Common Course Outline

Catalog Description

Course Description

Teaching group fitness requires an in-depth understanding of both the anatomy and physiology of the body as well as training principles to provide a safe, exciting and challenging workout for clients. This course is designed to provide students with the actual physical components of teaching using cues and routines along with progressions designed to provide challenges in any group fitness setting. This course provides both the foundation for understanding the body systems and how various training regimes benefit the body as a whole, and the hands-on incorporation of teaching techniques. This class contains a lab-like component.

Date Last Revised (Month, year)

February, 2026

Outline of Major Content Areas

1. Plan workouts for balance of physical activities while challenging participants.
2. Health and skill components of fitness, as it pertains to building a variety of group fitness classes.
3. Prepare progressive training continuums.
4. Body image perceptions.
5. Motivating diverse populations.
6. Student-centered versus teacher-centered instruction.
7. Fundamentals of choreography, cueing, smooth transitions and the use of music in preparing for and implementing group fitness instruction.
8. Group exercise modalities for specific training techniques; yoga, kickboxing, yoga, pilates, water exercise, stationary cycling, and sport conditioning or functional training.
9. Legal aspects of general liability and negligence, and music licensing and copyright laws as they relate to activity and the fitness world.
10. Major certification tools provided through various industry certifying standards as it applies to the individual’s area of interest.

Learning Outcomes (General)

The student will be able to:

1. Integrate the basic components of health into group fitness class designs to meet the objectives of the specific class.
2. Create a positive atmosphere for all students to be motivated and successful with any fitness class.
3. Evaluate music for a variety of different group fitness applications.
4. Build basic combinations, cue and implement smooth transitions and utilize elements of variations of tempo to enhance progressive cardiovascular training.
5. Implement choreography utilizing all safety components of proper body alignment and techniques for safe exercise.
6. Properly use equipment specific to any training to build effective exercise training sequences.
7. Incorporate a balance of all aspects of health and skill related components of fitness into any fitness course.
8. Create client-centered activity classes or on-going programs based on current trends, interests, age appropriateness and lifetime activities.
9. Evaluate training equipment that will best support class instruction.
10. Model student-centered versus teacher-centered instruction.

Learning Outcomes (MnTC)

NA

Methods for Evaluation of Student Learning

Methods may include but are not limited to:

• Participation
• Daily Assignments
• Written Quizzes and Exams
• Speaker/video/article summaries
• Practical assessment of specific skills and techniques.

RCTC Core Outcome(s)

This course contributes to meeting the following RCTC Core Outcome(s):

Critical Thinking

Students will think systematically and explore information thoroughly before accepting or formulating a position or conclusion.

Special Information (if any)

None