Passion for Group Exercise: Why Loving Your Fitness Classes Makes All the Difference

I said something to myself when I first started teaching group exercise, ie: strength, Zumba, HIIT, and so on. Those words were, “I’ll do this until I don’t love it anymore. The day I don’t enjoy it, I’ll simply stop.”

So I’ve been teaching now for about 3 years and so far I’m enjoying most classes. However, there are some times that I don’t look forward to a class. These are classes where I catch myself looking at the clock and consciously thinking about what to do next. It doesn’t flow or come naturally, and when that happens, that one hour becomes really, really long, and it becomes a drag.

I gave up a few classes over the past year because I simply wasn’t looking forward to them or enjoying them. I’ve always said that if you are doing group fitness, you must love it; otherwise, how can you convey that love and passion for fitness to your participants? This is especially true when it comes to Zumba—you can work your way around other formats, but Zumba is all about fun, and if you’re not feeling it, it just doesn’t work.

I had one group who was particularly upset that their instructor left the gym. I stepped in to take over, and the first thing I noticed upon arriving was that for a Saturday class, this group was significantly smaller than I was used to. I knew that a bunch of them were out in protest of his leaving and didn’t even give me a chance. The ones who did come, well, they weren’t giving me the kind of energy and vibe you expect from a Zumba class. I equated it to dating someone who is still in love with their previous partner. They’re with you, but never really giving you a chance because the past is still on their mind.

I really tried to give these folks a great class, and though some warmed up to me over the summer, the vibe was cold and not particularly fun for me. I really started to dread those sessions, so I gave up that entire Saturday morning slot—3 classes. I reached out to the former instructor and asked if he wanted it back. He never replied, but I had heard he did, so I let him know I was giving it up. And that was that.

I’m not a hypocrite, and I can’t pretend I’m enjoying something if I’m not. Instead of providing my people with subpar, unmotivated classes, I gave those classes up. Another thing is that I don’t sub groups where I don’t enjoy myself either. If a group doesn’t respond to you and the energy isn’t reciprocal, it becomes a drag. It’s hard to teach when you’re facing participants who don’t seem to be enjoying the class or themselves.

Some folks have told me you need to win them over and get them to like you no matter what. I’ll try a few times, but like I said, I can’t fake this. Again, this is especially true with Zumba.

I’m fortunate this is a part-time gig for me—I do have a day job—so I have the option to simply walk away if I’m not loving it. I see some instructors who rely on this as their primary income. They take whatever classes come up but may lack the passion and drive because they’re doing it for the paycheck. When that’s the case, the energy isn’t the same, and the classes reflect that. If you don’t love it, it shows.

In my opinion, when it comes to group fitness, love it or leave it.