🤖 We're here to help you get online

Current world conditions are making it hard for instructors, studios and gyms to do what they do best - helping people to live healthy, active lives.

But our sector doesn't go down without a fight! 💪

With gyms, leisure centres and community venues shut, the digital world has opened up a new way to consume exercise. Organisations, big and small, are making their way online by the barrel-full to offer workouts.

The aim of this guide is to help activity providers of all shapes and sizes take their expertise online. Whether that's yoga, bootcamp, pilates, dance fitness or whatever else, you can easily take advantage of this. You may have worked hard to build a loyal following and strong relationships with your members, which is something you should work to protect, and even strengthen.

It doesn't take long to get your classes online, however, there are a few things to think through, which will be covered in the various sections of this guide.

If you just want to get going quickly, check out our lightning ⚡️quick steps:

👨‍💻 Who are we?

We are imin and we believe a different way of sharing data in our sector can get people more physically active.

We support a number of local authorities, health bodies, sports bodies and activity providers to tap into the power of open data to reach new audiences and get more people into physical activity.

But mainly, we really want to do all we can to help everyone in this time of need. We wrote this guide for our partners to support their communities (e.g. local authorities supporting local activity providers to start live streaming their exercise classes), but realised the research we were doing would be useful for everyone, right now - so we're publishing it for free here for everyone and anyone to use. We've scanned the best how-to's and information we can find on the web, worked with leading industry authorities (including EMD UK, the the national governing body for group exercise), spoken directly to instructors and participants, and produced the most helpful guide we could.

It's not going to be perfect, so please tell us how we can improve it and we'll be happy to do so. If you've got any specific questions, please email us at hello@imin.co - we're always happy to help.

🤝 Please use and re-use this guide!

This entire guide is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. If your organisation would find this guide useful, please use it in whatever way you want. All you need is to make sure you attribute the source material - ask us if you're not sure how to do so.

If you want to talk to us about using this guide in any other way, we'd be happy to discuss and we're very open to re-use! Please get in touch at hello@imin.co.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For the sense of community and familiarity

There has been such a drastic change in people's lives recently that a sense of community is so important right now, so it may not be all about the exercise. A lot of people will just be craving social interaction at the moment. By joining a live stream class, participants will feel a part of something bigger.

What's more, for isolated people to be able to see an instructor with whom they are familiar, and even the friends they usually see in a class, is hugely important right now. As an instructor, your value right now cannot be overemphasised! You are essential for people’s health and wellness at this time of national emergency. But this is also an opportunity to encourage new people to get involved...

📈 For the opportunity to engage more people and hone your skills

There has never been a better time to be a fitness professional confined to your home. There are so many digital tools and solutions that will help you easily make the transition to online classes. So think of this as a great opportunity to engage with new people - people who might never have attended one of your in-person classes.

It’s not very often that we get such an incredible opportunity to improve our offering so drastically. This is a chance for you to step out of your comfort zone (if you're new to this), hone your coaching skills and think about becoming a better instructor. Once things return to normal and we go back to our normal routines, your experience of delivering live stream classes online might well benefit your business in the long term. Who knows, you might like to continue with your online classes to serve those people who cannot attend in person.

👏 For sheer enjoyment and the routine

Why do people choose live stream rather than on-demand classes? According to some research by Facebook, on average people spend upwards of 3x more time watching a Facebook Live video compared to a video that is no longer live. Why? Because Facebook Live videos are more interesting in the moment than after the fact.

Live streamed classes also provide a sense of routine for them: it is a reason for them to get up at 7:50am for the 8am Pilates class; it forces them to step away from their emails for 45 minutes of HIIT over lunch; it is an hour of yoga that they can look forward to after the home-schooled kids are in bed. People need a routine during this difficult time.

👂 You'll give and get feedback

What's more, depending on your choice of live stream solution, this is a two-way relationship. People will watch you, but you can interact with them as they workout in your class. You can still provide advice, tips and the words of encouragement that people still crave. You motivate them.

And finally, let's not forget, this is a challenging time for you as an instructor. Many changes and a need to adapt. You will get immediate feedback from the people in your live stream class - we guarantee you that the huge round of applause from oodles of houses at the end of a workout will inspire you into your next class. They motivate you.

🕵️‍♂️ Check your existing booking system

First things first - your existing booking system might already have an easy way for you to deliver live streamed exercise - many now have pre-built integrations with live streaming platforms. If this is the case, that's probably the best (and quickest) way for you to get your classes online, so check with your booking system first.

If you don't use a booking system, then it might be worth quickly checking out this section to see if it makes sense for you to start using one:

🎬 Select a live stream solution that works for you

There are a few options to choose from and it’s important to make sure you are comfortable with whichever solution you use. The happier and more relaxed you are, the more this will reassure your online participants.

Here's an overview of the main options, with further detail available in this section. Each option is fairly simple to set up and use, so take a look and pick the one that works best for you.

