Motivate. Inspire. Lead. …with our Group Fitness Instructor Training (GFIT) Course!

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September 2019 Fitness & Wellness Corner
By Christie L. Simoson, Assistant Fitness Director

Ever wondered what it would be like to actually be the one who leads and motivates the group fitness class that you enjoy going to so much? Curious about what steps an instructor must take in order to become certified? Maybe you need an extra push to lunge forward and take your health and fitness journey a step farther? Well, HERE. IT. IS.

GFIT is Yates Field House’s Group Fitness Instructor Training Course, that ultimately teaches you the ins and outs of what it takes to be an awesome instructor, all while prepping you to take the exam to become a nationally certified Group Fitness Instructor (GFI)! Here’s how we do it…

Through our academic partnership with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), we are well-equipped to teach you everything you need to know in order to create your own classes!

During our semester-long course, we provide you with:

  • An online NASM account
  • Course materials (e-book, quiz’s, practice exams, etc.)
  • Optimal opportunities for practice sessions in order to grow and enhance your skills and abilities
  • A Yates Field House unlimited group fitness class pass for the semester

What’s the commitment?

Generally, we meet once a week for 2 hours at a time to go over the course material. In addition, we also schedule some studio time once every couple of weeks so you get some practice with the physical aspect of instructing, such as cueing, using a mic/stereo, and leading your fellow GFIT peers through the different components of a class.

Toward the end of the course, we meet for a final review of all of the material in preparation for your exam. While we strongly suggest scheduling your exam at a proctored site soon after the completion of the course, you will have about 8 more months to schedule your exam thereafter.

Did you say EXAM?!

Relaaaaxxxx. Like I said, we prep you over 12-13 weeks to ensure you are ready for it! The exam must be taken at a proctored site. The good news is that you can work around your current schedule and make the appointment to take the exam whenever it is most convenient for you! The exam is multiple choice and you will have ample time to complete it.

What formats will I be able to teach with this certification?

Great question! You will be permitted to teach any format that does not require a specialty certification. This means that you would be qualified to instruct H.I.I.T., Boot Camp, Strength, Cardio, Tabata, Kickboxing etc., depending on what you are interested in. Specialty classes, such as Spinning, Yoga, and Zumba, require specialty certifications. My advice to you is to see what gets your fire burning and move toward that format!

Interested?

We offer our GFIT Course at a price of $259 for students, and $285 for non-students. Again, this price includes all course materials, an online NASM account, over 20 hours of in-person training, a free YFH unlimited group fitness class pass for the semester, and oh yea, the price of the exam to become nationally certified is INCLUDED!

Not yet convinced?

Maybe you feel that you are still not ready to go out there full-force. WE GOT YOU! We have a mentorship program where we offer 6-12 weeks of 1-on-1 training and progressively introduce you into instructing (i.e. you may start with just instructing the warm-up of a class, then the cool-down, then potentially a few songs throughout class, up until we feel you are ready to take on an entire class by yourself). Many of our instructors went through this program and we are excited to work with you to get you fully prepared to instruct a class. Even if you did not partake in GFIT and became certified on your own, we are happy to have you join our mentorship program.

Need one more push?

ALL GFIT graduates who took the exam passed on their first try. We are here and ready to get you geared up to lead, motivate, and inspire others on their health and fitness journeys. Register for the next available GFIT course today!

Pretty cool, huh?!

Still waiting for the ‘right time’? There is no better time than NOW. Take the leap and sign-up today to be a part of our GFIT community. I can speak from personal experience – Group Fitness Instructing has changed my life; Motivating and inspiring others on their fitness journeys is what keeps my fire burning each and every day.

Feel free to reach out to any of our instructors in the studios to see how their journey began. Every story is unique, and yours could be next!