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Methods of Group Exercise Instruction, Fourth Edition, goes beyond theory to help fitness instructors and managers understand the why behind class and program design, the proper way to cue participants, and the variety of modalities they can use in their teaching. Revised and reorganized based on current industry best practices, this edition includes the following:
- Over 100 minutes of online video demonstrating warm-ups, routines, drills, and 15 new class formats
- A new chapter dedicated specifically to instructing older adults
- New coverage of high-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- Two additional sample class plans for featured group exercise formats
Methods of Group Exercise Instruction, Fourth Edition, will prepare any group fitness instructor for a successful career. Students will gain a strong foundation to earn their group fitness certification, and veteran instructors will be able to refine their skills to increase their marketability and success.
Chapter 1. Best Practices
Evolution of Group Exercise
Trends in Group Exercise
Education, Credentialing, and Certification
Creating Group Cohesion
Student-Centered Versus Teacher-Centered Instruction
Instructors as Role Models
Creating a Healthy Emotional Environment
Basic Business Practices for Group Exercise
Chapter 2. Foundational Components
Integrating Components of Health Into Class Design
Principles of Muscle Balance
Balancing Strength and Flexibility
Range of Motion for Major Joints
Progressive Functional Training Continuum
Create the Preclass Environment
Chapter 3. Coaching-Based Concepts
Motivational Strategies for Coaching-Based Group Exercise
Creating Dynamic Team Environments
Exercise Modification for Injury Prevention
Demonstrating Proper Alignment and Giving a Variety of Cues
Programming Music in a Class That Is Not Beat-Based
Chapter 4. Beat-Based Techniques
Applying Music Skills in Group Exercise
Choreography
Basic Moves
Elements of Variation
Creating Smooth Transitions
Combinations
Additional Choreography Techniques
Cueing Methods in Group Exercise
Part II. Primary Elements of Group Exercise
Chapter 5. Warm-Up, Cool-Down, and Cardiorespiratory Training
Designing a Warm-Up
Evaluating Stretching in the Warm-Up
Designing a Cool-Down
Cardiorespiratory Training Systems
Beginning Intensity
Appropriate Intensity Levels
Intensity Monitoring
Principles of Muscle Balance in Cardiorespiratory Training
Safety Issues, Good Alignment, and Technique
Importance of Participant Interaction and Enjoyment
Cool-Down After the Cardio Segment
Chapter 6. Muscular Conditioning
Recommendations and Guidelines for Muscular Conditioning
Cueing Muscular Conditioning Exercises
Demonstrating Progressions, Regressions, Modifications, and Alternatives
Safety Issues in Muscular Conditioning
Equipment for Muscle Conditioning
Chapter 7. Flexibility Training
Recommendations and Guidelines for Flexibility Training
Cueing Flexibility Exercises
Safety Issues in Flexibility Training
Flexibility Exercises
End-of-Class Flexibility Work
Chapter 8. Neuromotor and Functional Training
Neuromotor Training Principles and Recommendations
Functional Training Principles
Safety Issues in Balance and Functional Training
Equipment for Balance and Functional Training
Teaching a Balance Class
Teaching a Functional Training Class
Chapter 9. Teaching Older Adults
Modalities in Group Exercise for Older Adults
Understanding Aspects of Aging Pertinent to Group Exercise
Guidelines and Special Considerations
Facilitating Social Connections in Group Exercise for Older Adults
Exercise Modifications for Deconditioned Older Adults
Teaching a Chair-Based Class for Older Adults
Part III. Group Exercise Modalities
Chapter 10. Kickboxing
Creating a Warm-Up
Technique and Safety Issues
Basic Moves
Combinations and Choreography Techniques
Other Kickboxing Formats
Chapter 11. Step Training
Creating a Warm-Up
Technique and Safety Issues
Basic Moves and Step Patterns
Basic Combinations and Choreography Techniques
Training Systems
Chapter 12. Stationary Indoor Cycling
Positioning, Alignment, and Safety
Creating a Warm-Up
Basic Moves
Formatting Indoor Cycling Classes
Intensity Monitoring
Cueing and Coaching Techniques
Chapter 13. Boot Camp and HIIT
Creating a Warm-Up
Equipment and Setup
Planning Safe, Effective Movements
Basic Moves
Chapter 14. Water Exercise
Benefits of Water Exercise
Properties of Water and Newton’s Laws of Motion
Creating a Warm-Up
Formatting Water Fitness Classes
Training Systems
Water Exercise Equipment
Chapter 15. Yoga
Philosophy of Yoga
Breathwork in Yoga
Beginning a Yoga Class
Verbal Cues and Music
Technique and Safety Issues
Equipment and Class Setting
Chapter 16. Pilates
The Pilates Method: Basic Principles
Creating a Warm-Up
Cueing in Pilates
Technique and Safety Issues
Ending a Pilates Class
Chapter 17. Other Modalities
Creating a Client-Centered Group Exercise Class
Group Exercise for Niche Markets
Lifestyle-Based Physical Activity Classes
Dance-Based Classes
Equipment-Based Cardiorespiratory and Strength Training
Mind–Body Classes
Fusion Classes
Ethical Practice Guidelines for Group Fitness Instructors
Appendix A. Group Exercise Class Evaluation Form
Appendix B. PAR-Q+
Appendix C. Sample Workout Plans
Appendix D. Joint Action Tables
Appendix E. ROM Tables
Mary Yoke, PhD, FACSM, is a full-time faculty member at both Indiana University–Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) and Indiana University (IU) at Bloomington, teaching for the departments of kinesiology and applied health science. Prior to her current appointment, she was an adjunct professor at William Paterson University in New Jersey and a senior adjunct faculty member at Adelphi University in New York, where she authored numerous group exercise research studies.
Yoke has a PhD in health behavior, a master’s degree in exercise physiology, and two degrees in music, and she has obtained 24 certifications in fitness. She has frequently served as a fitness video consultant and reviewer for Shape, Consumer Reports, and Good Housekeeping, and she has served as an expert witness in lawsuits involving injuries related to fitness videos. Yoke has worked in the areas of cardiac rehab, physical therapy, and corporate fitness and health promotion, and she has taught in the commercial health club setting for 25 years.
A fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Yoke is an associate research editor for ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal and has written the Research Bites column three times per year since 2013. She has served for over six years on ACSM’s credentialing committee and more than three years on ACSM’s summit programming committee. She was on the adjunct board of the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), was a master trainer and certification specialist for AFAA for 30 years, and is a frequent speaker at national and international fitness conferences. She has presented in 49 U.S. states and has led workshops in 18 countries.
Yoke is the author or coauthor of the books 101 Nice-to-Know Facts About Happiness (2015), AFAA’s A Guide to Personal Fitness Training (1996, 2001), Functional Exercise Progressions (2004), Methods of Group Exercise Instruction (2003, 2009, 2014, 2020), and AFAA’s Personal Fitness Training: Theory and Practice (2006, 2010). She is featured in six educational videos and numerous online courses.
Carol K. Armbruster, PhD, FACSM, is a senior lecturer in the department of kinesiology in the School of Public Health at Indiana University (IU) at Bloomington. During her more than 35 years of teaching college students and training fitness leaders, she has served on the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and American Council on Exercise (ACE) credentialing committees. She is also an ACSM-certified exercise physiologist, holds the level 2 Exercise Is Medicine credential, and has level 1 Functional Movement Screening certification.
She previously served as a program director of fitness and wellness for the IU Division of Recreational Sports, where she managed a program that offered more than 100 group exercise sessions per week. Prior to working at IU, Armbruster worked at the University of Illinois, Colorado State University, Rocky Mountain Health Club, the Loveland (Colorado) Parks and Recreation Department, and the Sheboygan (Wisconsin) School District.
Armbruster enjoys combining her interests of teaching, community engagement, and translational research. She is a senior editor for Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine and is on the board of directors for the ACSM Exercise Is Medicine initiative. Her doctoral work focused on translational research of active-duty military in the over-40 age population. She is especially interested in functional movement, worksite wellness outcomes, safe and effective movement instruction, and evaluating safe and effective outcome-based physical activity and movement program delivery methods in order to encourage healthy lifestyles and focus on improved quality of life and prevention of illness.
Feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later.
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later. Therefore, a move such as a squat, which strengthens muscles around the knee joint and may help reduce pain once the muscles are stronger, is not technically a feel-good move as it is generally not perceived as pleasant in the moment, especially by those with knee pain. When leading participants through feel-good moves, encourage them to close their eyes and find just what their bodies need right now; help them to find moves that bring relief and pleasure.
- Sun breaths: While sitting in chair, slowly inhale while circling arms out and up to the ceiling then exhale while circling them back down, tracing a “sun” around the body. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Shoulder rolls: Simply sit and roll shoulder blades up, back, and down, emphasizing the backward and downward moves. (It's best to avoid rolling forward, as most participants hunch forward already). Encourage deep, slow breathing—inhaling as shoulder blades elevate, exhaling as they press down.
- All-fours: cat tilt or dog tilt, lateral flexion, pelvic rotation, thread the needle: Modify in the chair by tilting the pelvis anteriorly and posteriorly (emphasizing the anterior tilt and spinal extension), then by rocking the pelvis laterally, and finishing with circling the pelvis and rib cage. All moves should be performed slowly with deep, conscious breathing.
- Seated windshield wipers into spinal twist, shoulder circles: Modify by sitting on the edge of the chair and allowing both knees to slowly relax left then right (hips will be internally and externally rotating in the horizontal plane). After a few comfortable repetitions, hold to one side and add a gentle spinal twist while holding onto the chair to prevent falling (see figure 9.2). Repeat on other side. To this, you can add a feel-good move for the shoulders and arms, reaching across to the side, front, up, or wherever feels good to the participant.
Figure 9.2 Windshield-wiper move on chair.
- Prone baby cobra: Modify on the chair by having participants lean forward and place their hands (or elbows) on the back of a chair in front of them. Gently press into a small range of spinal extension (see figure 9.3).
Figure 9.3 Spinal extension on chair.
- Ankle moves: While sitting, lift legs and slowly roll ankles in complete circles—one direction then the other. Then fully dorsiflex ankles, pressing heels away as far as possible. Even though participants will most likely be wearing shoes, ask them to see if they can press the balls of their feet out (as if they were standing and performing a heel raise) and then fully plantarflex, pointing the toes. Repeat. Finish with more ankle rolls or figure eights.
See online video 9.1 for feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions.
Positioning, alignment,and safety in group cycling classes
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike.
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike. Show up 15 minutes before class to assist participants with bike setup, answer any questions, get to know new participants, and set up your own equipment (including the music and microphone). The three main bike adjustments are the seat height, the fore and aft seat position, and the handlebar height.
Seat Height
The correct seat heightdepends on the cyclist's leg length: the longer the leg, the higher the seat. In general, when the rider is seated on the bike with the balls of the feet on the center of the pedals, there should be a slight bend in the knee of the extended leg when pedaling. Experts suggest this knee flexion should be anywhere from 5° to 30°. If the seat height is too low, inadequate leg extension may cause knee problems, especially in the front of the knee. If the seat is too high, the rider's hips will rock back and forth; in addition, the risk of knee hyperextension is increased, which may cause pain at the back of the knee. Most beginning participants err on the side of setting the seat too low in an effort to minimize saddle soreness. Proper seat height is the key to healthy knees.
Fore and Aft Positioning
For proper fore and aftpositioning, adjust the saddle so that the cyclist's front kneecap is aligned directly above the center of the pedal when the pedal is forward and the crank is horizontal (the nine o'clock position). Cycling with the saddle too far forward can cause anterior knee problems. The correct fore and aft positioning also should allow the arms to comfortably reach the handlebars with the elbows slightly flexed. In addition, a proper position of the fore and aft seat setting will reduce the sitting-bone pain beginners often feel when first starting an indoor cycling class, particularly if they do not have cycling shorts.
