It’s that time of year again, post-Christmas blues, overwhelming New Year’s resolutions and lots of anticipation for what the new year has in store. If your resolutions include a fun fitness refresh, look no further. Ease yourself back into to a fitness routine with This Girl Can Classes – a judgement-free, fun-fuelled route to group exercise. The new year is the perfect opportunity to find your groove, so why not start with an exercise class you’ll actually look forward to?  

If you’re still not convinced, we sat down with one of our fantastic instructors, Tara, to chat all things This Girl Can Classes. Let’s see what she had to say… 

Why did you choose This Girl Can Classes? 

I thought it was a really good way of empowering women and getting people in the local community to bond, come together and do something which would feel normally quite scary. For me, it was about empowering women and getting them back into exercise. It was also about supporting the community, supporting women, and making people feel comfortable in the environment they’re in. 

What motivated you to be a part of the This Girl Can movement? 

I just loved the concept. It was about getting people through the door and engaging with them. I loved the way that you could take somebody who was nervous or shy, take them under your wing, bring them into an area that can be quite daunting and make them feel really comfortable. I love getting to know the participants to find out a little bit about their lifestyle and what has stopped them from coming before. It’s amazing to be a part of something that empowers women back into exercise and helps them build relationships. It’s all about making them feel comfortable in our classes and watching them flourish.  

As an instructor, was there anything you were worried about when setting up your class? 

My main worry was remembering the routines, but the whole ethos of This Girl Can Classes is ‘where getting it wrong is totally alright’ and that goes for us instructors too. Actually, by us going wrong, it makes it more fun and more realistic. I do prepare before the class, maybe give myself half an hour or 20 minutes to run through a routine before I deliver it, but do I forget things? Most definitely. If I forget things, we freestyle it until I can remember the moves! And I think at the very beginning, you feel that you’re not really doing what you’re meant to be doing, but you’ve just got be prepared to adjust and adapt. 

What kind of impact has the class had on your participants? 

It had a massive impact on my participants, the people that came through the door when they first walked in were nervous, shy and would hide in the corner and their fitness levels were quite low. Within 10 weeks it would take me sometimes 15 minutes to keep them quiet before we got started because everyone was giggling and having a chat. It’s also during that time they get the confidence to go on and try other sessions beyond This Girl Can Classes, and ultimately that’s our goal, to give them a pathway into group exercise. They build up friendships and relationships and now even if I don’t see them in a This Girl Can Class, I see them in my other classes or someone else’s. There’s a lot of fun and laughter in our classes, and we create an environment that isn’t all about lifting weights and sweating. We take things less seriously round here. Mentally as well as physically, which we find really improves everyone’s wellbeing. 

So, what are you waiting for? There’s no time like the present! Kickstart your fitness journey on your own terms, with zero pressure and a focus on fun. Meet real women, make friendships, and most importantly enjoy yourself! Find a class near you and join the movement.  

If Tara’s story inspired you, why not become and instructor? Head here to find out how.