Group X Appeal

Group X Appeal

Group X Appeal is the ultimate podcast for group exercise instructors, yoga teachers, and enthusiasts who love moving and getting healthier as a group! Hosted by industry veterans Kimberly Spreen-Glick and Terry Shorter (50+ years combined experience), this podcast celebrates the transformative power of group exercise and the people who make it unforgettable.From behind-the-scenes instructor stories and industry legend interviews to practical tips and hilarious class mishaps, Group X Appeal is your weekly dose of inspiration, education, and real talk about fitness, community, and vitality. New episodes every Monday. Subscribe now and rise with us! Connect: @GroupXAppeal | groupxappeal@gmail.com

  1. 1d ago

    107: Will AI Replace Fitness Instructors? Information VS Inspiration.

    AI Can Count Your Calories. But Can It Notice When You're Having a Bad Day? Here's the uncomfortable question every fitness professional needs to ask right now: Does fitness still need you? AI can build your workout in seconds. It can count calories, analyze sleep, track heart rate, recommend exercises, create an entire training program. Information has never been easier to access. So what's the answer? Information is not inspiration. In this essential episode of Group X Appeal, Kimberly and Terry address the question on every instructor's mind: Will technology replace me? The answer might surprise you. It's not about AI or instructors. It's about AI assisting great instructors. And that combination makes instructors more valuable than ever. Discover five ways to use AI as your assistant—not your replacement. Explore how human connection becomes your competitive advantage when information becomes commoditized, why empathy and leadership cannot be outsourced, and how the instructors who embrace technology while doubling down on humanity will thrive. Let's talk about how to free up your energy for what actually matters: seeing the person hiding in the back row, noticing who didn't show up, celebrating their progress, and reminding them they belong. Because AI may know every exercise ever invented. But it will never know you or your class participants. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - @groupxappeal. Questions or topic ideas? Email us @ groupxappeal@gmail.com Get your FREE Guide To Holistic Well-Being here: https://gxaguide.com/ Stay Connected with Kimberly: - @kimberlyspreenglick on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - email: kimberly@theinspiredlifeuniversity.com - website: www.theinspiredlifeuniversity.com Stay Connected with Terry: - @terryshorter on Instagram & Facebook - email: terry@rippedplanet.com - website: www.rippedplanet.com

    107: Will AI Replace Fitness Instructors? Information VS Inspiration.
  2. Sep 7

    105: Do You Have What It Takes To Teach Group X?

    Have you ever stood in the back of a group fitness class and thought: I could never do that. I'm not fit enough. I'm not outgoing enough. I've never taught before. What if you're completely underestimating yourself? After decades of teaching, mentoring, and developing instructors, Kimberly and Terry are pulling back the curtain on a truth most people miss: the qualities that make someone an incredible group fitness instructor have almost nothing to do with having the perfect body, being the loudest in the room, or already knowing how to teach. In fact, you might already possess some of the most important characteristics and not even realize it. In this episode, Kimberly and Terry share 5 qualities that can take you from standing in the crowd...to leading it. And they might completely change what you think an "instructor" looks like.  Learn why loving people matters more than perfect choreography, why you don't have to be an extrovert to connect with a room, why positive energy has nothing to do with volume, and why confidence actually comes after you do the scary thing, not before. Hear the wisdom from Kimberly's mother: "You're either green and growing or ripe and rotting..."  Whether you've secretly thought about teaching, someone's told you that you should, or you've never considered it - this episode is your invitation to stop wondering. Because the next instructor who changes someone's life could be you! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - @groupxappeal. Questions or topic ideas? Email us @ groupxappeal@gmail.com Get your FREE Guide To Holistic Well-Being here: https://gxaguide.com/ Stay Connected with Kimberly: - @kimberlyspreenglick on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - email: kimberly@theinspiredlifeuniversity.com - website: www.theinspiredlifeuniversity.com Stay Connected with Terry: - @terryshorter on Instagram & Facebook - email: terry@rippedplanet.com - website: www.rippedplanet.com

    105: Do You Have What It Takes To Teach Group X?
  3. Aug 31

    104: Abrea Wooten on Staying Relevant & Inspiring the Next Generation of Group X Leaders

