How to Start A Fitness Club

When I was a high school English teacher, I started and monitored the first ever Student Fitness Club at my school. It was awesome, and something you can do, too (if your school doesn't already have one)!

Step One: Find interested students.
Get as much hype and excitement around the new club as possible. Make posters, a sign-up sheet, make announcements in classes, and send home a flyer in the monthly/weekly parent folders. Leave the sign-up sheet outside your classroom. You can even use the template below that I created for you!

Step Two: Write a proposal to your administration about the new club. 
Keep it short, simple and to the point! What to include in your proposal:
- Mission Statement
- Proposed Meeting Schedule
- Club Positions for Students

Step Three: Assign or elect positions for your club. 
You'll definitely need students to cover the following positions:
- President
- Vice President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Public Relations

Step Four: Have students run the club, so you are able to act as a monitor and not a director. 
Instead of having to come up with the exercises each week for the club myself, I had my students do it. The President would assign students to be in charge of the exercises for a particular day that we would meet. On the day of, that student would be in charge of directing the exercises for the group! (Of course, I did have to direct the first two classes, so students could get an idea of what the routine should resemble.)

Step Five: Get Teachers Involved!
Every Tuesday and Thursday after school, the Fitness Club and I would host a Teacher Walk / Run for the teachers in our school. We would all meet 20 minutes after the bell rang, dressed and ready to go. The students would lead stretches and then we would all run or walk 3 miles before heading home! It was a great way to promote fitness in our school!

Staying fit and active is SO important - especially as teachers! Help bring exercise to your school by starting a Fitness Club! Let us know how it goes!