Handlebar Height
Handlebarheight is mostly a matter of personal preference. Some experts have shown that a higher handlebar height puts riders in a better posture position to help minimize lower-back pain while riding. Beginners are encouraged to put the handlebars higher so the torso is more upright. The upright, neutral spine position is recommended for participants with back or neck problems. The lower the handlebars, the more the cyclist simulates a racing position, which creates favorable aerodynamics when cycling outdoors but is unnecessary when riding indoors. Teach participants to ride with a relaxed grip and neutral wrists and to vary their hand positions.
Shoes and the Emergency Brake
Encourage participants to wear stiff-soled shoes that remain rigid over the pedals; students should position the feet so that the balls of the feet, not the arches, contact the pedals. Clipping the shoes onto the pedals or securely strapping the shoes into the foot cages can enhance pedaling efficiency. Because most bikes are fixed gear and have pedals that continue to rotate after the feet are taken off, remind your class members to keep their feet on the pedals until the pedals stop moving. Most indoor cycling bikes have an emergency brake that can be pressed to instantly stop the flywheel and pedal rotation should your feet become detached.
Body Alignment
Remind participants to maintain neutral spinal alignment on the bike. The rider is in a neutral spine position when the four curves of the back are in their proper relationship to each other. Maintaining this position is easiest when the rider is sitting upright with the torso perpendicular to the floor. When the rider is seated and riding with a correct forward lean, the spine is in a neutral position, albeit inclined at a 45° angle, depending on the activity (see figure 12.1). Tucking the hips under (creating a posterior pelvic tilt) causes the back to round (or flex) and places much more strain on the structures of the back and should be avoided. When using proper form, the shoulder blades are kept down and slightly retracted in a position known as neutral scapular alignment. Rounding or hunching the shoulders or allowing the shoulder blades to come up by the ears should be avoided.
Figure 12.1 Proper seated bike alignment in the inclined position.
See online video 12.1 for a cycle setup demonstration.
Trends in group exercise
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back.
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back. The reality of our current health status is that for the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the United States at birth has declined from 78.9 years to 78.8 years (Xu et al. 2015) while global life expectancy has risen. When group exercise first emerged, many people considered it to be a fad, but it is clear that group exercise is here to stay. The U.S. Healthy People 2020 (2018) objectives emphasize increasing the proportion of the population that is at a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and reducing the number of people who have functional limitations. A CDC (2018) U.S. scientific report, put together by researchers tasked with modifying the 2008 Physical Activity guidelines, emphasized the power of movement—any movement—for improving the health and wellness of individuals. This new scientific report provides evidence of the broad health benefits that movement and exercise bring to individuals who engage in movement experiences on a regular basis. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods for group exercise instruction may be a productive options for individuals who can afford a fitness membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue becomes capturing the large portion of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. We believe that neighborhood walking groups, groups training for couch-to-5k walking or running events, and senior sit-and-fit offerings in assisted living care are also a part of the new group exercise movement of the future. All the guidelines in this book apply not only to group fitness in a facility but also to bringing group fitness into less traditional spaces.
Older adult group exercise class.
According to Tharrett (2018), within the last 8 to 10 years traditional health and fitness club memberships have held steady at 14% to 20% of the U.S. population, with the international population having less market penetration than the United States. Evidence suggests that traditional facility-based fitness programming may not be as inclusive as once thought. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods may be a productive option for individuals who can afford a health club membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue arises concerning capturing the other 75% to 80% of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. For example, those participants who run outside may achieve health benefits from running that are similar to a fitness center group exercise class. It might be time to rethink the delivery of fitness programming that will naturally move more participants toward a small-group experience, particularly participants who are beginners and are inactive in their daily living activities. Currently, personal training is popular, but in the same hour a personal trainer spends with one client, a group fitness instructor may reach 40 to 50 participants. Personal trainers who are also group exercise instructors may have many more opportunities to find clients due to their visibility as group instructors.
Participants can see similar results in group exercise that takes place outside a traditional fitness center.
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise and Sitting Time
The most recent ACSM (2018) recommendations for exercise are presented in the “Summary of the 2018 ACSM Evidence-Based Recommendations for Exercise for Healthy Adults” in this chapter. These recommendations will be outlined in more detail in successive chapters. It is interesting to note that the current ACSM evidence-based guidelines (2018) validate a typical group exercise class format dating back to the inception of group exercise in the 1970s. The guidelines include cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance, neuromotor movement, and flexibility training, all of which have been a part of the group exercise experience for many years. A contemporary focus on incorporating neuromotor (specifically balance) movements into group exercise experiences is relatively new to the ACSM evidence-based guidelines; this emphasis reflects the trend toward a focus on functional fitness and concerns about the fitness of an aging population. You will hear more about this topic later in chapters 8 and 9.
Sedentary Living Concerns
In addition to the need for following the ACSM exercise guidelines, total time spent sitting is a health concern that has attracted more attention in the literature and should be considered by group fitness instructors. Van der Ploeg and colleagues (2012) demonstrated dose-response associations between sitting time and mortality from all causes and between sitting time and cardiovascular disease, independent of leisure-time physical activity. In other words, a single leisure-time physical activity (such as attending a group exercise class) was not enough movement to compensate for too much sitting time in terms of improving health and mortality risk. Katzmarzyk and colleagues (2009) concur that extended sitting results in “metabolic alterations” that cannot be compensated for by an isolated exercise session. Similarly, Levine's (2014) work at the Mayo Clinic determined that the negative effects of six hours of sedentary time were similar in magnitude to the benefit of one hour of exercise. Finally, a recent article by Siddarth and colleagues (2018) found that sedentary behavior was also associated with detrimental temporal lobe brain thickness in older adults. We encourage you to explore websites that contain literature on sedentary living, such as Juststand.com. Consider offering classes that are shorter in length to encourage the nonactive sitting population to move.
Feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later.
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later. Therefore, a move such as a squat, which strengthens muscles around the knee joint and may help reduce pain once the muscles are stronger, is not technically a feel-good move as it is generally not perceived as pleasant in the moment, especially by those with knee pain. When leading participants through feel-good moves, encourage them to close their eyes and find just what their bodies need right now; help them to find moves that bring relief and pleasure.
- Sun breaths: While sitting in chair, slowly inhale while circling arms out and up to the ceiling then exhale while circling them back down, tracing a “sun” around the body. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Shoulder rolls: Simply sit and roll shoulder blades up, back, and down, emphasizing the backward and downward moves. (It's best to avoid rolling forward, as most participants hunch forward already). Encourage deep, slow breathing—inhaling as shoulder blades elevate, exhaling as they press down.
- All-fours: cat tilt or dog tilt, lateral flexion, pelvic rotation, thread the needle: Modify in the chair by tilting the pelvis anteriorly and posteriorly (emphasizing the anterior tilt and spinal extension), then by rocking the pelvis laterally, and finishing with circling the pelvis and rib cage. All moves should be performed slowly with deep, conscious breathing.
- Seated windshield wipers into spinal twist, shoulder circles: Modify by sitting on the edge of the chair and allowing both knees to slowly relax left then right (hips will be internally and externally rotating in the horizontal plane). After a few comfortable repetitions, hold to one side and add a gentle spinal twist while holding onto the chair to prevent falling (see figure 9.2). Repeat on other side. To this, you can add a feel-good move for the shoulders and arms, reaching across to the side, front, up, or wherever feels good to the participant.
Figure 9.2 Windshield-wiper move on chair.
- Prone baby cobra: Modify on the chair by having participants lean forward and place their hands (or elbows) on the back of a chair in front of them. Gently press into a small range of spinal extension (see figure 9.3).
Figure 9.3 Spinal extension on chair.
- Ankle moves: While sitting, lift legs and slowly roll ankles in complete circles—one direction then the other. Then fully dorsiflex ankles, pressing heels away as far as possible. Even though participants will most likely be wearing shoes, ask them to see if they can press the balls of their feet out (as if they were standing and performing a heel raise) and then fully plantarflex, pointing the toes. Repeat. Finish with more ankle rolls or figure eights.
See online video 9.1 for feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions.
Positioning, alignment,and safety in group cycling classes
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike.
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike. Show up 15 minutes before class to assist participants with bike setup, answer any questions, get to know new participants, and set up your own equipment (including the music and microphone). The three main bike adjustments are the seat height, the fore and aft seat position, and the handlebar height.
Seat Height
The correct seat heightdepends on the cyclist's leg length: the longer the leg, the higher the seat. In general, when the rider is seated on the bike with the balls of the feet on the center of the pedals, there should be a slight bend in the knee of the extended leg when pedaling. Experts suggest this knee flexion should be anywhere from 5° to 30°. If the seat height is too low, inadequate leg extension may cause knee problems, especially in the front of the knee. If the seat is too high, the rider's hips will rock back and forth; in addition, the risk of knee hyperextension is increased, which may cause pain at the back of the knee. Most beginning participants err on the side of setting the seat too low in an effort to minimize saddle soreness. Proper seat height is the key to healthy knees.
Fore and Aft Positioning
For proper fore and aftpositioning, adjust the saddle so that the cyclist's front kneecap is aligned directly above the center of the pedal when the pedal is forward and the crank is horizontal (the nine o'clock position). Cycling with the saddle too far forward can cause anterior knee problems. The correct fore and aft positioning also should allow the arms to comfortably reach the handlebars with the elbows slightly flexed. In addition, a proper position of the fore and aft seat setting will reduce the sitting-bone pain beginners often feel when first starting an indoor cycling class, particularly if they do not have cycling shorts.
Handlebar Height
Handlebarheight is mostly a matter of personal preference. Some experts have shown that a higher handlebar height puts riders in a better posture position to help minimize lower-back pain while riding. Beginners are encouraged to put the handlebars higher so the torso is more upright. The upright, neutral spine position is recommended for participants with back or neck problems. The lower the handlebars, the more the cyclist simulates a racing position, which creates favorable aerodynamics when cycling outdoors but is unnecessary when riding indoors. Teach participants to ride with a relaxed grip and neutral wrists and to vary their hand positions.
Shoes and the Emergency Brake
Encourage participants to wear stiff-soled shoes that remain rigid over the pedals; students should position the feet so that the balls of the feet, not the arches, contact the pedals. Clipping the shoes onto the pedals or securely strapping the shoes into the foot cages can enhance pedaling efficiency. Because most bikes are fixed gear and have pedals that continue to rotate after the feet are taken off, remind your class members to keep their feet on the pedals until the pedals stop moving. Most indoor cycling bikes have an emergency brake that can be pressed to instantly stop the flywheel and pedal rotation should your feet become detached.
Body Alignment
Remind participants to maintain neutral spinal alignment on the bike. The rider is in a neutral spine position when the four curves of the back are in their proper relationship to each other. Maintaining this position is easiest when the rider is sitting upright with the torso perpendicular to the floor. When the rider is seated and riding with a correct forward lean, the spine is in a neutral position, albeit inclined at a 45° angle, depending on the activity (see figure 12.1). Tucking the hips under (creating a posterior pelvic tilt) causes the back to round (or flex) and places much more strain on the structures of the back and should be avoided. When using proper form, the shoulder blades are kept down and slightly retracted in a position known as neutral scapular alignment. Rounding or hunching the shoulders or allowing the shoulder blades to come up by the ears should be avoided.
Figure 12.1 Proper seated bike alignment in the inclined position.
See online video 12.1 for a cycle setup demonstration.
Trends in group exercise
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back.