    Here's what you need to know about Abrea Wooten: she's been teaching group fitness for nearly three decades. She's completed eight Ironmans, run four Boston Marathons, and tackled six-hundred-mile ultra marathons. Oh, and she had a hip replacement last year. And she's still lighting up every room she walks into. But her secret isn't what you'd expect. It's not about being invincible. It's about evolution. In this powerful episode of Group X Appeal, Kimberly and Terry sit down with Abrea Wooten, Senior Education Manager at Lifetime and creator of Vibe 32 Fitness, to explore what real longevity in fitness actually looks like.  Discover how she went from a 20-year-old "pick me" teaching step at a church in Dayton, Ohio, to becoming one of the industry's most respected educators. Learn how a fitness class literally brought her soulmate (Mark walked into her boot camp class at exactly the right moment), why aging doesn't have to define your identity, and how staying relevant means something entirely different than staying the same. Hear her unforgettable story about the woman from Pakistan who almost quit mid-class—until Abrea got down on the mat beside her and whispered encouragement. That woman is now her best friend and leads from the front row.  Explore the mindset shift that helped her move from being "the high-intensity girl" to becoming an educator focused on teaching instructors why movement works, not just what to do. Because longevity in fitness isn't about perfection. It's about purpose, people, and never stopping learning. Plus: details on the groundbreaking 100-hour instructor training program launching in Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, New York, and Southern California hosted through Life Time Academy! Follow Abrea: https://www.instagram.com/abreainstereo/ https://www.instagram.com/vibe32_fitness_mixes/ Learn about the Group Fitness Instructor Training: https://lifetimeacademy.edu/group-fitness-page  Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - @groupxappeal. Questions or topic ideas? Email us @ groupxappeal@gmail.com Get your FREE Guide To Holistic Well-Being here: https://gxaguide.com/ Stay Connected with Kimberly: - @kimberlyspreenglick on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - email: kimberly@theinspiredlifeuniversity.com - website: www.theinspiredlifeuniversity.com Stay Connected with Terry: - @terryshorter on Instagram & Facebook - email: terry@rippedplanet.com - website: www.rippedplanet.com

    104: Abrea Wooten on Staying Relevant & Inspiring the Next Generation of Group X Leaders
  4. Aug 24

    103: How Purpose Transforms Healthy Habits Into a Meaningful Life

    The Secret Reason the Happiest People Live Longer Have you noticed something about the happiest people you know? They always seem to have something they're excited about. Something they're working toward. Someone they're helping. A reason to get out of bed in the morning. That's called purpose. And it might be one of the greatest predictors of a longer, healthier, happier life. But here's what most people get wrong: purpose isn't about winning awards, climbing Mount Everest, or changing the entire world. Sometimes purpose is remarkably simple. It's raising your children. Showing up for your friends. Teaching a class. Helping one person smile today. It's knowing someone's counting on you Tuesday morning at 9am. In this episode - the final installment of Group X Appeal's three-part longevity series - Kimberly and Terry explore the science of purpose and reveal why it's the missing piece that transforms healthy habits from obligations into inspiration.  Discover how purpose shifts the question from "Do I feel like working out?" to "What kind of person do I want to become?"  Learn why people who have something meaningful to live for naturally take better care of themselves, how purpose builds resilience through difficult seasons, and why your best chapters might still be ahead of you. Plus: A powerful three-question challenge that will help you uncover your purpose this week—and one simple action that could change everything. Because a long life isn't measured by the number of years you live. It's measured by the amount of meaning you create along the way. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - @groupxappeal. Questions or topic ideas? Email us @ groupxappeal@gmail.com Get your FREE Guide To Holistic Well-Being here: https://gxaguide.com/ Stay Connected with Kimberly: - @kimberlyspreenglick on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - email: kimberly@theinspiredlifeuniversity.com - website: www.theinspiredlifeuniversity.com Stay Connected with Terry: - @terryshorter on Instagram & Facebook - email: terry@rippedplanet.com - website: www.rippedplanet.com

    103: How Purpose Transforms Healthy Habits Into a Meaningful Life
  5. Aug 17

    102: The Power of Belonging: How Group X Can Expand Your Life

    Here's a paradox that defines our time: we have more ways to communicate than ever before, yet loneliness is at an all-time high. We can text, FaceTime, and message anyone on Earth within seconds. Yet connection - real connection - has never felt scarcer. But what if the answer to living longer and healthier is hiding in plain sight? What if the people you exercise with matter just as much as the exercise itself? What if walking into a fitness class and finding your people could literally add years to your life? In this eye-opening episode of Group X Appeal, Kimberly and Terry explore the research on community as a longevity predictors - it can't be measured on a smartwatch or found in a supplement bottle, yet may be just as - if not more - powerful as strength training or cardiovascular fitness.  Discover why most people quit the gym soon after they start (spoiler: it's not because they forgot exercise is good for them), why strangers in a fitness class can transform into family, and how belonging literally changes brain chemistry and extends lifespan. Learn why real community—built on names, genuine care, and consistent encouragement—is a health intervention, not just a bonus. And discover the simple challenge that could change someone's life this week. Because a healthy, happy life isn't built alone. It's built together. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - @groupxappeal. Questions or topic ideas? Email us @ groupxappeal@gmail.com Get your FREE Guide To Holistic Well-Being here: https://gxaguide.com/ Stay Connected with Kimberly: - @kimberlyspreenglick on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - email: kimberly@theinspiredlifeuniversity.com - website: www.theinspiredlifeuniversity.com Stay Connected with Terry: - @terryshorter on Instagram & Facebook - email: terry@rippedplanet.com - website: www.rippedplanet.com

