Now more than ever, group fitness classes are an integral part of member experiences at your club. Therefore it is critical to make sure you have an effective Group X director in charge of programming. Lori Lowell, the president of Group Fitness Solutions, LLC and a Gold’s Gym franchisee, shares the five top qualities to look for in a Group X director.
1. They are familiar and completely bought into all programs that are on the schedule. If a director is not fond or not well versed in a class, it usually does not do well. This does not mean that the director must be trained or on the schedule to teach every format, but they must be bought into the program.
2. He or she must understand the business of fitness. They are well versed in the club management style and are included and participate in all club director meetings and discussions.
3. They are well versed in Excel and can build spreadsheets that deliver KPI’s and a myriad of statistic reports and program development reports. They must be able to have business-oriented discussions regarding program growth and profit potential.
4. Is in the club full time. Group fitness director positions are no longer part-time positions. Provided workspaces and a clear position description are imperative for the director to deliver a quality program and continued program development.
5. Articulates well. They must be able to manage large groups of people and have consistent systems and protocol for each and every instructor and the program at large.
By Emily Harbourne