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back. The reality of our current health status is that for the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the United States at birth has declined from 78.9 years to 78.8 years (Xu et al. 2015) while global life expectancy has risen. When group exercise first emerged, many people considered it to be a fad, but it is clear that group exercise is here to stay. The U.S. Healthy People 2020 (2018) objectives emphasize increasing the proportion of the population that is at a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and reducing the number of people who have functional limitations. A CDC (2018) U.S. scientific report, put together by researchers tasked with modifying the 2008 Physical Activity guidelines, emphasized the power of movement—any movement—for improving the health and wellness of individuals. This new scientific report provides evidence of the broad health benefits that movement and exercise bring to individuals who engage in movement experiences on a regular basis. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods for group exercise instruction may be a productive options for individuals who can afford a fitness membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue becomes capturing the large portion of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. We believe that neighborhood walking groups, groups training for couch-to-5k walking or running events, and senior sit-and-fit offerings in assisted living care are also a part of the new group exercise movement of the future. All the guidelines in this book apply not only to group fitness in a facility but also to bringing group fitness into less traditional spaces.
Older adult group exercise class.
According to Tharrett (2018), within the last 8 to 10 years traditional health and fitness club memberships have held steady at 14% to 20% of the U.S. population, with the international population having less market penetration than the United States. Evidence suggests that traditional facility-based fitness programming may not be as inclusive as once thought. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods may be a productive option for individuals who can afford a health club membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue arises concerning capturing the other 75% to 80% of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. For example, those participants who run outside may achieve health benefits from running that are similar to a fitness center group exercise class. It might be time to rethink the delivery of fitness programming that will naturally move more participants toward a small-group experience, particularly participants who are beginners and are inactive in their daily living activities. Currently, personal training is popular, but in the same hour a personal trainer spends with one client, a group fitness instructor may reach 40 to 50 participants. Personal trainers who are also group exercise instructors may have many more opportunities to find clients due to their visibility as group instructors.
Participants can see similar results in group exercise that takes place outside a traditional fitness center.
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise and Sitting Time
The most recent ACSM (2018) recommendations for exercise are presented in the “Summary of the 2018 ACSM Evidence-Based Recommendations for Exercise for Healthy Adults” in this chapter. These recommendations will be outlined in more detail in successive chapters. It is interesting to note that the current ACSM evidence-based guidelines (2018) validate a typical group exercise class format dating back to the inception of group exercise in the 1970s. The guidelines include cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance, neuromotor movement, and flexibility training, all of which have been a part of the group exercise experience for many years. A contemporary focus on incorporating neuromotor (specifically balance) movements into group exercise experiences is relatively new to the ACSM evidence-based guidelines; this emphasis reflects the trend toward a focus on functional fitness and concerns about the fitness of an aging population. You will hear more about this topic later in chapters 8 and 9.
Sedentary Living Concerns
In addition to the need for following the ACSM exercise guidelines, total time spent sitting is a health concern that has attracted more attention in the literature and should be considered by group fitness instructors. Van der Ploeg and colleagues (2012) demonstrated dose-response associations between sitting time and mortality from all causes and between sitting time and cardiovascular disease, independent of leisure-time physical activity. In other words, a single leisure-time physical activity (such as attending a group exercise class) was not enough movement to compensate for too much sitting time in terms of improving health and mortality risk. Katzmarzyk and colleagues (2009) concur that extended sitting results in “metabolic alterations” that cannot be compensated for by an isolated exercise session. Similarly, Levine's (2014) work at the Mayo Clinic determined that the negative effects of six hours of sedentary time were similar in magnitude to the benefit of one hour of exercise. Finally, a recent article by Siddarth and colleagues (2018) found that sedentary behavior was also associated with detrimental temporal lobe brain thickness in older adults. We encourage you to explore websites that contain literature on sedentary living, such as Juststand.com. Consider offering classes that are shorter in length to encourage the nonactive sitting population to move.
Feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later.
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later. Therefore, a move such as a squat, which strengthens muscles around the knee joint and may help reduce pain once the muscles are stronger, is not technically a feel-good move as it is generally not perceived as pleasant in the moment, especially by those with knee pain. When leading participants through feel-good moves, encourage them to close their eyes and find just what their bodies need right now; help them to find moves that bring relief and pleasure.
- Sun breaths: While sitting in chair, slowly inhale while circling arms out and up to the ceiling then exhale while circling them back down, tracing a “sun” around the body. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Shoulder rolls: Simply sit and roll shoulder blades up, back, and down, emphasizing the backward and downward moves. (It's best to avoid rolling forward, as most participants hunch forward already). Encourage deep, slow breathing—inhaling as shoulder blades elevate, exhaling as they press down.
- All-fours: cat tilt or dog tilt, lateral flexion, pelvic rotation, thread the needle: Modify in the chair by tilting the pelvis anteriorly and posteriorly (emphasizing the anterior tilt and spinal extension), then by rocking the pelvis laterally, and finishing with circling the pelvis and rib cage. All moves should be performed slowly with deep, conscious breathing.
- Seated windshield wipers into spinal twist, shoulder circles: Modify by sitting on the edge of the chair and allowing both knees to slowly relax left then right (hips will be internally and externally rotating in the horizontal plane). After a few comfortable repetitions, hold to one side and add a gentle spinal twist while holding onto the chair to prevent falling (see figure 9.2). Repeat on other side. To this, you can add a feel-good move for the shoulders and arms, reaching across to the side, front, up, or wherever feels good to the participant.
Figure 9.2 Windshield-wiper move on chair.
- Prone baby cobra: Modify on the chair by having participants lean forward and place their hands (or elbows) on the back of a chair in front of them. Gently press into a small range of spinal extension (see figure 9.3).
Figure 9.3 Spinal extension on chair.
- Ankle moves: While sitting, lift legs and slowly roll ankles in complete circles—one direction then the other. Then fully dorsiflex ankles, pressing heels away as far as possible. Even though participants will most likely be wearing shoes, ask them to see if they can press the balls of their feet out (as if they were standing and performing a heel raise) and then fully plantarflex, pointing the toes. Repeat. Finish with more ankle rolls or figure eights.
See online video 9.1 for feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions.
Positioning, alignment,and safety in group cycling classes
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike.
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike. Show up 15 minutes before class to assist participants with bike setup, answer any questions, get to know new participants, and set up your own equipment (including the music and microphone). The three main bike adjustments are the seat height, the fore and aft seat position, and the handlebar height.
Seat Height
The correct seat heightdepends on the cyclist's leg length: the longer the leg, the higher the seat. In general, when the rider is seated on the bike with the balls of the feet on the center of the pedals, there should be a slight bend in the knee of the extended leg when pedaling. Experts suggest this knee flexion should be anywhere from 5° to 30°. If the seat height is too low, inadequate leg extension may cause knee problems, especially in the front of the knee. If the seat is too high, the rider's hips will rock back and forth; in addition, the risk of knee hyperextension is increased, which may cause pain at the back of the knee. Most beginning participants err on the side of setting the seat too low in an effort to minimize saddle soreness. Proper seat height is the key to healthy knees.
Fore and Aft Positioning
For proper fore and aftpositioning, adjust the saddle so that the cyclist's front kneecap is aligned directly above the center of the pedal when the pedal is forward and the crank is horizontal (the nine o'clock position). Cycling with the saddle too far forward can cause anterior knee problems. The correct fore and aft positioning also should allow the arms to comfortably reach the handlebars with the elbows slightly flexed. In addition, a proper position of the fore and aft seat setting will reduce the sitting-bone pain beginners often feel when first starting an indoor cycling class, particularly if they do not have cycling shorts.
Handlebar Height
Handlebarheight is mostly a matter of personal preference. Some experts have shown that a higher handlebar height puts riders in a better posture position to help minimize lower-back pain while riding. Beginners are encouraged to put the handlebars higher so the torso is more upright. The upright, neutral spine position is recommended for participants with back or neck problems. The lower the handlebars, the more the cyclist simulates a racing position, which creates favorable aerodynamics when cycling outdoors but is unnecessary when riding indoors. Teach participants to ride with a relaxed grip and neutral wrists and to vary their hand positions.
Shoes and the Emergency Brake
Encourage participants to wear stiff-soled shoes that remain rigid over the pedals; students should position the feet so that the balls of the feet, not the arches, contact the pedals. Clipping the shoes onto the pedals or securely strapping the shoes into the foot cages can enhance pedaling efficiency. Because most bikes are fixed gear and have pedals that continue to rotate after the feet are taken off, remind your class members to keep their feet on the pedals until the pedals stop moving. Most indoor cycling bikes have an emergency brake that can be pressed to instantly stop the flywheel and pedal rotation should your feet become detached.
Body Alignment
Remind participants to maintain neutral spinal alignment on the bike. The rider is in a neutral spine position when the four curves of the back are in their proper relationship to each other. Maintaining this position is easiest when the rider is sitting upright with the torso perpendicular to the floor. When the rider is seated and riding with a correct forward lean, the spine is in a neutral position, albeit inclined at a 45° angle, depending on the activity (see figure 12.1). Tucking the hips under (creating a posterior pelvic tilt) causes the back to round (or flex) and places much more strain on the structures of the back and should be avoided. When using proper form, the shoulder blades are kept down and slightly retracted in a position known as neutral scapular alignment. Rounding or hunching the shoulders or allowing the shoulder blades to come up by the ears should be avoided.
Figure 12.1 Proper seated bike alignment in the inclined position.
See online video 12.1 for a cycle setup demonstration.
Trends in group exercise
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back.
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back. The reality of our current health status is that for the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the United States at birth has declined from 78.9 years to 78.8 years (Xu et al. 2015) while global life expectancy has risen. When group exercise first emerged, many people considered it to be a fad, but it is clear that group exercise is here to stay. The U.S. Healthy People 2020 (2018) objectives emphasize increasing the proportion of the population that is at a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and reducing the number of people who have functional limitations. A CDC (2018) U.S. scientific report, put together by researchers tasked with modifying the 2008 Physical Activity guidelines, emphasized the power of movement—any movement—for improving the health and wellness of individuals. This new scientific report provides evidence of the broad health benefits that movement and exercise bring to individuals who engage in movement experiences on a regular basis. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods for group exercise instruction may be a productive options for individuals who can afford a fitness membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue becomes capturing the large portion of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. We believe that neighborhood walking groups, groups training for couch-to-5k walking or running events, and senior sit-and-fit offerings in assisted living care are also a part of the new group exercise movement of the future. All the guidelines in this book apply not only to group fitness in a facility but also to bringing group fitness into less traditional spaces.
Older adult group exercise class.
According to Tharrett (2018), within the last 8 to 10 years traditional health and fitness club memberships have held steady at 14% to 20% of the U.S. population, with the international population having less market penetration than the United States. Evidence suggests that traditional facility-based fitness programming may not be as inclusive as once thought. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods may be a productive option for individuals who can afford a health club membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue arises concerning capturing the other 75% to 80% of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. For example, those participants who run outside may achieve health benefits from running that are similar to a fitness center group exercise class. It might be time to rethink the delivery of fitness programming that will naturally move more participants toward a small-group experience, particularly participants who are beginners and are inactive in their daily living activities. Currently, personal training is popular, but in the same hour a personal trainer spends with one client, a group fitness instructor may reach 40 to 50 participants. Personal trainers who are also group exercise instructors may have many more opportunities to find clients due to their visibility as group instructors.
Participants can see similar results in group exercise that takes place outside a traditional fitness center.
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise and Sitting Time
The most recent ACSM (2018) recommendations for exercise are presented in the “Summary of the 2018 ACSM Evidence-Based Recommendations for Exercise for Healthy Adults” in this chapter. These recommendations will be outlined in more detail in successive chapters. It is interesting to note that the current ACSM evidence-based guidelines (2018) validate a typical group exercise class format dating back to the inception of group exercise in the 1970s. The guidelines include cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance, neuromotor movement, and flexibility training, all of which have been a part of the group exercise experience for many years. A contemporary focus on incorporating neuromotor (specifically balance) movements into group exercise experiences is relatively new to the ACSM evidence-based guidelines; this emphasis reflects the trend toward a focus on functional fitness and concerns about the fitness of an aging population. You will hear more about this topic later in chapters 8 and 9.
