AFAA Chapter 11 - class engagement and motivation

before class engagement

"what are you hoping to work on today?" "were you sore after the last class?" "have any fun plans after class today?"

after class

"what did you like most about class today?" "what was the most challenging part of class today?" "what was your favorite song today?" "do you have any big plans for the weekend?"

which term refers to the ideal balance between sharing information and performing when teaching?

edutainment

fostering engagement with edutainment

edutainment: the balanced combination of education and entertainment used to deliver an instructional experience in the most compelling way possible instructors may focus on verbal cues that tell participants what muscle they are working, how to make progressions/regressions, or what plane of motion they are using

influences on human behavior

-cognitive influences (self-efficacy, self-talk) -affective influences (positive and negative emotions) -interpersonal influences (group fitness classes, eating in groups) -behavioral influences (positive reinforcement, self-monitoring) -sensation influences (pain associated with working out, feeling of hunger)

SMART goals

-Specific -Measurable -Attainable -Realistic -Timely *it is way of simplifying the goal-setting process to help individuals set more productive an realistic goals ex: I will attend 8 resistance classes and 8 cycle classes over the next 30 days

instructors should know these standards for social media:

-make posts that support their fitness message, mission, and vision statements -try to post original quotes and images as much as possible -give credit to original writers, artists, or owners when posting content from inspiring people or organizations and resonate with the brand -post open-ended questions to engage the greatest number of participants and encourage them to create likes/reactions, comments, and shares -include something visual; add a photograph or short video to the post to engage more participation -shoot video clips with smartphone in horizontal mode to capture full image -obtain permission from any individual before tagging them or publicly discussing anything about them -make sure content posted to public pages supports the brand -avoid impolite topics such as politics or religion -acoid aggressively requesting likes, shares, or comments -try to have a "brand" account and a "personal" account to protect privacy and safety -delete or remove tags that others make using their name that don't resonate with brand

elements of engaging experiences

-performance and presence -confidence -fostering engagement with music -fostering engagement with edutainment -fostering engagement with variety

strategies for enhancing intrinsic motivation

-providing positive feedback -seek input -create engaging class experiences -help make successful experiences -reiterate positive feelings associated with activities -provide information on accomplishments and progress

ways to build a fitness community

1. giving specific, verbal feedback that objectively reflects the participant's form or execution 2. giving specific, verbal feedback that subjectively reflects the instructors care and involvement with participants 3. using first names or professions where possible to individualize experience 4. engaging participants in conversation before and after class 5. hosting group outings 6. aligning oneself with a charity or philanthropic outreach program in the community 7. facilitating friendly competition among participants 8. using social media, text messages, and email to communicate as appropriate

learning objectives

11.1 explain how to use themes, sounds and variation for an engaging class experience 11.2 describe key motivation techniques 11.3 identify the traits of SMART goals 11.4 describe methods for building and engaging a fitness community

cognitive influences

2 cognitive factors that influence behavior: -confidence -self-talk (internal dialogue) self-efficacy (the belief in one's ability to execute a certain behavior) is the strongest predator of physical activity self-efficacy stems from several sources instructors can tap into to increase participants' confidence: -performance accomplishments: strongest source of self-efficacy was they focus on participants success, not comparing to others -modeling: watching similar individual successfully perform the desired task -verbal persuasion: instructor encourages participant to perform task, supports confidence -imagery: imagining themselves performing a task, can increase participants' confidence

fitness message

a benefit statement or philosophy related to fitness it is about what the instructor believes fitness can do for someone

affective influences

affective influence refers to influence resulting from emotions positive/negative emotions may change how participant adheres to exercise program exercise is most effective way to change a ad mood. instructors might be helping to enhance a participants mood

fitness mission statement

an informative statement about what an instructor does (or wants to do) it comes from logical thinking and practical application it should be short, catchy, and digestible

fitness vision statement

an inspirational statement about what an instructor wants to be in the future should be longer than a mission statement, with a bit more detail on the outcome and also be more focused on inspiring people with positive opportunities

behavioral influences

behavioral influences are those influences created as a result of an individual's behavior some behaviors elicit positive feeling in the participant, making them more inclined to repeat the behavior ex self-monitoring: if an individual start tracking their activity to hit a movement goal, the tracking behavior will influence the person to walk more, which in turn might encourage continued tracking, resulting in a self-supporting feedback loop ex positive reinforcement: focuses on providing individuals with a reward for exhibiting a specific behavior, with the goal of increasing the likelihood of the desired behavior being repeating

intrinsic factors

being intrinsically motivated is valued because it has been associated with a sustained level of performance, participation, and positive outcomes like creativity, persistence, increased energy, autonomy

what can help participants push through difficult movements?

