I get such inspiration from the 5:30 AM spinning class that I sometimes participate in.  What a group!  They are fun, hard working, and dedicated.

I don't think we would all be there week after week at that early hour if it wasn't fun.  We hoop and holler, make fun of each other, and push each other to work harder.

It gets me thinking about ways to have fun with your classes.  Here goes:

1. Build a team - The class that works together, stays together.  OK, corny but true in a lot of ways.  When you get them feeling bonded and cohesive they will work harder for and with each other while becoming more loyal to you.  Try running fire drills: have everyone stepping on their steps to the beat or jogging in place, then go to one person and make them run a lap around the room.  When that one person returns to their spot pick someone else to do it.  The participants who are in their spots cheer the runner on.  Continue until everyone has done a lap.
2. Try some props - Bring a squirt gun to class and bust it out 3/4 of the way through.  Play a silly old song during cool down (I like 'The Fat Boys are Back' 80's rap song for ab work.)  Wear some sunglasses during the 'Sunglasses at Night' drill.  Write on the mirrors with a window marker.  And remember, your most effective prop is your smile.  Wear it all the time, make 'em wonder if you shouldn't be drug tested.
3. Break out of comfort zones - Change is good.
• Theirs - Use one song as your 'move' song. Make everyone take a different place in the room for 4 minutes.  Or (gasp) make them take a partner.  They won't be happy about it at first, but deliver the news with your most important prop - your smile.  They will enjoy the change once you get them to try it.
• Yours - Tell a knock knock joke.  Wear something a little outrageous.  Force yourself to walk all the way to the back of the room and teach from there for a few minutes.  Teach facing the participants (this is best practice anyway.)  Complacency is not good for instructors - it is the start of burn out. 
4. Plan - Implementing your 'fun' will not come naturally.  You are going to have to plan and practice.
• Program - Write out the entire class segment by segment.  Note the places that you will use these tools.  Teach the same program to the same music for a few weeks.  Your classes wil not notice, but you will get more comfortable with it each time.
• Entertainment Ops - Look for place during your program to crack a joke, or squirt them with your squirt gun.  I use the song 'Jump' by the Pointer Sisters, and there is one part where we are all holding at the bottom of a squat when they sing 'Jump'.  So I just do a little leap without leaving my squat.  It just makes the class look twice - it entertains them a little.  Gets them through the rough parts because they are busy wondering what you are going to do next.

The more fun your class is having, the harder they are going to work for you.  Further, the more fun they have the better the experience, the more loyalty they develop, the more they tell their friends about your class.  And larger classes are more rewarding to teach and provide more value to your facility.

Written by Kelly Coulter