Sedentary Living Concerns
In addition to the need for following the ACSM exercise guidelines, total time spent sitting is a health concern that has attracted more attention in the literature and should be considered by group fitness instructors. Van der Ploeg and colleagues (2012) demonstrated dose-response associations between sitting time and mortality from all causes and between sitting time and cardiovascular disease, independent of leisure-time physical activity. In other words, a single leisure-time physical activity (such as attending a group exercise class) was not enough movement to compensate for too much sitting time in terms of improving health and mortality risk. Katzmarzyk and colleagues (2009) concur that extended sitting results in “metabolic alterations” that cannot be compensated for by an isolated exercise session. Similarly, Levine's (2014) work at the Mayo Clinic determined that the negative effects of six hours of sedentary time were similar in magnitude to the benefit of one hour of exercise. Finally, a recent article by Siddarth and colleagues (2018) found that sedentary behavior was also associated with detrimental temporal lobe brain thickness in older adults. We encourage you to explore websites that contain literature on sedentary living, such as Juststand.com. Consider offering classes that are shorter in length to encourage the nonactive sitting population to move.
Feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later.
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later. Therefore, a move such as a squat, which strengthens muscles around the knee joint and may help reduce pain once the muscles are stronger, is not technically a feel-good move as it is generally not perceived as pleasant in the moment, especially by those with knee pain. When leading participants through feel-good moves, encourage them to close their eyes and find just what their bodies need right now; help them to find moves that bring relief and pleasure.
- Sun breaths: While sitting in chair, slowly inhale while circling arms out and up to the ceiling then exhale while circling them back down, tracing a “sun” around the body. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Shoulder rolls: Simply sit and roll shoulder blades up, back, and down, emphasizing the backward and downward moves. (It's best to avoid rolling forward, as most participants hunch forward already). Encourage deep, slow breathing—inhaling as shoulder blades elevate, exhaling as they press down.
- All-fours: cat tilt or dog tilt, lateral flexion, pelvic rotation, thread the needle: Modify in the chair by tilting the pelvis anteriorly and posteriorly (emphasizing the anterior tilt and spinal extension), then by rocking the pelvis laterally, and finishing with circling the pelvis and rib cage. All moves should be performed slowly with deep, conscious breathing.
- Seated windshield wipers into spinal twist, shoulder circles: Modify by sitting on the edge of the chair and allowing both knees to slowly relax left then right (hips will be internally and externally rotating in the horizontal plane). After a few comfortable repetitions, hold to one side and add a gentle spinal twist while holding onto the chair to prevent falling (see figure 9.2). Repeat on other side. To this, you can add a feel-good move for the shoulders and arms, reaching across to the side, front, up, or wherever feels good to the participant.
Figure 9.2 Windshield-wiper move on chair.
- Prone baby cobra: Modify on the chair by having participants lean forward and place their hands (or elbows) on the back of a chair in front of them. Gently press into a small range of spinal extension (see figure 9.3).
Figure 9.3 Spinal extension on chair.
- Ankle moves: While sitting, lift legs and slowly roll ankles in complete circles—one direction then the other. Then fully dorsiflex ankles, pressing heels away as far as possible. Even though participants will most likely be wearing shoes, ask them to see if they can press the balls of their feet out (as if they were standing and performing a heel raise) and then fully plantarflex, pointing the toes. Repeat. Finish with more ankle rolls or figure eights.
See online video 9.1 for feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions.
Positioning, alignment,and safety in group cycling classes
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike.
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike. Show up 15 minutes before class to assist participants with bike setup, answer any questions, get to know new participants, and set up your own equipment (including the music and microphone). The three main bike adjustments are the seat height, the fore and aft seat position, and the handlebar height.
Seat Height
The correct seat heightdepends on the cyclist's leg length: the longer the leg, the higher the seat. In general, when the rider is seated on the bike with the balls of the feet on the center of the pedals, there should be a slight bend in the knee of the extended leg when pedaling. Experts suggest this knee flexion should be anywhere from 5° to 30°. If the seat height is too low, inadequate leg extension may cause knee problems, especially in the front of the knee. If the seat is too high, the rider's hips will rock back and forth; in addition, the risk of knee hyperextension is increased, which may cause pain at the back of the knee. Most beginning participants err on the side of setting the seat too low in an effort to minimize saddle soreness. Proper seat height is the key to healthy knees.
Fore and Aft Positioning
For proper fore and aftpositioning, adjust the saddle so that the cyclist's front kneecap is aligned directly above the center of the pedal when the pedal is forward and the crank is horizontal (the nine o'clock position). Cycling with the saddle too far forward can cause anterior knee problems. The correct fore and aft positioning also should allow the arms to comfortably reach the handlebars with the elbows slightly flexed. In addition, a proper position of the fore and aft seat setting will reduce the sitting-bone pain beginners often feel when first starting an indoor cycling class, particularly if they do not have cycling shorts.
Handlebar Height
Handlebarheight is mostly a matter of personal preference. Some experts have shown that a higher handlebar height puts riders in a better posture position to help minimize lower-back pain while riding. Beginners are encouraged to put the handlebars higher so the torso is more upright. The upright, neutral spine position is recommended for participants with back or neck problems. The lower the handlebars, the more the cyclist simulates a racing position, which creates favorable aerodynamics when cycling outdoors but is unnecessary when riding indoors. Teach participants to ride with a relaxed grip and neutral wrists and to vary their hand positions.
Shoes and the Emergency Brake
Encourage participants to wear stiff-soled shoes that remain rigid over the pedals; students should position the feet so that the balls of the feet, not the arches, contact the pedals. Clipping the shoes onto the pedals or securely strapping the shoes into the foot cages can enhance pedaling efficiency. Because most bikes are fixed gear and have pedals that continue to rotate after the feet are taken off, remind your class members to keep their feet on the pedals until the pedals stop moving. Most indoor cycling bikes have an emergency brake that can be pressed to instantly stop the flywheel and pedal rotation should your feet become detached.
Body Alignment
Remind participants to maintain neutral spinal alignment on the bike. The rider is in a neutral spine position when the four curves of the back are in their proper relationship to each other. Maintaining this position is easiest when the rider is sitting upright with the torso perpendicular to the floor. When the rider is seated and riding with a correct forward lean, the spine is in a neutral position, albeit inclined at a 45° angle, depending on the activity (see figure 12.1). Tucking the hips under (creating a posterior pelvic tilt) causes the back to round (or flex) and places much more strain on the structures of the back and should be avoided. When using proper form, the shoulder blades are kept down and slightly retracted in a position known as neutral scapular alignment. Rounding or hunching the shoulders or allowing the shoulder blades to come up by the ears should be avoided.
Figure 12.1 Proper seated bike alignment in the inclined position.
See online video 12.1 for a cycle setup demonstration.
Trends in group exercise
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back.
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back. The reality of our current health status is that for the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the United States at birth has declined from 78.9 years to 78.8 years (Xu et al. 2015) while global life expectancy has risen. When group exercise first emerged, many people considered it to be a fad, but it is clear that group exercise is here to stay. The U.S. Healthy People 2020 (2018) objectives emphasize increasing the proportion of the population that is at a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and reducing the number of people who have functional limitations. A CDC (2018) U.S. scientific report, put together by researchers tasked with modifying the 2008 Physical Activity guidelines, emphasized the power of movement—any movement—for improving the health and wellness of individuals. This new scientific report provides evidence of the broad health benefits that movement and exercise bring to individuals who engage in movement experiences on a regular basis. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods for group exercise instruction may be a productive options for individuals who can afford a fitness membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue becomes capturing the large portion of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. We believe that neighborhood walking groups, groups training for couch-to-5k walking or running events, and senior sit-and-fit offerings in assisted living care are also a part of the new group exercise movement of the future. All the guidelines in this book apply not only to group fitness in a facility but also to bringing group fitness into less traditional spaces.
Older adult group exercise class.
According to Tharrett (2018), within the last 8 to 10 years traditional health and fitness club memberships have held steady at 14% to 20% of the U.S. population, with the international population having less market penetration than the United States. Evidence suggests that traditional facility-based fitness programming may not be as inclusive as once thought. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods may be a productive option for individuals who can afford a health club membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue arises concerning capturing the other 75% to 80% of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. For example, those participants who run outside may achieve health benefits from running that are similar to a fitness center group exercise class. It might be time to rethink the delivery of fitness programming that will naturally move more participants toward a small-group experience, particularly participants who are beginners and are inactive in their daily living activities. Currently, personal training is popular, but in the same hour a personal trainer spends with one client, a group fitness instructor may reach 40 to 50 participants. Personal trainers who are also group exercise instructors may have many more opportunities to find clients due to their visibility as group instructors.
Participants can see similar results in group exercise that takes place outside a traditional fitness center.
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise and Sitting Time
The most recent ACSM (2018) recommendations for exercise are presented in the “Summary of the 2018 ACSM Evidence-Based Recommendations for Exercise for Healthy Adults” in this chapter. These recommendations will be outlined in more detail in successive chapters. It is interesting to note that the current ACSM evidence-based guidelines (2018) validate a typical group exercise class format dating back to the inception of group exercise in the 1970s. The guidelines include cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance, neuromotor movement, and flexibility training, all of which have been a part of the group exercise experience for many years. A contemporary focus on incorporating neuromotor (specifically balance) movements into group exercise experiences is relatively new to the ACSM evidence-based guidelines; this emphasis reflects the trend toward a focus on functional fitness and concerns about the fitness of an aging population. You will hear more about this topic later in chapters 8 and 9.
Sedentary Living Concerns
In addition to the need for following the ACSM exercise guidelines, total time spent sitting is a health concern that has attracted more attention in the literature and should be considered by group fitness instructors. Van der Ploeg and colleagues (2012) demonstrated dose-response associations between sitting time and mortality from all causes and between sitting time and cardiovascular disease, independent of leisure-time physical activity. In other words, a single leisure-time physical activity (such as attending a group exercise class) was not enough movement to compensate for too much sitting time in terms of improving health and mortality risk. Katzmarzyk and colleagues (2009) concur that extended sitting results in “metabolic alterations” that cannot be compensated for by an isolated exercise session. Similarly, Levine's (2014) work at the Mayo Clinic determined that the negative effects of six hours of sedentary time were similar in magnitude to the benefit of one hour of exercise. Finally, a recent article by Siddarth and colleagues (2018) found that sedentary behavior was also associated with detrimental temporal lobe brain thickness in older adults. We encourage you to explore websites that contain literature on sedentary living, such as Juststand.com. Consider offering classes that are shorter in length to encourage the nonactive sitting population to move.
Feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later.
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later. Therefore, a move such as a squat, which strengthens muscles around the knee joint and may help reduce pain once the muscles are stronger, is not technically a feel-good move as it is generally not perceived as pleasant in the moment, especially by those with knee pain. When leading participants through feel-good moves, encourage them to close their eyes and find just what their bodies need right now; help them to find moves that bring relief and pleasure.
- Sun breaths: While sitting in chair, slowly inhale while circling arms out and up to the ceiling then exhale while circling them back down, tracing a “sun” around the body. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Shoulder rolls: Simply sit and roll shoulder blades up, back, and down, emphasizing the backward and downward moves. (It's best to avoid rolling forward, as most participants hunch forward already). Encourage deep, slow breathing—inhaling as shoulder blades elevate, exhaling as they press down.