bold, forceful beats

beyond class engagement

communication that can take place beyond the confines of the class setting prior to class, instructors can help participant who has hands full, arrange equipment, spend time in the locker room, or wait outside of studio for class to start after class: putting equipment back, being available for questions, walking outside of the club

confidence (element of engagement)

confidence stamps from expertise and behavior familiarity with material enables instructors to offer helpful feedback tips to show confidence: -dynamic verbal, visual, and physical cueing during movement -alternate between watching body movements and looking into participants eyes -practice enunciation, and vary the tone every third sentence -project Oe's voice from the diaphragm

motivating through intrinsic and extrinsic factors

extrinsic motivation: the performance of an activity to obtain a reward separate from the activity itself ex of rewards: money, status, trophies, prestige, positive feedback intrinsic motivation: the performance of an activity for rewards directly stemming from the activity itself ex: endorphin high, getting energized, more alertness at work, strength, reduction in body fat, sleeping better, inherent satisfaction of the activity itself intrinsic and extrinsic motivation exist on a continuum. when participants have a combo of both motivation factors, they are more likely to stay with an activity program

fitness community

fitness community: an evolving, growing, and dedicated group of people who follow, trust, and regularly communicate with a Group Fitness Instructor instructors who invest time in building a brand and dedicated following actively develop a fitness community

pre-contemplation (stage of TTM)

in the pre-contemplation stage of the TTM, individuals do not intend to change their high-risk behaviors in the future this usually means the individual is not anticipating starting an exercise regimen in the next 6 months people in this stage tend to avoid reading, talking, or thinking about the behavior that needs to be changed

preparation (stage of the TTM)

in the preparation stage of the TTM, individuals intend to take action in the near future, usually within the next month these individuals usually have taken some significant action toward making the behavior change in the past year, such as joining a health club, contacting a physician, engaging in more activity, or buying exercise equipment most people in this stage have some sort of plan of action

action (stage of the TTM)

individuals in the action stage of the TTM have made specific, overt modifications to their behavior within the past 6 months individuals in this stage may exercise regularly but have been doing so for less than 6 months change in this stage is not stable, and it corresponds with highest risk for relapse

contemplation (stage of the TTM)

individuals in the contemplation stage are thinking about making behavior change within the next 6 months they are typically aware of the pros of changing their behavior, but also aware of the cons of this behavior change (ex: more time away from family)

motivating participants

it can be difficult for participants to track their own performance, progress, and movement quality. thus an effective instructor must motivate the participants instructor should communicate participants' achievements both in the short-term (how many squats they performed) and long term (how someone has improved over several classes) to help participants feel valued and more motivated

fostering engagement with music

lyrics and overall sound can work synergistically with the movements, performance of the instructor, and class ambience bold, forceful beets can help participants push through hard moves positive empowering lyrics may motivate tips to help support class flow and overall energy: -use a variety of music types during class -use trendy pop, dance, or hip-hop music or well-known popular oldies to foster musical connection -use dramatic segments, chorus, or downbeats in a song for visual, verbal, or motivational cues -select music with lyrics that match the movements being performed -stay on beat, and count reps or time by using song components

types of motivational cues

motivational cues help keep participants focused when feeling tired or bored some motivational cues include: -time or rep countdown -performance: complimenting to assist in finding energy to push harder -physical or emotional benefit: emphasizing physical or emotional results of a movement -competition: using competitive elements

building a brand and fitness community

once an instructor establishes a successful method of communicating with participants, a personal brand and dedicated following are built *a fitness brand evolves from the instructor's goals and philosophies on fitness, such as their fitness message, mission statement, and vision statement these components drive the way an instructor prepares, teaches, self-promotes, and grows as a leader in the group fitness arena

fostering engagement with variety

overload and progression are rooted in body's primal need for change and variety variety also works to alleviate boredom, generate interest in new challenges, and expand the participants' experiences tasks to incorporate more variety: -add a single new exercise or movement pattern -add one new song to a favorite mix -change the order of movements -change sets, reps, rest time or interval ration -create a long-term plan for progression

performance and presence (element of engagement)

performance is the ability to convey a message in a theatrical way to engage participant performance includes the way cues, movements, music, ambiance, attire, volume, and attitude of the instructor make individuals feel presence refers to an instructors ability to command attention by being confident, prepared, positive, and inviting an instructor develops presence by demonstrating correct form, posture, technique, dressing professionally, and behaving in a way that shows his or her emotional and energetic engagement

which type of music is best for motivating participants to rise to a challenge?

positive and empowering

sensation influences

sensation influences are physical feelings individuals experience as they relate to behaviors involved in establishing a healthy lifestyle instructors should avoid overloading new participants , as pain may discourage them from returning get rid of "no pain, no gain" mentality

using social media to drive engagement

social media offers instructors multiple channels and platforms to communicate with students beyond the class setting social media also offers platforms to build community and recruit new participants and followers instructors can target their demographic by using the appropriate social media platforms for their demographic

interpersonal influences

social support network influences behavior social support includes companionship, encouragement, assistance, or information from friends, family, and coworkers, and professionals group-oriented programs offer enjoyment, social support, increased sense of commitment, and opportunities to compare progress and fitness with others instructors can activate interpersonal influences by inviting participants back and reminding them their presence is valued and their absence is noticed

the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) (stages of change)

the Transtheoritical Model (TTM) states that individuals progress through a series of stages of change, and movement through these stages is cyclical - not linear - because many do not succeed in their efforts at establishing/maintaining lifestyle changes for the long term the TTM comprises of 5 stages: *pre-contemplation *contemplation *preparation *action *maintenance

maintenance (stage of the TTM)

the maintenance stage of the TTM is the period from 6 months after the behavioral change has been made until a time point at which risk of returning to prior behavior has been completely terminated people in this stage have been exercising regularly and have done so for more than 6 montsh it is likely they will continue to maintain regular exercise throughout life span, except in the case of injury or health problem

in the action stage of the TTM, individuals make specific, overt modification in their lifestyle within what time frame?

the past 6 months

connecting with participant goals

while working individually with each participant exceeds the responsibilities of instructors, there may still be common goals for the class, or a series of classes instructors should know how to set realistic goals for general groups