📝 What you will need (at a minimum)

• A smart device (e.g. your phone, tablet, etc.) or laptop with a camera and Wi-Fi connection (we recommend a laptop as you will be able to see the participants more easily for interactive sessions);

• Access to power (you probably want the device plugged into the charger to avoid catastrophic low power situations!);

• A decent internet connection (a download speed of no less than 1.5 Mbps is recommended, but the faster the better!);

• A place to setup your device (ideally a tripod or stand, but not essential - a chair or stack of books might do the trick if stable);

• A hazard-free area in which to work out; and

• Your normal workout equipment to deliver the class.

🤹‍♀️ You'll need to play around to get things perfect for you

Other things to consider are:

• Camera: can you see the participants clearly? Will they be able to see (all of) you? Is your the device at a good height and suitable distance from you? Have you tested at different times of the day (e.g. does the sun cause a glare in the morning in a certain position)? Is your background clear of clutter to avoid distracting your participants?

• Improving standard equipment: you might want to supplement your laptop/smart device with a separate HD webcam, microphone and/or studio lights to create the best experience for participants.

• Audio: can they hear you? Can you hear them? If there's music, can they hear that well? Is it better for you to wear wireless headphones so your voice is clear?

• Multiple Devices: especially for interactive sessions using Zoom, some instructors prefer to set up two devices - one close to them, so they can see participants (e.g. their laptops or tablets - bigger screen), and one device setup further away to be the main camera for broadcasting the live stream (e.g. the main camera on your phone - not the selfie camera as it is less high quality than the rear-facing camera!). Both devices are plugged into the same live stream session by simply using the same "meeting" URL (see the Using Zoom section for more details). This avoids you having to go back and forth to the main camera to check if Keith is doing his downward dog properly. This way, you can see Keith on the device nearest to you with a quick glance, without disrupting the class to walk over to where the camera is. No excuses, Keith!

👩‍🔬 Test, test and....TEST

You'll see this repeated a few times in this guide (because it's an important point!):

📲 What else will I need?

You'll also need to choose a platform to live stream your classes - there are a number on offer, so we've reviewed the main ones for you to consider in the next section:

If you want to take online bookings or payments for your live stream classes and you don't already use a booking system, then you might want to set one up. There are also ways to help get further visibility for your live streamed classes. Check out our guide here:

You will also need insurance to cover you for the classes you will be delivering:

You will need to check that you have the requisite licences when playing music during your live streamed classes:

Getting the right equipment and platforms in place is going to set you well to deliver high quality, engaging classes. It will not only make you feel more confident delivering a live streamed class, but it will also boost the experience for your participants! 🤩

The sections to think through are:

🏇 The Quick Guide to Live Streaming

1. . If you want to run an interactive session, . Otherwise you can use , or .

2. This will allow your class to be published, for free, across many, many platforms that will promote your class to their millions of users.

3. Check you have adequate insurance cover to teach online, as well as the correct music licencing if you use music. It is advised you contact your insurance provider to check if you are covered to deliver online classes. EMD UK has a very helpful to help with this.

4. Run an awesome session like only you know how! 💪

💷 Does it cost anything?

No. As long as you have laptop / smartphone, Internet access and a Facebook account (free to set up), you can start streaming your class on Facebook!

🙆‍♀️ What's it like for participants?

You'll need to tell participants to be logged-in to Facebook and on your Facebook Page / Group at the time you intend to start streaming.

Participants will be able to post comments and share reactions, but you won't be able to see the participants themselves, which means you can't offer any direct motivation ("Great work, Priyanka! Get those legs higher, Donald!") or help correct on form or technique.

Some instructors also find it a bit tricky as there's no direct feedback from the class, which can feel a little off-putting as you're not sure if what you're doing is landing.

🎲 How do I get started with Facebook Live?

It's very simple - essentially, when you're ready to start streaming, sign into Facebook, select the Create Post option, click on the three dots, and select Live Video. This will open the Live Video Producer settings page - tweak the settings so it works best for you. When you're done and you're ready to start streaming, hit Go Live! 😼

In the Live Video Producer page, you'll see options of where to post. Depending on what you're aiming for, you probably want to post to a Group or Page that you manage. That way, when you're telling participants about the class beforehand, all you need to do is send them the URL for the Group or Page, and what time you'll be streaming.

There is an option to stream classes from Zoom directly to Facebook Live (best of both worlds!), but we only recommend you attempt this if you are confident with both Zoom, Facebook and tinkering around with platforms like this. 🤖

🎯 Tips for using Facebook Live

• If you're using Facebook Live, you might as well use Facebook for all of it's benefits - make sure you're posting regularly and making people aware of your upcoming classes.

• If you want more engagement, answer the questions that people are sending in via the comments. Participants will realise you are doing this, they'll be more inclined to post (which in turn raises your profile within Facebook to other potential new participants). You can also acknowledge viewers as they join your broadcast, making your class more personal.

You can also use Facebook's own help pages if you run into difficulties:

💷 Does it cost anything?