- All-fours: cat tilt or dog tilt, lateral flexion, pelvic rotation, thread the needle: Modify in the chair by tilting the pelvis anteriorly and posteriorly (emphasizing the anterior tilt and spinal extension), then by rocking the pelvis laterally, and finishing with circling the pelvis and rib cage. All moves should be performed slowly with deep, conscious breathing.
- Seated windshield wipers into spinal twist, shoulder circles: Modify by sitting on the edge of the chair and allowing both knees to slowly relax left then right (hips will be internally and externally rotating in the horizontal plane). After a few comfortable repetitions, hold to one side and add a gentle spinal twist while holding onto the chair to prevent falling (see figure 9.2). Repeat on other side. To this, you can add a feel-good move for the shoulders and arms, reaching across to the side, front, up, or wherever feels good to the participant.
Figure 9.2 Windshield-wiper move on chair.
- Prone baby cobra: Modify on the chair by having participants lean forward and place their hands (or elbows) on the back of a chair in front of them. Gently press into a small range of spinal extension (see figure 9.3).
Figure 9.3 Spinal extension on chair.
- Ankle moves: While sitting, lift legs and slowly roll ankles in complete circles—one direction then the other. Then fully dorsiflex ankles, pressing heels away as far as possible. Even though participants will most likely be wearing shoes, ask them to see if they can press the balls of their feet out (as if they were standing and performing a heel raise) and then fully plantarflex, pointing the toes. Repeat. Finish with more ankle rolls or figure eights.
See online video 9.1 for feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions.
Positioning, alignment,and safety in group cycling classes
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike.
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike. Show up 15 minutes before class to assist participants with bike setup, answer any questions, get to know new participants, and set up your own equipment (including the music and microphone). The three main bike adjustments are the seat height, the fore and aft seat position, and the handlebar height.
Seat Height
The correct seat heightdepends on the cyclist's leg length: the longer the leg, the higher the seat. In general, when the rider is seated on the bike with the balls of the feet on the center of the pedals, there should be a slight bend in the knee of the extended leg when pedaling. Experts suggest this knee flexion should be anywhere from 5° to 30°. If the seat height is too low, inadequate leg extension may cause knee problems, especially in the front of the knee. If the seat is too high, the rider's hips will rock back and forth; in addition, the risk of knee hyperextension is increased, which may cause pain at the back of the knee. Most beginning participants err on the side of setting the seat too low in an effort to minimize saddle soreness. Proper seat height is the key to healthy knees.
Fore and Aft Positioning
For proper fore and aftpositioning, adjust the saddle so that the cyclist's front kneecap is aligned directly above the center of the pedal when the pedal is forward and the crank is horizontal (the nine o'clock position). Cycling with the saddle too far forward can cause anterior knee problems. The correct fore and aft positioning also should allow the arms to comfortably reach the handlebars with the elbows slightly flexed. In addition, a proper position of the fore and aft seat setting will reduce the sitting-bone pain beginners often feel when first starting an indoor cycling class, particularly if they do not have cycling shorts.
Handlebar Height
Handlebarheight is mostly a matter of personal preference. Some experts have shown that a higher handlebar height puts riders in a better posture position to help minimize lower-back pain while riding. Beginners are encouraged to put the handlebars higher so the torso is more upright. The upright, neutral spine position is recommended for participants with back or neck problems. The lower the handlebars, the more the cyclist simulates a racing position, which creates favorable aerodynamics when cycling outdoors but is unnecessary when riding indoors. Teach participants to ride with a relaxed grip and neutral wrists and to vary their hand positions.
Shoes and the Emergency Brake
Encourage participants to wear stiff-soled shoes that remain rigid over the pedals; students should position the feet so that the balls of the feet, not the arches, contact the pedals. Clipping the shoes onto the pedals or securely strapping the shoes into the foot cages can enhance pedaling efficiency. Because most bikes are fixed gear and have pedals that continue to rotate after the feet are taken off, remind your class members to keep their feet on the pedals until the pedals stop moving. Most indoor cycling bikes have an emergency brake that can be pressed to instantly stop the flywheel and pedal rotation should your feet become detached.
Body Alignment
Remind participants to maintain neutral spinal alignment on the bike. The rider is in a neutral spine position when the four curves of the back are in their proper relationship to each other. Maintaining this position is easiest when the rider is sitting upright with the torso perpendicular to the floor. When the rider is seated and riding with a correct forward lean, the spine is in a neutral position, albeit inclined at a 45° angle, depending on the activity (see figure 12.1). Tucking the hips under (creating a posterior pelvic tilt) causes the back to round (or flex) and places much more strain on the structures of the back and should be avoided. When using proper form, the shoulder blades are kept down and slightly retracted in a position known as neutral scapular alignment. Rounding or hunching the shoulders or allowing the shoulder blades to come up by the ears should be avoided.
Figure 12.1 Proper seated bike alignment in the inclined position.
See online video 12.1 for a cycle setup demonstration.
Trends in group exercise
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back.
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back. The reality of our current health status is that for the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the United States at birth has declined from 78.9 years to 78.8 years (Xu et al. 2015) while global life expectancy has risen. When group exercise first emerged, many people considered it to be a fad, but it is clear that group exercise is here to stay. The U.S. Healthy People 2020 (2018) objectives emphasize increasing the proportion of the population that is at a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and reducing the number of people who have functional limitations. A CDC (2018) U.S. scientific report, put together by researchers tasked with modifying the 2008 Physical Activity guidelines, emphasized the power of movement—any movement—for improving the health and wellness of individuals. This new scientific report provides evidence of the broad health benefits that movement and exercise bring to individuals who engage in movement experiences on a regular basis. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods for group exercise instruction may be a productive options for individuals who can afford a fitness membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue becomes capturing the large portion of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. We believe that neighborhood walking groups, groups training for couch-to-5k walking or running events, and senior sit-and-fit offerings in assisted living care are also a part of the new group exercise movement of the future. All the guidelines in this book apply not only to group fitness in a facility but also to bringing group fitness into less traditional spaces.
Older adult group exercise class.
According to Tharrett (2018), within the last 8 to 10 years traditional health and fitness club memberships have held steady at 14% to 20% of the U.S. population, with the international population having less market penetration than the United States. Evidence suggests that traditional facility-based fitness programming may not be as inclusive as once thought. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods may be a productive option for individuals who can afford a health club membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue arises concerning capturing the other 75% to 80% of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. For example, those participants who run outside may achieve health benefits from running that are similar to a fitness center group exercise class. It might be time to rethink the delivery of fitness programming that will naturally move more participants toward a small-group experience, particularly participants who are beginners and are inactive in their daily living activities. Currently, personal training is popular, but in the same hour a personal trainer spends with one client, a group fitness instructor may reach 40 to 50 participants. Personal trainers who are also group exercise instructors may have many more opportunities to find clients due to their visibility as group instructors.
Participants can see similar results in group exercise that takes place outside a traditional fitness center.
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise and Sitting Time
The most recent ACSM (2018) recommendations for exercise are presented in the “Summary of the 2018 ACSM Evidence-Based Recommendations for Exercise for Healthy Adults” in this chapter. These recommendations will be outlined in more detail in successive chapters. It is interesting to note that the current ACSM evidence-based guidelines (2018) validate a typical group exercise class format dating back to the inception of group exercise in the 1970s. The guidelines include cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance, neuromotor movement, and flexibility training, all of which have been a part of the group exercise experience for many years. A contemporary focus on incorporating neuromotor (specifically balance) movements into group exercise experiences is relatively new to the ACSM evidence-based guidelines; this emphasis reflects the trend toward a focus on functional fitness and concerns about the fitness of an aging population. You will hear more about this topic later in chapters 8 and 9.
Sedentary Living Concerns
In addition to the need for following the ACSM exercise guidelines, total time spent sitting is a health concern that has attracted more attention in the literature and should be considered by group fitness instructors. Van der Ploeg and colleagues (2012) demonstrated dose-response associations between sitting time and mortality from all causes and between sitting time and cardiovascular disease, independent of leisure-time physical activity. In other words, a single leisure-time physical activity (such as attending a group exercise class) was not enough movement to compensate for too much sitting time in terms of improving health and mortality risk. Katzmarzyk and colleagues (2009) concur that extended sitting results in “metabolic alterations” that cannot be compensated for by an isolated exercise session. Similarly, Levine's (2014) work at the Mayo Clinic determined that the negative effects of six hours of sedentary time were similar in magnitude to the benefit of one hour of exercise. Finally, a recent article by Siddarth and colleagues (2018) found that sedentary behavior was also associated with detrimental temporal lobe brain thickness in older adults. We encourage you to explore websites that contain literature on sedentary living, such as Juststand.com. Consider offering classes that are shorter in length to encourage the nonactive sitting population to move.
Feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later.
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later. Therefore, a move such as a squat, which strengthens muscles around the knee joint and may help reduce pain once the muscles are stronger, is not technically a feel-good move as it is generally not perceived as pleasant in the moment, especially by those with knee pain. When leading participants through feel-good moves, encourage them to close their eyes and find just what their bodies need right now; help them to find moves that bring relief and pleasure.
- Sun breaths: While sitting in chair, slowly inhale while circling arms out and up to the ceiling then exhale while circling them back down, tracing a “sun” around the body. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Shoulder rolls: Simply sit and roll shoulder blades up, back, and down, emphasizing the backward and downward moves. (It's best to avoid rolling forward, as most participants hunch forward already). Encourage deep, slow breathing—inhaling as shoulder blades elevate, exhaling as they press down.
- All-fours: cat tilt or dog tilt, lateral flexion, pelvic rotation, thread the needle: Modify in the chair by tilting the pelvis anteriorly and posteriorly (emphasizing the anterior tilt and spinal extension), then by rocking the pelvis laterally, and finishing with circling the pelvis and rib cage. All moves should be performed slowly with deep, conscious breathing.
- Seated windshield wipers into spinal twist, shoulder circles: Modify by sitting on the edge of the chair and allowing both knees to slowly relax left then right (hips will be internally and externally rotating in the horizontal plane). After a few comfortable repetitions, hold to one side and add a gentle spinal twist while holding onto the chair to prevent falling (see figure 9.2). Repeat on other side. To this, you can add a feel-good move for the shoulders and arms, reaching across to the side, front, up, or wherever feels good to the participant.
Figure 9.2 Windshield-wiper move on chair.
- Prone baby cobra: Modify on the chair by having participants lean forward and place their hands (or elbows) on the back of a chair in front of them. Gently press into a small range of spinal extension (see figure 9.3).
Figure 9.3 Spinal extension on chair.
- Ankle moves: While sitting, lift legs and slowly roll ankles in complete circles—one direction then the other. Then fully dorsiflex ankles, pressing heels away as far as possible. Even though participants will most likely be wearing shoes, ask them to see if they can press the balls of their feet out (as if they were standing and performing a heel raise) and then fully plantarflex, pointing the toes. Repeat. Finish with more ankle rolls or figure eights.
See online video 9.1 for feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions.
Positioning, alignment,and safety in group cycling classes
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike.
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike. Show up 15 minutes before class to assist participants with bike setup, answer any questions, get to know new participants, and set up your own equipment (including the music and microphone). The three main bike adjustments are the seat height, the fore and aft seat position, and the handlebar height.
Seat Height
The correct seat heightdepends on the cyclist's leg length: the longer the leg, the higher the seat. In general, when the rider is seated on the bike with the balls of the feet on the center of the pedals, there should be a slight bend in the knee of the extended leg when pedaling. Experts suggest this knee flexion should be anywhere from 5° to 30°. If the seat height is too low, inadequate leg extension may cause knee problems, especially in the front of the knee. If the seat is too high, the rider's hips will rock back and forth; in addition, the risk of knee hyperextension is increased, which may cause pain at the back of the knee. Most beginning participants err on the side of setting the seat too low in an effort to minimize saddle soreness. Proper seat height is the key to healthy knees.
