Teacher Tune Up: Offering Optimal Options
First thing’s first: inclusive language is a must. When I first started in the fitness industry, my first mentor, DeAun Woosley, always said, “As fitness instructors, our number one job is to keep our participants safe and to inspire them come back to class.” In order for the latter to be true, we need to give our students the opportunity to feel successful as often as possible. The good news is there are a variety of ways we can do this and most are fairly simple and easy to implement.
So what are some ways we can encourage our students to come back to class? Offering options that allow all bodies to participate, regardless of individual circumstances, is key. In other words, we need to be offering modifications and progressions in a way that is welcoming to all by using inclusive language. Rather than say “If you can’t plank on your toes, come to your knees”, you can say something like “your knees are available to you during your plank if your hips start to pike or drop”. There are a million different ways to offer options inclusively. One thing you can challenge yourself with this week is instead of using explicitly leveled options (ex: level 1/2/3, easy/hard), try offering your modifications and progressions as simply choices that anyone can choose, regardless of their perceived “level”. You may have a super fit rockstar or fellow instructor who is sore from a previous workout and does not want to have the pressure of taking the “hardest” option. Similarly, you may have a beginner who has not yet realized their full potential and may not feel confident picking anything aside from the “easiest” option.
Here are some other examples of offering options (disclaimer: these are simply example exercises/poses, you can apply this principle to any format you teach)
(in standing split kicks/ hip extension) “If your low back is talking to you, you can stay on the bottom half of your range of motion”// “If you’re wanting to fire up your glutes a little more, option to keep the toes hovering over the floor”
(during bicycle crunches) “if your low back starts to arch, option to put your feet down and keep moving the upper body”// “if you are feeling a little bit fiesty, option to turn it into straight leg bicycle while maintaining the connection of your low back to the ground”
One of my biggest proponents when training new instructors is to teach them how to use of inclusive language. How we speak when we are offering options (by the way, offering options is a MUST for helping all bodies move safely and efficiently) plays a huge role in how our participants FEEL during a workout, and will motivate them to reach for their day’s fullest potential. As fitness professionals, whether you teach yoga, bootcamp, personal train or something in between, our goal is to help people live healthier, happier lives. The fact that we must take seriously is if they are not coming back to our classes, we can not help them. That means we must plan ahead, read the latest research, and do our best to give our participants an experience that they feel they are empowered to move in a way that serves them.
Additionally, as instructors we are there to guide their exercising, but it is ultimately your participant’s workout! Empower them by vocalizing this truth and give them permission to change options whenever they need. We want to help them find their edge, their seed of growth potential, and to do their personal best for any given day. At the heart of this profession, we are there to encourage, educate, and motivate our participants; the positive impact you leave with your students will stay with them long after your cool down is over.