Managing safety and risk in the group exercise environment is a primary responsibility of the group exercise instructor. Be prepared to take the need for safety and injury prevention to the next level in your SilverSneakers Yoga class. Instructors should take responsibility for managing class set up to ensure safety and minimize the risk for tripping hazards.
Class Set Up
Chairs should be set up in rows, in a honeycomb fashion, making it easy for all participants to see the instructor at the front of class. A good guideline for optimum spacing between chairs is to provide approximately 4′ X 4′, or 16 square feet, for each member of class.
A circle set-up is not recommended, as turning to face the instructor can lead to neck strain or spinal misalignment for participants.
Here are some additional safety considerations for teaching a safe and effective SilverSneakers Yoga class.
- Provide a staff person for every 30 participants. If you have more than 30 participants regularly, recruit additional staff or an assistant to help you lead and monitor class.
- An additional class should be added if class participation continuously meets or exceeds room capacity for a continuous period of one month or 12 classes.
- Provide an additional staff member for classes that are held in a large gymnasium or fitness studio with the capacity to accommodate more than 30 adults.