Fore and Aft Positioning
For proper fore and aftpositioning, adjust the saddle so that the cyclist's front kneecap is aligned directly above the center of the pedal when the pedal is forward and the crank is horizontal (the nine o'clock position). Cycling with the saddle too far forward can cause anterior knee problems. The correct fore and aft positioning also should allow the arms to comfortably reach the handlebars with the elbows slightly flexed. In addition, a proper position of the fore and aft seat setting will reduce the sitting-bone pain beginners often feel when first starting an indoor cycling class, particularly if they do not have cycling shorts.
Handlebar Height
Handlebarheight is mostly a matter of personal preference. Some experts have shown that a higher handlebar height puts riders in a better posture position to help minimize lower-back pain while riding. Beginners are encouraged to put the handlebars higher so the torso is more upright. The upright, neutral spine position is recommended for participants with back or neck problems. The lower the handlebars, the more the cyclist simulates a racing position, which creates favorable aerodynamics when cycling outdoors but is unnecessary when riding indoors. Teach participants to ride with a relaxed grip and neutral wrists and to vary their hand positions.
Shoes and the Emergency Brake
Encourage participants to wear stiff-soled shoes that remain rigid over the pedals; students should position the feet so that the balls of the feet, not the arches, contact the pedals. Clipping the shoes onto the pedals or securely strapping the shoes into the foot cages can enhance pedaling efficiency. Because most bikes are fixed gear and have pedals that continue to rotate after the feet are taken off, remind your class members to keep their feet on the pedals until the pedals stop moving. Most indoor cycling bikes have an emergency brake that can be pressed to instantly stop the flywheel and pedal rotation should your feet become detached.
Body Alignment
Remind participants to maintain neutral spinal alignment on the bike. The rider is in a neutral spine position when the four curves of the back are in their proper relationship to each other. Maintaining this position is easiest when the rider is sitting upright with the torso perpendicular to the floor. When the rider is seated and riding with a correct forward lean, the spine is in a neutral position, albeit inclined at a 45° angle, depending on the activity (see figure 12.1). Tucking the hips under (creating a posterior pelvic tilt) causes the back to round (or flex) and places much more strain on the structures of the back and should be avoided. When using proper form, the shoulder blades are kept down and slightly retracted in a position known as neutral scapular alignment. Rounding or hunching the shoulders or allowing the shoulder blades to come up by the ears should be avoided.
Figure 12.1 Proper seated bike alignment in the inclined position.
See online video 12.1 for a cycle setup demonstration.
Trends in group exercise
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back.
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back. The reality of our current health status is that for the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the United States at birth has declined from 78.9 years to 78.8 years (Xu et al. 2015) while global life expectancy has risen. When group exercise first emerged, many people considered it to be a fad, but it is clear that group exercise is here to stay. The U.S. Healthy People 2020 (2018) objectives emphasize increasing the proportion of the population that is at a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and reducing the number of people who have functional limitations. A CDC (2018) U.S. scientific report, put together by researchers tasked with modifying the 2008 Physical Activity guidelines, emphasized the power of movement—any movement—for improving the health and wellness of individuals. This new scientific report provides evidence of the broad health benefits that movement and exercise bring to individuals who engage in movement experiences on a regular basis. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods for group exercise instruction may be a productive options for individuals who can afford a fitness membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue becomes capturing the large portion of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. We believe that neighborhood walking groups, groups training for couch-to-5k walking or running events, and senior sit-and-fit offerings in assisted living care are also a part of the new group exercise movement of the future. All the guidelines in this book apply not only to group fitness in a facility but also to bringing group fitness into less traditional spaces.
Older adult group exercise class.
According to Tharrett (2018), within the last 8 to 10 years traditional health and fitness club memberships have held steady at 14% to 20% of the U.S. population, with the international population having less market penetration than the United States. Evidence suggests that traditional facility-based fitness programming may not be as inclusive as once thought. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods may be a productive option for individuals who can afford a health club membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue arises concerning capturing the other 75% to 80% of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. For example, those participants who run outside may achieve health benefits from running that are similar to a fitness center group exercise class. It might be time to rethink the delivery of fitness programming that will naturally move more participants toward a small-group experience, particularly participants who are beginners and are inactive in their daily living activities. Currently, personal training is popular, but in the same hour a personal trainer spends with one client, a group fitness instructor may reach 40 to 50 participants. Personal trainers who are also group exercise instructors may have many more opportunities to find clients due to their visibility as group instructors.
Participants can see similar results in group exercise that takes place outside a traditional fitness center.
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise and Sitting Time
The most recent ACSM (2018) recommendations for exercise are presented in the “Summary of the 2018 ACSM Evidence-Based Recommendations for Exercise for Healthy Adults” in this chapter. These recommendations will be outlined in more detail in successive chapters. It is interesting to note that the current ACSM evidence-based guidelines (2018) validate a typical group exercise class format dating back to the inception of group exercise in the 1970s. The guidelines include cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance, neuromotor movement, and flexibility training, all of which have been a part of the group exercise experience for many years. A contemporary focus on incorporating neuromotor (specifically balance) movements into group exercise experiences is relatively new to the ACSM evidence-based guidelines; this emphasis reflects the trend toward a focus on functional fitness and concerns about the fitness of an aging population. You will hear more about this topic later in chapters 8 and 9.
Sedentary Living Concerns
In addition to the need for following the ACSM exercise guidelines, total time spent sitting is a health concern that has attracted more attention in the literature and should be considered by group fitness instructors. Van der Ploeg and colleagues (2012) demonstrated dose-response associations between sitting time and mortality from all causes and between sitting time and cardiovascular disease, independent of leisure-time physical activity. In other words, a single leisure-time physical activity (such as attending a group exercise class) was not enough movement to compensate for too much sitting time in terms of improving health and mortality risk. Katzmarzyk and colleagues (2009) concur that extended sitting results in “metabolic alterations” that cannot be compensated for by an isolated exercise session. Similarly, Levine's (2014) work at the Mayo Clinic determined that the negative effects of six hours of sedentary time were similar in magnitude to the benefit of one hour of exercise. Finally, a recent article by Siddarth and colleagues (2018) found that sedentary behavior was also associated with detrimental temporal lobe brain thickness in older adults. We encourage you to explore websites that contain literature on sedentary living, such as Juststand.com. Consider offering classes that are shorter in length to encourage the nonactive sitting population to move.
Feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later.
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later. Therefore, a move such as a squat, which strengthens muscles around the knee joint and may help reduce pain once the muscles are stronger, is not technically a feel-good move as it is generally not perceived as pleasant in the moment, especially by those with knee pain. When leading participants through feel-good moves, encourage them to close their eyes and find just what their bodies need right now; help them to find moves that bring relief and pleasure.
- Sun breaths: While sitting in chair, slowly inhale while circling arms out and up to the ceiling then exhale while circling them back down, tracing a “sun” around the body. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Shoulder rolls: Simply sit and roll shoulder blades up, back, and down, emphasizing the backward and downward moves. (It's best to avoid rolling forward, as most participants hunch forward already). Encourage deep, slow breathing—inhaling as shoulder blades elevate, exhaling as they press down.
- All-fours: cat tilt or dog tilt, lateral flexion, pelvic rotation, thread the needle: Modify in the chair by tilting the pelvis anteriorly and posteriorly (emphasizing the anterior tilt and spinal extension), then by rocking the pelvis laterally, and finishing with circling the pelvis and rib cage. All moves should be performed slowly with deep, conscious breathing.
- Seated windshield wipers into spinal twist, shoulder circles: Modify by sitting on the edge of the chair and allowing both knees to slowly relax left then right (hips will be internally and externally rotating in the horizontal plane). After a few comfortable repetitions, hold to one side and add a gentle spinal twist while holding onto the chair to prevent falling (see figure 9.2). Repeat on other side. To this, you can add a feel-good move for the shoulders and arms, reaching across to the side, front, up, or wherever feels good to the participant.
Figure 9.2 Windshield-wiper move on chair.
- Prone baby cobra: Modify on the chair by having participants lean forward and place their hands (or elbows) on the back of a chair in front of them. Gently press into a small range of spinal extension (see figure 9.3).
Figure 9.3 Spinal extension on chair.
- Ankle moves: While sitting, lift legs and slowly roll ankles in complete circles—one direction then the other. Then fully dorsiflex ankles, pressing heels away as far as possible. Even though participants will most likely be wearing shoes, ask them to see if they can press the balls of their feet out (as if they were standing and performing a heel raise) and then fully plantarflex, pointing the toes. Repeat. Finish with more ankle rolls or figure eights.
See online video 9.1 for feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions.
Positioning, alignment,and safety in group cycling classes
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike.
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike. Show up 15 minutes before class to assist participants with bike setup, answer any questions, get to know new participants, and set up your own equipment (including the music and microphone). The three main bike adjustments are the seat height, the fore and aft seat position, and the handlebar height.
Seat Height
The correct seat heightdepends on the cyclist's leg length: the longer the leg, the higher the seat. In general, when the rider is seated on the bike with the balls of the feet on the center of the pedals, there should be a slight bend in the knee of the extended leg when pedaling. Experts suggest this knee flexion should be anywhere from 5° to 30°. If the seat height is too low, inadequate leg extension may cause knee problems, especially in the front of the knee. If the seat is too high, the rider's hips will rock back and forth; in addition, the risk of knee hyperextension is increased, which may cause pain at the back of the knee. Most beginning participants err on the side of setting the seat too low in an effort to minimize saddle soreness. Proper seat height is the key to healthy knees.
Fore and Aft Positioning
For proper fore and aftpositioning, adjust the saddle so that the cyclist's front kneecap is aligned directly above the center of the pedal when the pedal is forward and the crank is horizontal (the nine o'clock position). Cycling with the saddle too far forward can cause anterior knee problems. The correct fore and aft positioning also should allow the arms to comfortably reach the handlebars with the elbows slightly flexed. In addition, a proper position of the fore and aft seat setting will reduce the sitting-bone pain beginners often feel when first starting an indoor cycling class, particularly if they do not have cycling shorts.
Handlebar Height
Handlebarheight is mostly a matter of personal preference. Some experts have shown that a higher handlebar height puts riders in a better posture position to help minimize lower-back pain while riding. Beginners are encouraged to put the handlebars higher so the torso is more upright. The upright, neutral spine position is recommended for participants with back or neck problems. The lower the handlebars, the more the cyclist simulates a racing position, which creates favorable aerodynamics when cycling outdoors but is unnecessary when riding indoors. Teach participants to ride with a relaxed grip and neutral wrists and to vary their hand positions.
Shoes and the Emergency Brake
Encourage participants to wear stiff-soled shoes that remain rigid over the pedals; students should position the feet so that the balls of the feet, not the arches, contact the pedals. Clipping the shoes onto the pedals or securely strapping the shoes into the foot cages can enhance pedaling efficiency. Because most bikes are fixed gear and have pedals that continue to rotate after the feet are taken off, remind your class members to keep their feet on the pedals until the pedals stop moving. Most indoor cycling bikes have an emergency brake that can be pressed to instantly stop the flywheel and pedal rotation should your feet become detached.
Body Alignment
Remind participants to maintain neutral spinal alignment on the bike. The rider is in a neutral spine position when the four curves of the back are in their proper relationship to each other. Maintaining this position is easiest when the rider is sitting upright with the torso perpendicular to the floor. When the rider is seated and riding with a correct forward lean, the spine is in a neutral position, albeit inclined at a 45° angle, depending on the activity (see figure 12.1). Tucking the hips under (creating a posterior pelvic tilt) causes the back to round (or flex) and places much more strain on the structures of the back and should be avoided. When using proper form, the shoulder blades are kept down and slightly retracted in a position known as neutral scapular alignment. Rounding or hunching the shoulders or allowing the shoulder blades to come up by the ears should be avoided.
