Shana Saka

Intimidated to jump into a group fitness class for the first time? Half the battle is signing-up, but then what happens when you get there? Don’t sweat it, we’ve got 5 tips that will get you ready for your first group fitness class.

1. Show Up Early

Don’t stumble into the class five minutes late. If it’s your first time, you need to get the lay of the land. Go at least 5-10 minutes early, check-in, get a tour and meet your trainer. This will help you get acclimated before the hustle and bustle of people start arriving. Make sure you have time to get familiar with the studio and your spot - you don’t want to get lost in the crowd.

2. Be Open

You’re taking a new class for the first time, so be open to stepping out of your comfort zone. Stay positive and be open to trying something new. You’re in a new gym, with a new fitness crew sweating around you. Don’t grimace at your trainer. Remember why you showed-up to this new class for the first time. Introduce yourself to the people sweating around you. It’ll make it an easier experience to get through since they are going through the same workout.

3. Pay Attention

Most clients get overwhelmed by a new trainer, the new class and/or the different format. The number one thing to keep in mind, is to pay attention, particularly to the instructor who will be guiding you through the the class. This means no talking, no phones, and stay focused. For example, Barry's Bootcamp has upwards of 50 people in a single class with only one instructor. Don’t get lost, listen closely, and take it at your own pace.

4. Stay For the Whole Class

In order to fully-experience a class, you have to stay until the end. Yes, this means the cool down too. Leaving early is disruptive when the music is down and the trainer is leading a stretch. To get the full experience and maximize the benefits of the class, you need to experience it from beginning to end. There is always time allotted for a cool down to allow your body to reset and stretch the muscles you just worked. You wouldn’t miss the warm up, would you?

5. Listen to Your Body

At the end of the day, you know you’re body. If something doesn’t feel right to you, then back off a little. Always tell your instructor if you have any injuries before the class so he/she can offer modifications. This is a new experience and workout, you have to understand that you may not be the best at it. That’s totally fine, practice makes perfect. This is your time, your class, and your health.

We have the opportunity to make the most out of our time at home. I challenge you to tap into your creativity and find ways to stay productive, active and at ease. These are just 4 helpful tips that will get you through your days right now.

1. BREATHE

Focus on inhaling the good, and exhaling the bad. We now have more time to focus on our breathwork. Creating a breathing pattern can settle our heart rates, and ultimately ease our minds. Start slow and steady, inhaling through your nose, exhaling through your mouth. To advance this, you can hold your inhale on a 3 count and exhale slowly through pursed lips, relaxing your face. Practice this when you’re feeling worked up or uneasy. You’ll notice that your breath will calm you.

2. POSITIVITY

During a time like this, we are stuck at home with our own thoughts, and unfortunately, the news. It becomes easy to fall prey to all the negative things going on. Trying to stay positive right now, will be an actual task for you. The best way to practice positivity is to delve into it. Try creating a list of 3 positive things you’ve heard or experienced throughout your quarantine time. You’ll notice that when you focus on the good, you start to experience more good around you, eventually growing that list.

3. PRODUCTIVITY

 It’s so easy to just sit at home right now onthe couch and watch TV. But, what if I told you that time would fly a lotfaster if you actually did work, an activity, a task? Now is a great time tocomplete things you were always trying to do until work or life got in the way.Try to pick a task for each day, start with smaller tasks, once you build somemomentum, tackle the bigger things.

4. SELF-CARE

We need to prioritize self-care, now more than ever. While it is easy to neglect ourselves on a daily basis, we actually have the time now to do something for ourselves. Mind you, this does not have to be a huge thing. Maybe you do a face mask, take a relaxing bath, or even workout, something small, that solely is for you. Carve out at least 15 minutes of your day for “Me Time.” Focus on what makes you happy and can bring you joy even in this uncertain time.

Let us not lose ourselves completely, let us stay calm, stay positive and stay connected. We are in this together and we will all get through this together.

Ever hearthe same four cues in your fitness class and never understand what theyactually mean? Well, as an instructor, it’s important to know the classunderstand what I’m explaining and why the cues help you maximize your results,while keeping you safe. Here are four cues you’ll hear in your next class andwhat they actually mean.

“Abs tight”

Best wayto think of this is tension on your core. Less sucking it in, more bracing yourabs. As an instructor, I cue clients by telling them this, “if you were to getpunched in the stomach, and before I punched, you tensed up, hold onto thattension.”

“Shoulders Down”

Your trainer is always saying it, but you’re just not getting it. Well think of it this way: pretend your shoulders and your ears hate each other, keep them away from one another. It’s as if your shoulders are being pulled in the opposite direction of your ears. How do you do that? Stand tall, chest opens up, squeezing your shoulder blades together, activating your lats, and bringing your shoulders down. Like a switch, turn everything on and keep it all on throughout the exercises.

“Knees Out”

This ismostly used when squatting and/or lunging. When you’re squatting you want toactively push your knees out, this way the knees track your big toes. Samething when you get into a lunge, the knee of the front leg shouldn’t cave in.Sometimes we forget about this cue when we’re in these positions. The best wayto practice is to put a resistance band on your legs and focus on pushing theknees out, fighting the resistance of the band.

“Neck Aligned With Your Spine”

Last butcertainly not the least, neck hyperextension. As an instructor, I find this isa cue I use a lot. We all like to stare at ourselves in the mirror, but we can’tbe doing this all the time in the gym. There are times when it’s appropriate andthen there are times that it could put a strain on our necks.

For example,when in a deadlift position, you’re actively pushing your butt back.  What is easily forgotten is that while theback remains flat, you should be lengthening with the crown of your head.Meaning, your neck is aligned with your spine. Hence, you are not checkingyourself out in a mirror, your chin is tucked as you hinge forward. If theweight is down you look down, if the weight is up, you look up.

Makingminor adjustments in form and technique, can create the ultimate difference. Inthe gym, we must move mindfully through exercise as to avoid any injury. Wemust exercise our minds as well as our bodies. Now, the next time you hear oneof these cues, you’ll know exactly what to do.