One thing I've learned ...
Participants love it when you share
Sharing your life with participants can be very rewarding.
Participants love hearing the latest antics from your children or grandchildren, or where your next holiday will be, or the challenges you’re facing in your life.
We recently shared 21 Conversation Starters for your group fitness classes, and this can be a great way to start conversations, introduce topics, share stories, and ask for help.
I tend to share a lot about my family as most participants can relate to that topic. It might be what we’ve done to celebrate birthdays, what we’re cooking for Christmas lunch, who won the Easter egg hunt, or special occasions I’ve been able to share with my grandchildren.
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Carol has been walking alongside instructors for decades, and loves working with people passionate about older adults fitness. If this sounds like you, get in touch with Carol today.
Christmas for me starts with the putting up of the lights on our roof on the Melbourne Cup Day public holiday in November every year. And because I’ve been doing it for so long, participants now ask me, “Did the lights go up as usual?” As we enter into another Christmas season, you can ask about who has prepared their plum pudding, and who has purchased their presents got them wrapped under the Christmas tree - there is always a swell of pride from those who have, a signs and groans from those who haven’t started yet!
Older adults love hearing about the anniversaries and birthdays, and quite often someone will say, ‘Oh it was my daughter’s birthday that day as well.” Then that starts a whole new topic of when families have birthdays, and what they are doing to celebrate. You can ask for recipes, or share disaster stories for then the cake didn’t quite turn out like you had imagined!
Older adults love hearing about the anniversaries and birthdays, and quite often someone will say, ‘Oh it was my daughter’s birthday that day as well.” Then that starts a whole new topic of when families have birthdays, and what they are doing to celebrate. You can ask for recipes, or share disaster stories for then the cake didn’t quite turn out like you had imagined!
When we tell stories about our lives, this gives participants permission to share a little about their own lives too, and encourages them to speak up in class. Grandchildren are the most common topic of conversation and often brings out the best in participants - I am constantly looking at photos on phones of grandchildren and hearing all about their achievements. This gives the grandparents an opportunity to show how proud they are of their family and what they’re doing, and I enjoy following along with their progress.
It’s also great when you remember to ask them the next week in class about the family member or social event they attended. You can see their chest puff up and their eyes shine as they feel seen, validated, and appreciated. Often other participants will join in the conversation too, and these kinds of interactions bind our classes together and form bonds that can continue for many years. And when those participants face challenges and share news that isn’t so positive, it's these friendships that can sustain them and keep them coming back to class time and time again. We all know how important those social connections are as we age, and we want to foster them as often as we can.
It’s also great when you remember to ask them the next week in class about the family member or social event they attended. You can see their chest puff up and their eyes shine as they feel seen, validated, and appreciated. Often other participants will join in the conversation too, and these kinds of interactions bind our classes together and form bonds that can continue for many years. And when those participants face challenges and share news that isn’t so positive, it's these friendships that can sustain them and keep them coming back to class time and time again. We all know how important those social connections are as we age, and we want to foster them as often as we can.
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Every instructor is different in how much they are comfortable sharing, and we each need to make that decision for ourselves, but consider opening up yourself just a little with your class. When you have regular participants that have been coming to your class for months, years, and sometimes even decades, they become your family, and you become theirs.
For many older adults, their exercise class can be a highlight of their week, and a time when they connect with others - and perhaps live a little vicariously through you too! They might not have family nearby, or a lot of friends left, or grandkids to enjoy, and so they love hearing your stories and adventures. Many will ask what the latest instalment is, or what’s been happening with an ongoing saga, or might bring a cut-out from the newspaper for you with a recipe. Or they might just be looking for another excuse to pull out their ‘brag book’ on the phone!
Spending just a few minutes each week to share something personal can make a real difference to your class, moving it from a group of strangers exercising together, to a group of friends connecting together (even if sometimes the mouth gets a little more exercise than other body parts!).
I encourage you to keep talking, sharing, and connecting with your participants, and see what happens next.
Carol has been working in the fitness industry for over 50 years and has a raft of qualifications and experiences on her CV. Her blog, 'A Lifetime of Lessons,' aims to share just a little of the wisdom and experiences she's picked up along the way. If you'd like to connect directly with Carol, email her at [email protected].
>> Return to A Lifetime of Lessons article directory
For many older adults, their exercise class can be a highlight of their week, and a time when they connect with others - and perhaps live a little vicariously through you too! They might not have family nearby, or a lot of friends left, or grandkids to enjoy, and so they love hearing your stories and adventures. Many will ask what the latest instalment is, or what’s been happening with an ongoing saga, or might bring a cut-out from the newspaper for you with a recipe. Or they might just be looking for another excuse to pull out their ‘brag book’ on the phone!
Spending just a few minutes each week to share something personal can make a real difference to your class, moving it from a group of strangers exercising together, to a group of friends connecting together (even if sometimes the mouth gets a little more exercise than other body parts!).
I encourage you to keep talking, sharing, and connecting with your participants, and see what happens next.
Carol has been working in the fitness industry for over 50 years and has a raft of qualifications and experiences on her CV. Her blog, 'A Lifetime of Lessons,' aims to share just a little of the wisdom and experiences she's picked up along the way. If you'd like to connect directly with Carol, email her at [email protected].
>> Return to A Lifetime of Lessons article directory
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