Figure 12.1 Proper seated bike alignment in the inclined position.
See online video 12.1 for a cycle setup demonstration.
Trends in group exercise
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back.
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back. The reality of our current health status is that for the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the United States at birth has declined from 78.9 years to 78.8 years (Xu et al. 2015) while global life expectancy has risen. When group exercise first emerged, many people considered it to be a fad, but it is clear that group exercise is here to stay. The U.S. Healthy People 2020 (2018) objectives emphasize increasing the proportion of the population that is at a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and reducing the number of people who have functional limitations. A CDC (2018) U.S. scientific report, put together by researchers tasked with modifying the 2008 Physical Activity guidelines, emphasized the power of movement—any movement—for improving the health and wellness of individuals. This new scientific report provides evidence of the broad health benefits that movement and exercise bring to individuals who engage in movement experiences on a regular basis. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods for group exercise instruction may be a productive options for individuals who can afford a fitness membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue becomes capturing the large portion of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. We believe that neighborhood walking groups, groups training for couch-to-5k walking or running events, and senior sit-and-fit offerings in assisted living care are also a part of the new group exercise movement of the future. All the guidelines in this book apply not only to group fitness in a facility but also to bringing group fitness into less traditional spaces.
Older adult group exercise class.
According to Tharrett (2018), within the last 8 to 10 years traditional health and fitness club memberships have held steady at 14% to 20% of the U.S. population, with the international population having less market penetration than the United States. Evidence suggests that traditional facility-based fitness programming may not be as inclusive as once thought. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods may be a productive option for individuals who can afford a health club membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue arises concerning capturing the other 75% to 80% of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. For example, those participants who run outside may achieve health benefits from running that are similar to a fitness center group exercise class. It might be time to rethink the delivery of fitness programming that will naturally move more participants toward a small-group experience, particularly participants who are beginners and are inactive in their daily living activities. Currently, personal training is popular, but in the same hour a personal trainer spends with one client, a group fitness instructor may reach 40 to 50 participants. Personal trainers who are also group exercise instructors may have many more opportunities to find clients due to their visibility as group instructors.
Participants can see similar results in group exercise that takes place outside a traditional fitness center.
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise and Sitting Time
The most recent ACSM (2018) recommendations for exercise are presented in the “Summary of the 2018 ACSM Evidence-Based Recommendations for Exercise for Healthy Adults” in this chapter. These recommendations will be outlined in more detail in successive chapters. It is interesting to note that the current ACSM evidence-based guidelines (2018) validate a typical group exercise class format dating back to the inception of group exercise in the 1970s. The guidelines include cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance, neuromotor movement, and flexibility training, all of which have been a part of the group exercise experience for many years. A contemporary focus on incorporating neuromotor (specifically balance) movements into group exercise experiences is relatively new to the ACSM evidence-based guidelines; this emphasis reflects the trend toward a focus on functional fitness and concerns about the fitness of an aging population. You will hear more about this topic later in chapters 8 and 9.
Sedentary Living Concerns
In addition to the need for following the ACSM exercise guidelines, total time spent sitting is a health concern that has attracted more attention in the literature and should be considered by group fitness instructors. Van der Ploeg and colleagues (2012) demonstrated dose-response associations between sitting time and mortality from all causes and between sitting time and cardiovascular disease, independent of leisure-time physical activity. In other words, a single leisure-time physical activity (such as attending a group exercise class) was not enough movement to compensate for too much sitting time in terms of improving health and mortality risk. Katzmarzyk and colleagues (2009) concur that extended sitting results in “metabolic alterations” that cannot be compensated for by an isolated exercise session. Similarly, Levine's (2014) work at the Mayo Clinic determined that the negative effects of six hours of sedentary time were similar in magnitude to the benefit of one hour of exercise. Finally, a recent article by Siddarth and colleagues (2018) found that sedentary behavior was also associated with detrimental temporal lobe brain thickness in older adults. We encourage you to explore websites that contain literature on sedentary living, such as Juststand.com. Consider offering classes that are shorter in length to encourage the nonactive sitting population to move.
Feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later.
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later. Therefore, a move such as a squat, which strengthens muscles around the knee joint and may help reduce pain once the muscles are stronger, is not technically a feel-good move as it is generally not perceived as pleasant in the moment, especially by those with knee pain. When leading participants through feel-good moves, encourage them to close their eyes and find just what their bodies need right now; help them to find moves that bring relief and pleasure.
- Sun breaths: While sitting in chair, slowly inhale while circling arms out and up to the ceiling then exhale while circling them back down, tracing a “sun” around the body. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Shoulder rolls: Simply sit and roll shoulder blades up, back, and down, emphasizing the backward and downward moves. (It's best to avoid rolling forward, as most participants hunch forward already). Encourage deep, slow breathing—inhaling as shoulder blades elevate, exhaling as they press down.
- All-fours: cat tilt or dog tilt, lateral flexion, pelvic rotation, thread the needle: Modify in the chair by tilting the pelvis anteriorly and posteriorly (emphasizing the anterior tilt and spinal extension), then by rocking the pelvis laterally, and finishing with circling the pelvis and rib cage. All moves should be performed slowly with deep, conscious breathing.
- Seated windshield wipers into spinal twist, shoulder circles: Modify by sitting on the edge of the chair and allowing both knees to slowly relax left then right (hips will be internally and externally rotating in the horizontal plane). After a few comfortable repetitions, hold to one side and add a gentle spinal twist while holding onto the chair to prevent falling (see figure 9.2). Repeat on other side. To this, you can add a feel-good move for the shoulders and arms, reaching across to the side, front, up, or wherever feels good to the participant.
Figure 9.2 Windshield-wiper move on chair.
- Prone baby cobra: Modify on the chair by having participants lean forward and place their hands (or elbows) on the back of a chair in front of them. Gently press into a small range of spinal extension (see figure 9.3).
Figure 9.3 Spinal extension on chair.
- Ankle moves: While sitting, lift legs and slowly roll ankles in complete circles—one direction then the other. Then fully dorsiflex ankles, pressing heels away as far as possible. Even though participants will most likely be wearing shoes, ask them to see if they can press the balls of their feet out (as if they were standing and performing a heel raise) and then fully plantarflex, pointing the toes. Repeat. Finish with more ankle rolls or figure eights.
See online video 9.1 for feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions.
Positioning, alignment,and safety in group cycling classes
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike.
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike. Show up 15 minutes before class to assist participants with bike setup, answer any questions, get to know new participants, and set up your own equipment (including the music and microphone). The three main bike adjustments are the seat height, the fore and aft seat position, and the handlebar height.
Seat Height
The correct seat heightdepends on the cyclist's leg length: the longer the leg, the higher the seat. In general, when the rider is seated on the bike with the balls of the feet on the center of the pedals, there should be a slight bend in the knee of the extended leg when pedaling. Experts suggest this knee flexion should be anywhere from 5° to 30°. If the seat height is too low, inadequate leg extension may cause knee problems, especially in the front of the knee. If the seat is too high, the rider's hips will rock back and forth; in addition, the risk of knee hyperextension is increased, which may cause pain at the back of the knee. Most beginning participants err on the side of setting the seat too low in an effort to minimize saddle soreness. Proper seat height is the key to healthy knees.
Fore and Aft Positioning
For proper fore and aftpositioning, adjust the saddle so that the cyclist's front kneecap is aligned directly above the center of the pedal when the pedal is forward and the crank is horizontal (the nine o'clock position). Cycling with the saddle too far forward can cause anterior knee problems. The correct fore and aft positioning also should allow the arms to comfortably reach the handlebars with the elbows slightly flexed. In addition, a proper position of the fore and aft seat setting will reduce the sitting-bone pain beginners often feel when first starting an indoor cycling class, particularly if they do not have cycling shorts.
Handlebar Height
Handlebarheight is mostly a matter of personal preference. Some experts have shown that a higher handlebar height puts riders in a better posture position to help minimize lower-back pain while riding. Beginners are encouraged to put the handlebars higher so the torso is more upright. The upright, neutral spine position is recommended for participants with back or neck problems. The lower the handlebars, the more the cyclist simulates a racing position, which creates favorable aerodynamics when cycling outdoors but is unnecessary when riding indoors. Teach participants to ride with a relaxed grip and neutral wrists and to vary their hand positions.
Shoes and the Emergency Brake
Encourage participants to wear stiff-soled shoes that remain rigid over the pedals; students should position the feet so that the balls of the feet, not the arches, contact the pedals. Clipping the shoes onto the pedals or securely strapping the shoes into the foot cages can enhance pedaling efficiency. Because most bikes are fixed gear and have pedals that continue to rotate after the feet are taken off, remind your class members to keep their feet on the pedals until the pedals stop moving. Most indoor cycling bikes have an emergency brake that can be pressed to instantly stop the flywheel and pedal rotation should your feet become detached.
Body Alignment
Remind participants to maintain neutral spinal alignment on the bike. The rider is in a neutral spine position when the four curves of the back are in their proper relationship to each other. Maintaining this position is easiest when the rider is sitting upright with the torso perpendicular to the floor. When the rider is seated and riding with a correct forward lean, the spine is in a neutral position, albeit inclined at a 45° angle, depending on the activity (see figure 12.1). Tucking the hips under (creating a posterior pelvic tilt) causes the back to round (or flex) and places much more strain on the structures of the back and should be avoided. When using proper form, the shoulder blades are kept down and slightly retracted in a position known as neutral scapular alignment. Rounding or hunching the shoulders or allowing the shoulder blades to come up by the ears should be avoided.
Figure 12.1 Proper seated bike alignment in the inclined position.
See online video 12.1 for a cycle setup demonstration.
Trends in group exercise
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back.
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back. The reality of our current health status is that for the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the United States at birth has declined from 78.9 years to 78.8 years (Xu et al. 2015) while global life expectancy has risen. When group exercise first emerged, many people considered it to be a fad, but it is clear that group exercise is here to stay. The U.S. Healthy People 2020 (2018) objectives emphasize increasing the proportion of the population that is at a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and reducing the number of people who have functional limitations. A CDC (2018) U.S. scientific report, put together by researchers tasked with modifying the 2008 Physical Activity guidelines, emphasized the power of movement—any movement—for improving the health and wellness of individuals. This new scientific report provides evidence of the broad health benefits that movement and exercise bring to individuals who engage in movement experiences on a regular basis. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods for group exercise instruction may be a productive options for individuals who can afford a fitness membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue becomes capturing the large portion of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. We believe that neighborhood walking groups, groups training for couch-to-5k walking or running events, and senior sit-and-fit offerings in assisted living care are also a part of the new group exercise movement of the future. All the guidelines in this book apply not only to group fitness in a facility but also to bringing group fitness into less traditional spaces.
Older adult group exercise class.
According to Tharrett (2018), within the last 8 to 10 years traditional health and fitness club memberships have held steady at 14% to 20% of the U.S. population, with the international population having less market penetration than the United States. Evidence suggests that traditional facility-based fitness programming may not be as inclusive as once thought. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods may be a productive option for individuals who can afford a health club membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue arises concerning capturing the other 75% to 80% of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. For example, those participants who run outside may achieve health benefits from running that are similar to a fitness center group exercise class. It might be time to rethink the delivery of fitness programming that will naturally move more participants toward a small-group experience, particularly participants who are beginners and are inactive in their daily living activities. Currently, personal training is popular, but in the same hour a personal trainer spends with one client, a group fitness instructor may reach 40 to 50 participants. Personal trainers who are also group exercise instructors may have many more opportunities to find clients due to their visibility as group instructors.
Participants can see similar results in group exercise that takes place outside a traditional fitness center.
