Life happens. So having a backup when your instructors have to miss a class is pretty essential. For a lot of clubs, that backup comes in the form of several names and numbers stored together in the form of a substitute list — but you won’t find a list like that at Hive Lifespan Center in East Amherst, New York.
Owner Chris Salisbury explained that his establishment moved away from the substitute system.
“We don’t really have subs, per say. I solved my sub issue by creating and programming classes driven by a training team, so there’s always someone is the building that can cover class,” he said.
Salisbury said that of 19 Hive employees, 16 are certified, ensuring that most are capable of covering a class if needed, and he’s able to avoid having a sub list all together.
“Who would you rather have teach your people? Someone who’s qualified, or just a ‘weekend warrior?’” he asked.
Salisbury said the idea of having substitutes concerned him, in part, because of the chances that a substitute may not prioritize the club and its precise way of operating.
In addition, Hive does not offer traditional group exercise classes in an attempt to provide members with the most personal and effective exercise experience possible. Instead, classes are taught in groups of no more than 12 and are considered small group training. In this model, teachers are able to easily navigate the room and assist members as needed.
“For example, we don’t call it ‘[indoor cycling].’ With us it’s called ‘high-fit cycle,’ and the teacher is off of the bike coaching, not performing,” Salisbury explained.
Because of the way Hive operates, a substitute may struggle to adapt to, or simply not have the right type of experience working in such a close-knit environment.
Turn-over rates for trainers and instructors can generally be high, but Salisbury said that the average life-span of a trainer or instructor at Hive is around two years — which works out nicely for the culture of the club and its no-sub strategy.
