Creating Community in Your Bootcamp
by Sarah Vollans, OutFIT Instructor
Sally walks nervously across the car park towards a gathered group of people, she knows no one. She feels her heart racing, and begins to think this was a stupid idea. “What will they think of me? I’m so unfit this is embarrassing, I’ve forgotten my water, why did I think this was a good idea?”
“Hi, how are you? Welcome to the session, let me introduce you to Katy, she is quite new as well but will look after you. Take it at your own pace and enjoy it. It’s so great to see you here”
Sally is now a Bootcamp regular, having achieved her weight loss goal, but just as importantly for her, she made some amazing new friends. However, it could have been a very different story.
So does this community thing matter? Absolutely, yes. Is it the only thing that matters? Of course not, no. However, building community in any area of life, and especially in Bootcamps, is essential for growth, success and integrity, but it is a skill.
Check out the video above of my OuFIT group in Meanwood Park, who were asked how they think a sense of community is created during in the sessions. They’re all wearing orange to raise awareness of Batten Disease.
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What is community?
“A body of people…sharing experiences….same attitudes”. These are some of the things the dictionary says about it. Think of a body. It’s made up of a multitude of components that all have to work together doing their bit to make it function effectively. When one bit suffers, it all suffers. In a community, people share the highs and lows of their experience together, and draw closer through it.
So how do we build it?
Well, it’s complex, and depends a great deal on who is in the group, but here are some of the things I’ve learnt along the way…
Build relationships with your members, between you and them, and them with each other! The starting point here is to know your “niche”. Who are you trying to reach in your sessions? Work out who those people are and go find them. Get to know them and invite them along to a session personally, because people want to be known and valued. Another key part of this, and perhaps the most crucial part, is the welcome. It seems so basic, but surprisingly so often forgotten or not done in a way that makes people feel exactly what it says on the tin... Welcome!
Invest time - Be willing to put the graft in outside of your sessions. Send a text or an email to see how people are, especially if they haven't been around in a while. Attend local charity events and offer your sessions free through auctions and raffles. Recognise and celebrate things going on in your member’s lives... New jobs, new babies, taking part in events for charity etc. The list is endless.
Events - Plan social events where people can get to know each other outside of the session and continue to build those relationships, links and networks. Taking part in runs, races and obstacle events together can be an incredible community-builder. Like in many life situations, going through something tough and challenging with others creates a strong bond.
Be present - What do I mean? I mean, give of yourself. Be passionate and enthusiastic about what you do, even when you don’t feel it ( let's be honest we've all been there!) Be early and ready for sessions because this shows people you take it seriously and that it matters to you. Plus, it gives you more time to chat to people as they arrive, hear their reasons for being there and put them at ease.
Ownership - Every single person who comes to your session has their own unique story and reasons for being there. Make sure you know as much as you can about those reasons. The more informed you are, the more you can tailor your sessions to meet their individual goals and needs, giving a sense of ownership to people. Your members are your biggest advocates - use them to greet and take care of new people as well as to advertise and market your sessions. If they love it, gain confidence and feel part of a family they will spread the word to others.
Have fun - Many would say one of the keys to a successful bootcamp is a good balance of fun and challenge. I agree with them! Quality banter is key. A good belly laugh goes a long way in building friendship. Remember though, that people are there to work hard, be challenged and get fit so take the time to find an equilibrium that suits your group.
Themed Events - Another great way to draw people together and get new people in, is to run themed events. These could be seasonal, based around current events or charity days, like the ‘wear orange’ day I did with my Meanwood group to raise awareness of Batten Disease (see video above).
Social Media - Post it, tweet it, snapchat it…the ways to engage with people are vast, but again - an essential part of getting information to people, starting a multitude of different conversations, and encouraging and building good relationships.
Don’t forget, building and nurturing community is not the same as creating a “clique". Far from it. In fact, I would say it’s the opposite. Bootcamps can be transient, with new people attending all the time, and individuals often leaving due to other commitments, then returning at a later date. Maintaining a welcoming, encouraging, challenging, fun and non-judgemental attitude and atmosphere, regardless of who walks up to your flag, is paramount.
Be patient. It's not easy, it takes time. It takes getting it wrong and picking yourself up and going again. It takes commitment, effort and hard graft but the rewards are incredible: A mutually supportive network of people, growing together in fitness and friendship to achieve goals, whilst always welcoming and embracing newcomers to the family.
So...always be ready and willing to put in the time and effort, within and outside of your sessions. Be honest and passionate about your work and listen, listen and listen some more to your greatest advocates - your members.
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