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise and Sitting Time
The most recent ACSM (2018) recommendations for exercise are presented in the “Summary of the 2018 ACSM Evidence-Based Recommendations for Exercise for Healthy Adults” in this chapter. These recommendations will be outlined in more detail in successive chapters. It is interesting to note that the current ACSM evidence-based guidelines (2018) validate a typical group exercise class format dating back to the inception of group exercise in the 1970s. The guidelines include cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance, neuromotor movement, and flexibility training, all of which have been a part of the group exercise experience for many years. A contemporary focus on incorporating neuromotor (specifically balance) movements into group exercise experiences is relatively new to the ACSM evidence-based guidelines; this emphasis reflects the trend toward a focus on functional fitness and concerns about the fitness of an aging population. You will hear more about this topic later in chapters 8 and 9.
Sedentary Living Concerns
In addition to the need for following the ACSM exercise guidelines, total time spent sitting is a health concern that has attracted more attention in the literature and should be considered by group fitness instructors. Van der Ploeg and colleagues (2012) demonstrated dose-response associations between sitting time and mortality from all causes and between sitting time and cardiovascular disease, independent of leisure-time physical activity. In other words, a single leisure-time physical activity (such as attending a group exercise class) was not enough movement to compensate for too much sitting time in terms of improving health and mortality risk. Katzmarzyk and colleagues (2009) concur that extended sitting results in “metabolic alterations” that cannot be compensated for by an isolated exercise session. Similarly, Levine's (2014) work at the Mayo Clinic determined that the negative effects of six hours of sedentary time were similar in magnitude to the benefit of one hour of exercise. Finally, a recent article by Siddarth and colleagues (2018) found that sedentary behavior was also associated with detrimental temporal lobe brain thickness in older adults. We encourage you to explore websites that contain literature on sedentary living, such as Juststand.com. Consider offering classes that are shorter in length to encourage the nonactive sitting population to move.
Feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later.
Note: A feel-good move is literally supposed to feel good right in the moment—not later. Therefore, a move such as a squat, which strengthens muscles around the knee joint and may help reduce pain once the muscles are stronger, is not technically a feel-good move as it is generally not perceived as pleasant in the moment, especially by those with knee pain. When leading participants through feel-good moves, encourage them to close their eyes and find just what their bodies need right now; help them to find moves that bring relief and pleasure.
- Sun breaths: While sitting in chair, slowly inhale while circling arms out and up to the ceiling then exhale while circling them back down, tracing a “sun” around the body. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Shoulder rolls: Simply sit and roll shoulder blades up, back, and down, emphasizing the backward and downward moves. (It's best to avoid rolling forward, as most participants hunch forward already). Encourage deep, slow breathing—inhaling as shoulder blades elevate, exhaling as they press down.
- All-fours: cat tilt or dog tilt, lateral flexion, pelvic rotation, thread the needle: Modify in the chair by tilting the pelvis anteriorly and posteriorly (emphasizing the anterior tilt and spinal extension), then by rocking the pelvis laterally, and finishing with circling the pelvis and rib cage. All moves should be performed slowly with deep, conscious breathing.
- Seated windshield wipers into spinal twist, shoulder circles: Modify by sitting on the edge of the chair and allowing both knees to slowly relax left then right (hips will be internally and externally rotating in the horizontal plane). After a few comfortable repetitions, hold to one side and add a gentle spinal twist while holding onto the chair to prevent falling (see figure 9.2). Repeat on other side. To this, you can add a feel-good move for the shoulders and arms, reaching across to the side, front, up, or wherever feels good to the participant.
Figure 9.2 Windshield-wiper move on chair.
- Prone baby cobra: Modify on the chair by having participants lean forward and place their hands (or elbows) on the back of a chair in front of them. Gently press into a small range of spinal extension (see figure 9.3).
Figure 9.3 Spinal extension on chair.
- Ankle moves: While sitting, lift legs and slowly roll ankles in complete circles—one direction then the other. Then fully dorsiflex ankles, pressing heels away as far as possible. Even though participants will most likely be wearing shoes, ask them to see if they can press the balls of their feet out (as if they were standing and performing a heel raise) and then fully plantarflex, pointing the toes. Repeat. Finish with more ankle rolls or figure eights.
See online video 9.1 for feel-good moves modified for chair-based sessions.
Positioning, alignment,and safety in group cycling classes
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike.
Before beginning an indoor cycling class, make certain that each participant is properly aligned and adjusted on the bike. Show up 15 minutes before class to assist participants with bike setup, answer any questions, get to know new participants, and set up your own equipment (including the music and microphone). The three main bike adjustments are the seat height, the fore and aft seat position, and the handlebar height.
Seat Height
The correct seat heightdepends on the cyclist's leg length: the longer the leg, the higher the seat. In general, when the rider is seated on the bike with the balls of the feet on the center of the pedals, there should be a slight bend in the knee of the extended leg when pedaling. Experts suggest this knee flexion should be anywhere from 5° to 30°. If the seat height is too low, inadequate leg extension may cause knee problems, especially in the front of the knee. If the seat is too high, the rider's hips will rock back and forth; in addition, the risk of knee hyperextension is increased, which may cause pain at the back of the knee. Most beginning participants err on the side of setting the seat too low in an effort to minimize saddle soreness. Proper seat height is the key to healthy knees.
Fore and Aft Positioning
For proper fore and aftpositioning, adjust the saddle so that the cyclist's front kneecap is aligned directly above the center of the pedal when the pedal is forward and the crank is horizontal (the nine o'clock position). Cycling with the saddle too far forward can cause anterior knee problems. The correct fore and aft positioning also should allow the arms to comfortably reach the handlebars with the elbows slightly flexed. In addition, a proper position of the fore and aft seat setting will reduce the sitting-bone pain beginners often feel when first starting an indoor cycling class, particularly if they do not have cycling shorts.
Handlebar Height
Handlebarheight is mostly a matter of personal preference. Some experts have shown that a higher handlebar height puts riders in a better posture position to help minimize lower-back pain while riding. Beginners are encouraged to put the handlebars higher so the torso is more upright. The upright, neutral spine position is recommended for participants with back or neck problems. The lower the handlebars, the more the cyclist simulates a racing position, which creates favorable aerodynamics when cycling outdoors but is unnecessary when riding indoors. Teach participants to ride with a relaxed grip and neutral wrists and to vary their hand positions.
Shoes and the Emergency Brake
Encourage participants to wear stiff-soled shoes that remain rigid over the pedals; students should position the feet so that the balls of the feet, not the arches, contact the pedals. Clipping the shoes onto the pedals or securely strapping the shoes into the foot cages can enhance pedaling efficiency. Because most bikes are fixed gear and have pedals that continue to rotate after the feet are taken off, remind your class members to keep their feet on the pedals until the pedals stop moving. Most indoor cycling bikes have an emergency brake that can be pressed to instantly stop the flywheel and pedal rotation should your feet become detached.
Body Alignment
Remind participants to maintain neutral spinal alignment on the bike. The rider is in a neutral spine position when the four curves of the back are in their proper relationship to each other. Maintaining this position is easiest when the rider is sitting upright with the torso perpendicular to the floor. When the rider is seated and riding with a correct forward lean, the spine is in a neutral position, albeit inclined at a 45° angle, depending on the activity (see figure 12.1). Tucking the hips under (creating a posterior pelvic tilt) causes the back to round (or flex) and places much more strain on the structures of the back and should be avoided. When using proper form, the shoulder blades are kept down and slightly retracted in a position known as neutral scapular alignment. Rounding or hunching the shoulders or allowing the shoulder blades to come up by the ears should be avoided.
Figure 12.1 Proper seated bike alignment in the inclined position.
See online video 12.1 for a cycle setup demonstration.
Trends in group exercise
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back.
Group exercise classes are the lifelines of many fitness programs. They generate enthusiasm and create the connectedness needed to keep people coming back. The reality of our current health status is that for the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the United States at birth has declined from 78.9 years to 78.8 years (Xu et al. 2015) while global life expectancy has risen. When group exercise first emerged, many people considered it to be a fad, but it is clear that group exercise is here to stay. The U.S. Healthy People 2020 (2018) objectives emphasize increasing the proportion of the population that is at a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and reducing the number of people who have functional limitations. A CDC (2018) U.S. scientific report, put together by researchers tasked with modifying the 2008 Physical Activity guidelines, emphasized the power of movement—any movement—for improving the health and wellness of individuals. This new scientific report provides evidence of the broad health benefits that movement and exercise bring to individuals who engage in movement experiences on a regular basis. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods for group exercise instruction may be a productive options for individuals who can afford a fitness membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue becomes capturing the large portion of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. We believe that neighborhood walking groups, groups training for couch-to-5k walking or running events, and senior sit-and-fit offerings in assisted living care are also a part of the new group exercise movement of the future. All the guidelines in this book apply not only to group fitness in a facility but also to bringing group fitness into less traditional spaces.
Older adult group exercise class.
According to Tharrett (2018), within the last 8 to 10 years traditional health and fitness club memberships have held steady at 14% to 20% of the U.S. population, with the international population having less market penetration than the United States. Evidence suggests that traditional facility-based fitness programming may not be as inclusive as once thought. While traditional fitness programming delivery methods may be a productive option for individuals who can afford a health club membership and who are intrinsically motivated to exercise, the issue arises concerning capturing the other 75% to 80% of the population not engaged in fitness experiences. For example, those participants who run outside may achieve health benefits from running that are similar to a fitness center group exercise class. It might be time to rethink the delivery of fitness programming that will naturally move more participants toward a small-group experience, particularly participants who are beginners and are inactive in their daily living activities. Currently, personal training is popular, but in the same hour a personal trainer spends with one client, a group fitness instructor may reach 40 to 50 participants. Personal trainers who are also group exercise instructors may have many more opportunities to find clients due to their visibility as group instructors.
Participants can see similar results in group exercise that takes place outside a traditional fitness center.
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise and Sitting Time
The most recent ACSM (2018) recommendations for exercise are presented in the “Summary of the 2018 ACSM Evidence-Based Recommendations for Exercise for Healthy Adults” in this chapter. These recommendations will be outlined in more detail in successive chapters. It is interesting to note that the current ACSM evidence-based guidelines (2018) validate a typical group exercise class format dating back to the inception of group exercise in the 1970s. The guidelines include cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance, neuromotor movement, and flexibility training, all of which have been a part of the group exercise experience for many years. A contemporary focus on incorporating neuromotor (specifically balance) movements into group exercise experiences is relatively new to the ACSM evidence-based guidelines; this emphasis reflects the trend toward a focus on functional fitness and concerns about the fitness of an aging population. You will hear more about this topic later in chapters 8 and 9.
Sedentary Living Concerns
In addition to the need for following the ACSM exercise guidelines, total time spent sitting is a health concern that has attracted more attention in the literature and should be considered by group fitness instructors. Van der Ploeg and colleagues (2012) demonstrated dose-response associations between sitting time and mortality from all causes and between sitting time and cardiovascular disease, independent of leisure-time physical activity. In other words, a single leisure-time physical activity (such as attending a group exercise class) was not enough movement to compensate for too much sitting time in terms of improving health and mortality risk. Katzmarzyk and colleagues (2009) concur that extended sitting results in “metabolic alterations” that cannot be compensated for by an isolated exercise session. Similarly, Levine's (2014) work at the Mayo Clinic determined that the negative effects of six hours of sedentary time were similar in magnitude to the benefit of one hour of exercise. Finally, a recent article by Siddarth and colleagues (2018) found that sedentary behavior was also associated with detrimental temporal lobe brain thickness in older adults. We encourage you to explore websites that contain literature on sedentary living, such as Juststand.com. Consider offering classes that are shorter in length to encourage the nonactive sitting population to move.