8 HABITS OF
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
AQUA INSTRUCTORS!
There are a number of factors to consider if you want to get the best out of yourself as well as your
class participants.
WORDS: DOMINIC GILI
hy are some instructors popular with members, while
others have trouble establishing credibility or respect?
Whether you’ve been teaching for 10 months or 10
years, the challenge as a fitness instructor is to aim to be the best
you can be. In order to win over clients and consistently provide the
best workouts, we must consider our delivery, evolve our methods
and consider the anatomy of a great instructor.
You never get a second chance to make a good first impression!
Over the years, participants come to know what makes an
instructor great. In their time in the pool they have seen it all – the
best of the instructors and the rest of the instructors. Some of
them take their classes very seriously – as if their lives depend on
them (and they do), so when a new instructor turns up to teach,
they take a very keen interest.
Over the years I have asked countless class members what, for
them, makes an instructor stand out from the crowd. Their responses
invariably include:
• They turn up early, set up equipment and start the class on time
• They dress suitably, look professional and ooze confidence
W
• They can assess clients’ needs and consistently deliver great
workouts.
There are also a number of other factors to consider when aiming to
get the best out of yourself and your classes:
1
Practise new routines in the water
Whether your class is choreographed or freestyle, try all the moves in
the pool before you instruct them to ensure they are suitable for the
water medium. Remember: not all land-based moves translate well
to the water. Also, be conscious of allotted pool space before cueing
travelling and/or directional changes.
2 Manage your class firmly but fairly
Good instructors get on the front foot when managing talkers in
class. If appropriate, at the start of each class designate talk times
so participants know when they can and cannot chat.
A great tactic when managing talkers is to ask clients if they think
it’s fair for you (as the instructor) to have to manage talking and, once
NETWORK AUTUMN 2016 | 19