Improving communities through sport

Developing a Class Schedule at Your Recreation Center

Two people creating workout plan

Developing a Program Schedule at Your Recreation Center

Creating a successful group exercise and fitness program schedule can be the ultimate challenge for a recreation center. Tailoring your programs to your clientele requires a keen understanding of member needs, industry trends, budgets, and instructor skills. A strong, consistent fitness program can be the deciding factor for potential members. Today, the expert team at SFM will discuss recreation center program design to help guide your center to success.

Determine Your Budget Requirements

The first step you should take when designing a program schedule is your designated budget for instructor salaries, equipment, and in-house marketing. It is incredibly important to know exactly what your budget will cover based on projected participation numbers.

Your Members are Your Greatest Resource

For many recreation centers, the most creative ideas will often come from conversations with members. They are the people you are targeting with your programs, so understanding their schedules and priorities is the key to success. Not only should you discuss these details with members who are active in group classes, but also members who don’t participate. Use this information to create opportunities to attract those who feel your current offerings don’t meet their needs.

Create a Preliminary Schedule

After collecting information from your members and previous class participation numbers, develop a preliminary schedule with this information in mind. Details like which days and times would be most popular, your instructor’s availability and your competitor’s offerings are all important aspects of this schedule.
 
Try staggering different types of classes during your busiest times. Offering a resistance class between two cardio-focused classes will often encourage members to participate in both types of classes for a complete workout.

Match Instructors with Your Preliminary Schedule

Once you have completed your preliminary schedule, begin placing instructors into time slots. One method to help improve attendance numbers is to schedule strong instructors in more difficult time slots like Fridays. Your more popular instructors can often attract members to participate in classes that would often be difficult to draw members to join. Try to avoid allowing one instructor to dominate particular class styles or timeframes. Many members will become attached to specific instructors, having them teach multiple types of classes can encourage those members to try classes they otherwise would be less likely to attend.

Finalize Your Schedule and Market Accordingly

Before putting your new schedule into place, print off your planned offerings and distribute them to your members. Give advance notice of these changes so as to not catch people off guard, and to give them time to register for your new schedule. In general, a notice of around two weeks is enough time for members to adjust their plans.

Contact SFM Today

If you are looking to achieve success in a competitive market like the fitness industry, the expert advice of a proven management team can make all the difference. To learn more about SFM and our management team, contact us directly at 727-474-3845.

Share this Post

Share this Post

Latest Posts

Download our free

Sports Tourism Guide

Gated Content