    102: The Power of Belonging: How Group X Can Expand Your Life
  6. Aug 10

    101: Living Better, Not Just Longer: 5 Predictors of Longevity

    Here's what nobody tells you: living to 90 or 100 has less to do with your genetics than you think. And here's what matters even more - it's not just about living longer, it's about living better. Because what's the point of adding years to your life if you can't actually enjoy them? In this transformative episode of Group X Appeal, Kimberly and Terry reveal the five biggest predictors of healthy aging backed by decades of scientific research. But this isn't a lecture. It's actionable, practical, and proven.  Discover why muscle is one of the strongest longevity markers (and it has nothing to do with looking good), why cardiovascular fitness determines your energy for everything - not just workouts - and why balance is being overlooked despite preventing one of the leading causes of injury in aging. Learn the critical difference between flexibility and mobility, why recovery is when your body actually transforms (not during the workout), and how simple daily habits can dramatically shift your health trajectory. Longevity isn't built in one workout. It's built through thousands of small decisions. And you don't have to be perfect - you just have to keep showing up. **Stay tuned! 2 bonus longevity predictors coming in the next 2 episodes that might surprise you.  Your healthiest years are still ahead of you! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - @groupxappeal. Questions or topic ideas? Email us @ groupxappeal@gmail.com Get your FREE Guide To Holistic Well-Being here: https://gxaguide.com/ Stay Connected with Kimberly: - @kimberlyspreenglick on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - email: kimberly@theinspiredlifeuniversity.com - website: www.theinspiredlifeuniversity.com Stay Connected with Terry: - @terryshorter on Instagram & Facebook - email: terry@rippedplanet.com - website: www.rippedplanet.com

    101: Living Better, Not Just Longer: 5 Predictors of Longevity
  7. Aug 3

    100: A Love Letter To Group X: 7 Inspiring Stories You Don’t Want to Miss!

    What started as a hope for "a few meaningful conversations" has become 100 episodes of laughter, learning, challenge, and inspiration.  In this milestone celebration (episode 100!🥳) - of Group X Appeal, Kimberly and Terry share real stories from real people who's lives have been transformed by Group X - you'll hear why they fell in love with group fitness, what unexpected lessons a fitness class taught them about life, how group fitness inspired them, and which instructors made the greatest impact. From beginners stepping through the doors for the first time to comeback stories to the accomplishment of going from participant to instructor, this episode is a love letter to what happens when people come together as a community and move together.  These are real people sharing real transformation. And their stories bring to life how group fitness class becomes so much more than a workout. If you've ever wondered why group fitness matters, if you've felt the magic of this community, or if you're on the fence about trying a class, this episode will remind you: Group X isn't just about movement. It's about belonging. Welcome to episode 100. This one's for you. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - @groupxappeal. Questions or topic ideas? Email us @ groupxappeal@gmail.com Get your FREE Guide To Holistic Well-Being here: https://gxaguide.com/ Stay Connected with Kimberly: - @kimberlyspreenglick on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - email: kimberly@theinspiredlifeuniversity.com - website: www.theinspiredlifeuniversity.com Stay Connected with Terry: - @terryshorter on Instagram & Facebook - email: terry@rippedplanet.com - website: www.rippedplanet.com

    100: A Love Letter To Group X: 7 Inspiring Stories You Don’t Want to Miss!
5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Group X Appeal is the ultimate podcast for group exercise instructors, yoga teachers, and enthusiasts who love moving and getting healthier as a group! Hosted by industry veterans Kimberly Spreen-Glick and Terry Shorter (50+ years combined experience), this podcast celebrates the transformative power of group exercise and the people who make it unforgettable.From behind-the-scenes instructor stories and industry legend interviews to practical tips and hilarious class mishaps, Group X Appeal is your weekly dose of inspiration, education, and real talk about fitness, community, and vitality. New episodes every Monday. Subscribe now and rise with us! Connect: @GroupXAppeal | groupxappeal@gmail.com

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