This is what a great
community looks like.
We went out and asked hundreds of instructors what actually matters to them — what makes teaching feel worth it, and what makes it harder than it needs to be. What came back was honest, energising, and a little humbling. Here's what we heard.
instructors don't feel fairly compensated for the work they put in.
Pay is still the biggest challenge instructors face globally. Research from EMD UK found many instructors haven't had a pay rise in over a decade. When you factor in inflation, that's a real-terms pay cut.
What instructors earn
per class.
We asked instructors what they actually earn. The most common bracket is highlighted.
What that class
actually pays.
Before you even step in front of a class, you've already spent time you won't get paid for. Here's a conservative breakdown — not including travel time, which adds even more unpaid hours.
"it's awful. i've been teaching 20 years in the US. pay is no better now, i made 15 for an hour class when i started and now make 20. 20 years later. with inflation i'm making substantially less than when i started. group fitness is not compensated at all."
"Pay isn't rising in line with inflation. Some instructors claim their pay rates have not changed in the last decade or more - that's equivalent to a pay cut by stealth due to increased costs of both living and delivering (e.g content, music, clothing, insurance etc.)"
The Structural Problem
The problem isn't gyms.
It's the model.
Many gyms spend a significant portion of their group fitness budget on licence fees. That's money that never reaches the instructor. Most gyms aren't choosing to underpay their instructors — the economics of traditional licensing make it structurally difficult to do anything else.
See how one gym increased instructor pay after switching →What SH1FT Does About It
We cut your prep time
to almost zero.
One low, all-inclusive subscription covers every format, every release, every resource — no licence fees, no recertification costs, and free cross-certification for experienced instructors through SkillSync. Less money out. Less unpaid time. More time actually teaching.
Find out more →
Instructors want to innovate with new classes.
But cost and time are huge barriers.
From our survey of hundreds of active instructors — across every format, every background, every kind of gym.
SkillSync is our cross-certification programme — it lets experienced instructors qualify into SH1FT formats using the certifications they already hold, completely free. If you've trained in Les Mills, Zumba, or most other major formats, you're already most of the way there.
Every single instructor we surveyed holds at least one relevant certification. Which means right now, today, they could qualify to teach SH1FT formats at no cost. The problem is they just didn't know about it.
Find out if you qualify →When the barriers come down, this is what happens.
Our ethos — from day one
We empower instructors.
Full stop.
We don't make content for people working out at home. We don't have a consumer app. We don't chase followers. Every single thing we build is for the person standing in front of a class.
When an instructor is genuinely supported — with programming they trust, resources that actually help, and tools that don't get in the way — everything flows from there. Better classes. Members who keep coming back. A community that grows around them.
Not fame. Not reach. Not virality. Better instructors. Better classes. Better outcomes for real people in real gyms. That's the whole point.
Everything you need.
Nothing you don't.
Your time is precious — we get that. Everything here is designed to get you in front of your class feeling prepared and confident, without spending your evening on it. Four resources. Every release. All built around how you actually teach.
Masterclass
A full length workout showing how our master trainers teach this format to a class. Technique, motivation, and the coaching cues that make the difference.
Education Video
The 'why' behind the workout. Deep dive into the science, the thoughtful programming and the key things you need to know. Fast, informative and on the pulse.
Overview Video
Your fastest path from new release to class-ready. In less than five minutes, you'll get a run through of every move. Watch it once, know your class. No memorising. No stress.
In-Class App Timer
Run your class entirely from your phone. Every cue, every interval, every transition — so your attention stays on your members, not your notes.
"We started SH1FT to create a platform that helps instructors help more people. Pay has been stagnant for years — we decided to actually do something about it. We've created a subscription built to make it simple to teach more classes, anywhere. We're happy to let others chase the consumer whilst we're laser-focused on empowering the instructors who reach them every week."
Always improving.
Always for you.
Hybrid Training
for Instructors
Hyrox is everywhere right now — and your members know it. We want every SH1FT instructor to be able to ride that wave. So for the first time, we're releasing C1RCUIT directly to individual instructors. No gym licence. No gatekeepers. Just you, your class, and a hybrid training format built for the moment we're all living through.
Instructor-Focused
Resources
Every release now comes with a full suite of resources built entirely around you: a masterclass, an education piece, an overview video, and in-app cues. Not for the at-home market. Not for social media. For the person teaching the class. Every single element is designed to help you show up prepared, confident, and ready to deliver.
SkillSync &
PRO Subscription
Your existing qualifications already get you through the door — for free, via SkillSync. And once you're in, everything is included. Every format, every release, every resource, one low monthly subscription. No licensing walls. No nonsense.
Ready to teach with SH1FT?
More teaching. Less prep. A community of instructors who actually love what they do.
Get started →