How to Hire Instructors for Your HIIT Studio

You’ve successfully built a fitness business that stands out from the crowd. But how do you keep your members engaged and coming back for more?

Enter High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), a dynamic workout style that delivers efficient calorie burn, a heightened metabolic rate, and rapid results that fit into members’ busy schedules.

Industry trailblazers like F45 and Orangetheory have already demonstrated the massive appeal and growth potential of HIIT studios. But in order to make HIIT a true game-changer for your gym or studio, it’s essential to hire qualified instructors who can properly guide each sprint, lift, and burpee.

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

4 Key Benefits of Founding a HIIT Studio

First, let’s explore some of the main benefits of incorporating HIIT workout classes into your offerings.

1. Shorter Workouts for Busy Members

In today’s fast-paced world, convenience is king. Unlike traditional workouts that can last up to an hour or more, the average HIIT class ranges from 30 to 45 minutes with some as short as 15 minutes. This condensed format offers a full-body workout that builds muscle and improves cardiovascular fitness.

So whether it’s an energizing start to the day before work, a quick sweat session during lunch, or a stress-busting routine after a long day, shorter class times mean that your members can easily fit a HIIT workout into their packed schedules.

2. Helps Members Gain Muscle and Lose Fat

Another massive perk of HIIT workout classes is fat loss and muscle gain. Steady-state cardio has been linked to muscle loss, whereas HIIT, strength training, and weight training are shown to preserve muscle while maximizing weight loss.

One study found that participants who engaged in a 20-minute HIIT workout three times per week lost 4.4 pounds of body fat—all without altering their diets! This included a 17% reduction in visceral fat, the type that surrounds your organs and is linked to various health risks.

In other words, HIIT turns your body into a fat-burning machine without compromising muscle mass. What’s not to like?

3. Burns Calories Long After Workout

Another incredible benefit of HIIT is the afterburn effect, also known as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).

EPOC represents the oxygen the body needs to restore itself to its pre-exercise state. The more intense the workout, the higher the EPOC and, in turn, the more calories burned post-workout.

Studies have shown that a single HIIT session can boost metabolism for up to 48 hours. So even when your members are resting or sleeping, their bodies are still actively burning calories.

The afterburn effect ensures your members get the most bang for their buck, making HIIT a must-add to your gym.

4. Can Increase Oxygen Consumption

HIIT classes offer more than just quick workouts and calorie burning; they can also help improve how well your body uses oxygen. This is known as your VO2 max, which is a measure of your cardiovascular fitness.

What does that mean for your members? A higher VO2 max allows people to do other exercises more efficiently and get less tired doing them. So, by having HIIT classes at your gym, you’re giving members another excellent way to get fitter and healthier.

Now that you’re aware of the benefits of HIIT workout classes, let’s dive into how to hire qualified instructors.

1. Look for Someone With Proper Qualifications

It might sound obvious, but there’s more to it than you think. When it comes to hiring HIIT instructors, proper certification is crucial to ensure both the quality and safety of your classes.

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Look for trainers who have obtained certifications specifically in HIIT or group fitness from reputable organizations in the industry.

These certifications should be up-to-date and ideally complemented by first aid and CPR qualifications. This ensures your instructors are well-equipped with the latest safety protocols, which enhances your gym’s credibility and appeal.

2. Outline Their Responsibilities

When hiring HIIT instructors, clearly outlining responsibilities is essential for smooth operations and member satisfaction.

This should go beyond just leading workouts and include tasks like:

Initial client assessments to tailor workouts
Maintaining equipment and ensuring gym safety
Tracking member progress and providing feedback
Leading warm-ups and cool-downs
Administering first aid if needed

By being explicit about these responsibilities, you set clear expectations, which helps in selecting candidates who can truly add value to your fitness business.

3. Discuss Their Expectations

When bringing new HIIT instructors into your fitness studio, discussing expectations is critical. These aren’t just tied to technical competencies, but also to how instructors conduct themselves. For instance, professionalism should be a non-negotiable trait.

From punctuality and attire to client interactions and adherence to safety protocols, make it clear that their behavior sets the tone for your brand and influences member satisfaction and loyalty.

It’s also important that you listen to their expectations: How many hours do they want to work? What days can’t they work? What’s a dealbreaker for them?

Hiring staff is consistently the biggest headache for fitness business owners, so make sure you set the expectations from the get-go so they don’t hand in their notice on the first week.

4. Negotiate Pay

Properly negotiating pay is a vital step when hiring HIIT instructors for your gym.

While it’s understandable to want to hire the best talent money can buy, you must also keep an eye on profit margins. Striking the right balance is key to creating a win-win situation between your instructors and your business.

Offering competitive pay can attract and retain quality instructors, but it should align with the revenue generated from your HIIT classes and the overall financial health of your gym or studio.

Remember, pay isn’t everything. If you can offer other benefits, like funding extra certifications, a certain number of vacation days, or a minimum number of hours per week, you’re much more likely to find the right talent for your team.

Ready to Boost Your HIIT Studio Business?

Offering HIIT workout classes is a great way to enhance your offerings and keep member engagement and satisfaction high. But in order to take your business to the next level, you need high-performing software you can trust.

Enter ABC Glofox: a software that matches your growth ambitions.

We’re the #1 fitness management software for a reason.

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Ready to level up? Book a demo today!

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The Future-Proof Fitness Management Platform

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ABC Glofox is a fitness business management platform that streamlines payments, bookings, and processes. With a future-proof platform that implements AI to create a seamless user experience, it’s the solution your fitness business has been looking for.