Group Fitness Real Talk

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Group Fitness Real Talk

SH1FT Fitness

77 episodes

5 months ago

Rachel Holmes has been at the forefront of group fitness for 35+ years, transforming the careers of thousands of instructors. In this candid conversation, Will Brereton and Rachel dive into the major shifts highlighted in the Triple Threat Series that sparked massive debate in Rachel's community. Today on the podcast, Rachel Holmes shares her expert perspective on the evolution of pre-choreography, the transformation of instructor education, the unstoppable rise of Pilates, and practical stra...

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Health & Fitness

All content for Group Fitness Real Talk is the property of SH1FT Fitness and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Rachel Holmes has been at the forefront of group fitness for 35+ years, transforming the careers of thousands of instructors. In this candid conversation, Will Brereton and Rachel dive into the major shifts highlighted in the Triple Threat Series that sparked massive debate in Rachel's community. Today on the podcast, Rachel Holmes shares her expert perspective on the evolution of pre-choreography, the transformation of instructor education, the unstoppable rise of Pilates, and practical stra...

Show more...

Health & Fitness

Episodes (20/77)

Group Fitness Real Talk

The New Group Fitness Reality w’ Rachel Holmes

Rachel Holmes has been at the forefront of group fitness for 35+ years, transforming the careers of thousands of instructors. In this candid conversation, Will Brereton and Rachel dive into the major shifts highlighted in the Triple Threat Series that sparked massive debate in Rachel's community. Today on the podcast, Rachel Holmes shares her expert perspective on the evolution of pre-choreography, the transformation of instructor education, the unstoppable rise of Pilates, and practical stra...

5 months ago

47 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

FREE Certification For Life? The Program That's Disrupting Group Fitness

The group fitness industry is facing a major issue: instructor pay hasn't moved in 20 years, and the cost of learning new programs or formats continues to rise. Today, Will Brereton introduces SkillSync, a revolutionary program from SH1FT Fitness that eliminates certification costs for qualified instructors and challenges the industry standard of expensive digital trainings that don't deliver the same value as live trainings. Today on the podcast, Will explains why SH1FT Fitness is flipping t...

7 months ago

17 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

Social Media Reality Check: What Actually Works

Social media is warping our perception of what's actually working in fitness classes. One viral clip can make an old-school workout explode overnight, but does that translate to real-world class attendance? Today on the podcast, Will Brereton explores the disconnect between social media trends and actual gym schedules, provides a framework for evaluating what's real growth versus temporary hype, and shares practical strategies for instructors to use social platforms effectively without gettin...

7 months ago

7 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

AI for Instructors: Making Technology Work For You

AI is everywhere in fitness - writing captions, generating workouts, and even creating virtual trainers. But will it replace human instructors? Not likely. What it will do is change how we work. Today on the podcast, Will Brereton explores how AI is reshaping the fitness industry, examines what technology can (and fundamentally cannot) do for instructors, and provides practical strategies for harnessing AI as a tool rather than viewing it as competition! Plus don't forget to download your Gro...

7 months ago

7 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

Getting Paid What You're Worth: The Instructor Pay Shift

Instructor pay has been stagnant for two decades, but that might finally be changing. Why? Because gyms are dropping expensive licenses and redirecting budgets elsewhere. Today on the podcast, Will Brereton examines the shocking decline in instructor compensation (when adjusted for inflation), analyzes the three major factors that have driven pay down, and provides actionable strategies for instructors to earn what they're truly worth in today's evolving fitness landscape! Plus don't forget t...

7 months ago

10 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

Live vs Digital: What Members Really Want

Remember when digital fitness was going to take over the world? Fast forward five years, and the reality looks quite different. Today on the podcast, Will Brereton analyzes why digital fitness platforms are struggling while live group classes are booming, examines the surprising shift in consumer preferences, and provides actionable strategies for fitness professionals to position themselves for success in this evolving landscape! Plus don't forget to download your Group Fitness Triple Threat...

7 months ago

7 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

Wearables in Group Ex: Turning Member Data Into Better Classes

Wearable tech is everywhere. Smart watches, heart rate monitors, fitness trackers – people are tracking everything from steps to calories to sleep. And if you're teaching group fitness, your participants are bringing that data into your class. Today on the podcast, Will Brereton explores how wearables are shaping group fitness, examines what metrics actually matter to your members, and provides practical strategies for using this technology to improve motivation and engagement without getting...

7 months ago

7 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

How Weight Loss Drugs Are Reshaping Fitness

Weight loss drugs are everywhere. Major fitness brands are now integrating GLP-1 weight loss protocols into their services. You've probably already had some clients ask you about them. Does this mean fitness professionals are out of a job? Far from it. Today on the podcast, Will Brereton explores how GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are reshaping the fitness industry, explains the science behind muscle loss with these drugs, and provides a clear framework for instru...

7 months ago

12 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

The Circuit Revival: Why Hybrid Training is Exploding

Circuit training is back, but it's not the same as you remember! Today's circuits blend strength, cardio, and recovery into efficient formats that deliver maximum results in minimum time. But why is this classic format experiencing such a dramatic revival? Today on the podcast, Will Brereton explores the circuit training renaissance, examines how modern innovations have transformed this classic format, and provides a clear framework for designing effective circuits with any equipment you have...

