Studies found that around 50% of adults don’t get enough exercise. Inactivity and sedentary behavior costs approximately $117 billion in annual expenses.
If you are a personal trainer teaching fitness classes, you understand the importance of bringing on newcomers. Clients new to the fitness world have a lot to gain, including improved cardiopulmonary health and strength. In return, it can also lower their risks for chronic illnesses.
However, you need to know the steps to take to ensure your newcomers are safe. Proper training and safety guidelines can help. Yet, you still need to keep yourself and your equipment covered when accidents arise.
Luckily, we have a must-read article for you. In our guide, we review safety steps to take with newcomers and seniors and how you can get started with a comprehensive and affordable insurance policy. Keep reading on for more information!
Teaching Fitness for Newcomers
Teaching fitness classes for seniors and newcomers is exciting but comes with a few unique challenges, such as modifying types of exercises and setting fitness goals. Newcomers or elderly adults may also be at a higher risk of injury. Here are some helpful tips for newcomers joining your group fitness class:
- Sit down with the client before starting (if possible)
- Familiarize them with the gym and equipment
- Review safety
- Setting fitness goals
- Monitor progress
- Stay attentive
If you have a small class that requires signing up beforehand, you may have the opportunity to sit with the client beforehand. If your exercise class schedule is open to anyone, you’ll have to skip step one.
Instead, take inventory of newcomers and spend a brief amount of time greeting anyone new. This will help you become familiar with new faces and ensure you can keep an eye on them during your class. Additionally, provide adequate space for everyone and keep the gym space clean.
Fitness Classes for Seniors
Fitness for seniors is important in reducing chronic illnesses and hospitalizations. Strength and aerobic training are critical elements to overall health and wellness and can improve longevity.
Experts also found that physical activity had better systemic effects than pharmacological interventions. The WHO recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly for individuals 65 or older.
Encourage adaptive and safe exercises during your fitness classes. Also, consider monitoring heart rate more closely with seniors.
Gym Safety
Familiarizing clients with the gym and reviewing safety is key for newcomers and an excellent reminder for those who are seasoned veterans of your fitness class. There are two categories of gym safety:
- Equipment safety
- Health safety
It is up to you to help newcomers with any exercise equipment. If you use upright bikes, weights, or bands, provide a demonstration before and spend time helping clients with form and technique. The next crucial safety step is reviewing the client’s health.
Ideally, health screening and forms should be reviewed before the start of class. Health screenings can give you a good idea of comorbidities or other concerns.
Yet, things get missed, and it is important you check in with your patients if you notice significant changes during their workout. As a fitness instructor, it is your duty to ensure proper warm-ups and cool-downs. These two steps can help newcomers prevent injuries and improve their workouts.
Next, consider altering your fitness class to accommodate clients who are not at similar strength and endurance levels as others. Gradually increasing intensity and altering exercises helps clients have a good experience and reduces injury risks.
Another idea is pairing clients together during group workouts. This gives you the flexibility to pair one of your familiar clients with a newcomer and another tool to ensure safety.
Stay Attentive During Group Fitness Classes
Individual training is a different ballgame, and much easier to monitor progress, safety, and goals. During group fitness classes, it is crucial you remain attentive, especially toward newcomers, who may stray from proper equipment usage or technique once fatigue sets in.
If your class starts becoming too large, consider breaking it into two separate schedules or groups. You can also find another fitness instructor to join you in the class. Place newcomers toward the front of the room so you can keep a better eye on them and ensure adequate rest breaks.
The most common functional fitness injuries are muscle, joint, and ligament or tendon. Usually, these injuries occur in the shoulder, low back, or knee.
Injuries are quite common with high-intensity workouts like CrossFit. If you are incorporating functional exercises and movements into your exercise class, try avoiding high repetitions and include exercises that provide better joint stabilization.
Personal Trainer Insurance
Insurance for exercise classes and personal trainers is another essential component. Accidents and injuries happen when teaching fitness and having group fitness insurance on-hand helps protect you against lawsuits.
There are two types of personal trainer insurance you may need for newcomers: personal trainer or group fitness. Depending on your specialty, there are options for aerobics, pilates, dance, Zumba, and more.
Group fitness insurance covers various exercise programs, remaining affordable while giving you peace of mind. Here are some of the coverages that fitness insurance encompasses:
- General liability
- Professional liability
- Product liability
- Rental damage
- Stolen equipment
- Identity protection
At Insure Fitness Group, we offer one of the most comprehensive plans. Liability coverage includes up to $3 million per member annually. You also receive up to $100,000 in rental damage repairs.
Finding a Group Fitness Insurance Provider
Teaching fitness is an excellent and fulfilling career path. When you start seeing newcomers in your classes, it can mark the beginning of someone’s life-changing fitness journey.
Despite all the safety steps you can take to ensure a secure environment, accidents happen. A client may get injured, or equipment may become damaged.
When accidents arise, Insure Fitness Group has you covered. Get insured today before starting your fitness classes!
