How to run stress-free online exercise classes

The online fitness world has exploded this past year. So many people are learning how easy it is to take professionally taught fitness classes from the comfort of their living room, patio, or backyard.

As a fitness instructor, you’ll likely encounter several challenges running online exercise classes but don’t be discouraged. Today we’re going to break down all the pieces of running a stress-free online exercise class so you can plan, promote, and facilitate an engaging program that will get your students or clients sweating in no time!

Planning your class

Unlike at a gym or training facility, your students or clients may not have any special workout equipment. When planning more general interest workout classes from home, consider:

• providing an equipment list in advance
• listing alternative equipment that could be used (like milk jugs instead of kettlebells)
• focusing on bodyweight-only exercises and routines suggesting students or clients use a staircase or a sturdy box if they don’t have a step board.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to suggest attendees use an exercise or yoga mat, but you’re likely to get higher attendance when your class doesn’t require any special gear or equipment.

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Picking the time/date

After you’ve decided what online exercise classes you’re going to run, pick a day and time for the event. Unlike in-gym events, you’re less likely to be restrained by factors like rush-hour or standard business hours. Depending on your audience, you may have more options when choosing a time.

When you’re considering the best time of day for your class, remember that traditionally, many like to work out first thing in the morning or the evening. Therefore, classes during these times could be very popular. During the day may also be a good time for a class if your target participant is home during the day (like a new mom, a stay-at-home parent, or someone working from home.

In general, you’re likely to find success during the following times:

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday evenings (after 6 or 7 pm)
• Saturday mornings (around 9 and 10 am)

In contrast, the least likely times include Friday, Saturday, or Sunday nights (that’s when people socialize and relax).

Ultimately the success of your event may be tied to the time you do it live. Don’t be afraid to test out different times to see what works best for your group. If you already have a large audience of followers, newsletter subscribers, or clients, do a poll to see what times they prefer to take an online fitness class.

Do a practice session

If you’re testing out a new exercise program or routine, it can’t hurt to do a test run, especially if you’re new to using online technology to run an online exercise class. Grab some colleagues, friends, or your VIP clients and offer them a free class in exchange for some help troubleshooting technical and delivery issues. Take some time to test the timing of your program and the technical aspects like your sound and video quality. It will also give you a chance to see where to set up your camera so the participants can see you clearly; you don’t want to be too far away or too close.

Promoting your class

It’s frustrating to clear your calendar and prepare for an exercise class, and no one shows up. To prevent this from happening to you, promote your classes. There are several online websites that will list your fitness classes. Here are some other ideas for promoting your programs:

• Post on your social media channels
• Send an email to your newsletter list
• Put a flyer up at your local community or fitness center
• Ask past (and current) students or clients to tell their friends about your class
• Offer 2 for 1 access for paid classes.

Just in case, set a registration deadline or cut-off point. This way, if you don’t get enough participants, you can cancel or postpone the event.

Exercise class promotion tips

Here are some bonus tips for talking about and promoting your online exercise programs:

• Talk about the benefits of the class (not just the technical details of what you’ll be teaching)
• Focus classes on key problem areas (like neck pain, mobility, whole-body fitness, or spiritual alignment). Then you promote the class as a “neck pain relief class,” not just a “yoga class.”
• Start promoting one-time classes 2-3 weeks in advance
• Consider promoting series of workout classes, not just one-offs

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Facilitating your class

You already know how to run an exercise class in the gym, but you need to make a few modifications to your delivery when you do it online.

Maximize Bandwidth: Low bandwidth internet connections can make running an online exercise class nearly impossible. If you are running your class from your home, ask other people in the house to minimize their internet usage during your class. You should also close any computer programs you don’t directly need for the class. Finally, don’t forget to pause any major downloads or uploads.

Audio: If your class includes your narration, make sure you have a good class="text-justify"quality microphone. You’ll likely be doing the exercise routines in real-time with your students or clients, so consider a wireless lapel microphone or have a colleague speak into the mic while explaining the movements.

Video quality: This isn’t often a deal-breaker as long as your students or clients can see you well enough to copy your movements. However, good quality video helps make a great impression.

Recording your class

Depending on your programs, consider recording your workouts. Not every class needs to be live. You could:

• Pre-record your class and offer it on demand
• Do the live class only
• Do the live class and record it for people to watch later (or for those who couldn’t attend live).

Always record just the video of yourself and not your participants. Make the participants aware that you are recording in case any go off mute or talk during the program.

Subs2Go makes it easy for you to break into the online exercise class world. We make it easy for you to schedule and run your own online classes from anywhere in the world. Offer free or paid classes and use them to grow your fitness business or just earn a little extra pocket cash.

Get started teaching through Subs2Go today!