8 months ago

12 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

Has Pilates Peaked? The Future of Low-Impact Fitness

Pilates is everywhere. On social media, in high end studios, and dominating ClassPass bookings. But, has it peaked? And if so, what's next for low impact fitness? Today on the podcast, Will Brereton breaks down where low impact fitness is heading next and why the smartest instructors are already adapting their approach. Learn how the low impact landscape is evolving beyond traditional Pilates and what this means for your teaching career in 2025. Plus don't forget to download your Group Fitnes...

8 months ago

8 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

Strength is King: Why You Can’t Ignore This Trend

Strength training isn't just trending—it's DOMINATING the fitness landscape in 2025. The American College of Sports Medicine now ranks traditional strength training as the #1 fitness modality, but what does this mean for group fitness instructors? Today on the podcast, Will Brereton breaks down the massive shift toward strength training across all demographics, explains why this trend is fundamentally different from past fitness fads, and provides practical strategies for incorporating streng...

8 months ago

8 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

The End of ETM? What Les Mills Change in Direction Means for You

Les Mills is pivoting away from pre choreographed exercise to music, or ETM, formats in a major way. Now this is a huge shift for instructors who rely on these programs. So, what does it mean for you? Is exercise to music dying? And, how should you adapt? Today on the podcast, Will Brereton analyzes Les Mills' shift away from ETM formats, examines the data behind this major change, and provides concrete action steps for instructors to adapt their teaching approach and future-proof their caree...

8 months ago

10 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

The Group Fitness Triple Threat Series

2025 is one of the biggest shakeups we've seen in the Group Fitness industry in a long time. If you're an instructor and you're still teaching the way you did five years ago, you're falling behind. If you're waiting for someone to just give you a raise or increase your instructor pay... I'm sorry to say it's not happening. But if you're ready to adapt, pivot, and get ahead of the trends, then you're in the right place. We've created a brand new podcast series: “The gro...

8 months ago

5 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

How to make more money as an instructor in 2024

We ALL live in hope that 2024 will be the year that instructor pay improves. But… this podcast is called group fitness Real Talk, and the real talk is that any big shifts - not matter how well deserved - don’t seem very likely. So how exactly can you make more money as an Instructor in 2024? I think you need to get smart in how you use your time and how you seek opportunities. And this is the subject that I’ll be discussing in this epsiode with Rosanna Tucker from CoverMe. Now ...

1 year ago

53 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

Pre & Postnatal Fitness - What Every Instructor Should Know

As a GX Instructor, you’ve undoubtedly had pre and postnatal people in your classes. This is why it's important to have a solid foundational knowledge in how to provide these members with a safe and effective workout. ⁠In this episode, Will speaks to Danielle Spangler, an industry expert on pre and postnatal fitness. ⁠Danielle has written many articles for fitness journals and education outlets about this very topic. Not only is she a GX Instructor herself, but she also owns a studio, B...

2 years ago

56 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

What Instructors NEED To Know About Social Media

Today on the podcast, I'm talking with Rachel Holmes about all the things Instructors NEED to know about showing up on social media in 2023. Rachel is both a fixture in the UK fitness circuit and also smashing it on social media right now, so I really wanted to pick her brain and get her top tips for GX Instructors.Rachel is a seasoned fitness professional who transitioned from being a BMX champion (yes, you read that right) to a fitness Instructor, and is now teaching fitness professionals h...

2 years ago

49 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

How To Package Your Proposition with Kelly Coulter

Today on the podcast, I'm back with repeat guest, Kelly Coulter. Last time, Kelly came on to talk about the three biggest business building mistakes that Instructors make when they start out teaching online. If you haven’t heard that episode yet, be sure to give it a listen (you can find that here)!Now for this episode, we're talking about something a little different. Most Group Fitness Instructors are GREAT at understanding how to create a class, deliver it, and cultivate community. But man...

2 years ago

39 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

The Science Behind Creating A Killer Playlist

This is one of those episodes where we’re going to keep it REAL and hit you right up front. We think that a lot of Instructors listening to this podcast have entirely the wrong idea about rights-included music. We get it! You like to use the music that you hear on the radio in your classes. But we are living in a digital age where record companies and production houses are going to make it more and more difficult for you to use that original artist music in your classes, particularly onl...

2 years ago

41 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

Pump No More? The New Rules for Strength Classes

Programming real strength development training in a group fitness setting has always been a challenge. But if you can do it well, it can be the biggest opportunity for you as a group fitness instructor to attract a broad audience of people to your classes. The question is, how exactly do you achieve effective strength development when you're dealing with the constraints of the group in the setting? And why is the strength development audience so attractive? In today's podcast, we're goin...

2 years ago

56 minutes

Group Fitness Real Talk

Menopause and Fitness: What No One Tells You with Tracy Minnoch

Here at SH1FT Fitness, we like to make sure we are giving our instructors what they want in terms of education, product, as well as the topics they want to hear about on this podcast. We recently conducted a global instructor survey and were really stunned by the number of instructors who wanted to hear more about menopause, hormones, and their impact on both class members and instructors.Well, you asked and we’re answering! Today on the podcast, I'm chatting with friend and colleague, Tracy ...

3 years ago

59 minutes