What's a good aerobics class size?

What's a good size for an aerobics class? Ratio of members to instructor.
What the maximum manageable size? Is there a maximum size? I see in some
big gyms very large classes with the instructor up on a stage for all to see
her and she see them.

Scott Jensen
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How long is a piece of string? I go to three different classes a week on
the west side of London, U.K., the largest averages 22 and has an excellent
atmosphere, the instructor is on a school stage and that helps sight-lines
enormously. The second one is in a local Council (town authority) small gym,
no stage but as it only averages 11 we can usually see the moves clearly
enough, even though the instructors usually work at one END of the room. The
third averages 12 in a scruffy Boy Scout hut; a good instructor who works
from the SIDE of the room, so with two lines of 6 people we can again see
her moves clearly, but when a few extra people come it improves the sense of
communal enjoyment.
My own preference is for larger numbers and a stage, but the inventiveness
and personality (especially good humour) of the instructor are most
important of all. I used to attend one where the instructor was so popular
that she averaged 40, but the room was too small so it was too easy to
collide! Things like changing the music occasionally help interest too.
Peter Musgrave.

I see in some big gyms very large classes with the instructor up on a
stage for all to see
her and she see them.

There are some good male instructors too :-)

As already stated, a class size is dependent on many different
parameters. If it is a pre-choreographed class where the moves are the
same from week to week, then the class size can be increased. If there
is a stage and appropriate sound gear (head mic) then again the class
size can be increased.

The most obvious consideration is that each participant has enough
space around them to perform the moves without bumping into other
participants.

If the class has travelling moves, then obvioulsy more space is
required.

Regards

Lawrence Walters
Fitness Professional
Australia

On Thu, 8 Apr 2004 04:27:07 -0500, "Scott T. Jensen"
wrote:

What's a good size for an aerobics class? Ratio of members to instructor.
What the maximum manageable size? Is there a maximum size? I see in some
big gyms very large classes with the instructor up on a stage for all to see
her and she see them.

Scott Jensen