101; be clear on your value and the rate you warrant well established. Total compensation goes beyond class rate but YOU need to choose your worth. Especially now as we’re in the middle of an industry-wide labor shortage. If the rate they propose doesn’t meet yours have other means of compensation to propose; can you split the revenue from a joint social media campaign, would you be willing to profit-share on membership renewals for your participants?
Become entrepreneurial
Get curious about the business of fitness: it’s your responsibility as a professional to understand the trends, opportunities, and challenges of your industry. Are the classes you’ve been teaching bringing in new members or do you need to upskill towards something that is innovative? Meet with your owner/manager to know what their greatest pain point is; maybe they’d love to open up a new timeslot or add a speciality class for new moms. Your compensation will be much more likely to grow if you contribute to understanding and creating wins for your club and its members.
Feeling stuck in your career? You are not alone! This is the feeling I hear most often from fitness professionals who are looking for change. Contact me so that together we can catapult your career forward. I am here to help you!
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