Maybe - it depends on what you need. There is a free plan which allows you to stream for up to 40 minutes - great for 30 min classes, not so good for anything longer. Think about how this might impact your class structure - you will want to get in the virtual class a few minutes early to greet people and hang around at the end in case people have any questions. The basic plan also does not allow you to record your classes.

The next package available is £11.99 per month, which has 24 hours maximum class duration rather than 40 minutes - which should remove any issues around class duration. Plenty of time to sweat! 😅

All plans allow up to 100 participants as a minimum, so for most classes that's plenty, especially if you're aiming to be interactive - it's hard to keep it personal when there are 100 moving bodies! 😵

If you want more than 100+ (people might be queuing out of the virtual door to attend your class!), check out the various packages and sign up at:

🙆‍♂️ What's it like for participants?

In most cases, participants will receive a URL (web link) and all they have to do is click on that link and it will open the Zoom "Meeting". If participants join from a laptop, they can either join via their browser (no downloads required, so quick and easy) or download Zoom for desktop; if joining from mobile they'll need to download the Zoom app.

Either way, participants won't need to create their own Zoom account so most people will be able to easily join your class with the link you've provided. That said, if you're restricting access to specific people only, then participants will need to create a Zoom account with the same email address that you have for them (e.g. the email address they used to book the class) so you can add their email address to the list of approved attendees in Zoom.

One of the great benefits of Zoom over other platforms, e.g. Instagram, is that you’ll be able to see your participants - this can be done in a grid view to see multiple participants on one screen. Perfect for providing feedback!

🎲 How do I get started with Zoom?

• Sign up and choose your plan.

• In your Zoom account, under "Profile", you'll find your Personal Meeting ID. You have three options for how to invite participants to your class (these are instructions for using Zoom on your laptop, but it's similar for the app):

  1. Re-use this Personal Meeting ID as the main link for all of your participants to use for all your classes. This is a good approach if you have only a few classes that aren't back to back, and you aren't worried about the link being shared widely (i.e. your classes are free to attend).

  2. Another option is to create a new URL for each class ahead of time. To do this, click on "Schedule A Meeting" in the top right of the screen and fill in the required fields. At the "Meeting ID" step, select the Generate Automatically option, so that Zoom knows to create a new URL for this class. You could also password protect the class so that only those with both the URL link and password can access the class - double safe! 🔒. Once you've filled out the options and hit Save, on the next page under Invite Attendees you'll see the URL for this specific class that you can distribute to participants.

  3. The last option is to create a new "meeting" for the class just before the class starts. If you're confident about doing this 10 minutes before the class and can send out the URL to all participants, then it's a slightly simpler than option 2 above (although more risky if something goes wrong, as you won't have much time to figure it out before the scheduled class start time!). For this option, just click "Host A Meeting" (in the top right again), select "With Video On", and a Zoom meeting will launch.

• Once you've done one of the options above, share the link (and password if you've set one) with your participants (see "Getting your classes out there").

• When it's time for you to run the class, head to Zoom, and find and launch the right Meeting. If doing this from your desktop, if will probably ask you to download or launch Zoom for desktop. We recommend you do that for the best experience, but you can also run Zoom from your browser (Chrome, Internet Explorer, etc.) - you'll see this option ("If you cannot download or run the application, start from your browser.") pop-up somewhere on the screen, so just hit it and away you go! 🐎

• Select "Join Audio By Computer" - this tells Zoom to use your inbuilt laptop microphone and speakers (or any headphones / speakers you have connected to the laptop). Make sure your video is turned on and microphone is unmuted, using the options at the bottom of the page. If you went for option 3 in the list above, then click "Invite" at the bottom of the screen and you can copy the meeting URL to send out to participants.

• You can also hit "record" (if using the Pro plan or above) if you want to capture the class for others to watch later at their leisure.

• And most importantly:

Tips for using Zoom

• Don't get caught out by the default Zoom settings, which put things in US timezone - you can change this in the Zoom settings page.

• Under the Basic (free) or Pro plan, the host (you) can only have one Zoom meeting launched at any one time. So make sure you either space out your classes so you can launch each new Zoom meeting at the right time without overlap, or know that participants for the next class might be joining at the end of the previous class.

• If someone joins your class and you don't want them in your session for whatever reason, you can give them the boot 🥾 by removing them in the "Participants" section of the Zoom meeting, which also prevents them from entering again until you re-start the meeting.

💷 Does it cost anything?

No - it's free to use. You need a YouTube channel, laptop / smartphone to stream from, then you're good to go.

To broadcast from a mobile, you'll need to have at least 1,000 subscribers, but you can stream from a webcam (i.e. your laptop) without restrictions. You might also have to wait a little while (24 hours) when you first try to broadcast for your account to be verified by YouTube, so it's worth getting ready well ahead of time.

🙆‍♀️ What's it like for participants?

Like with Facebook Live, participants just need to have your YouTube channel up when you start your public live stream (or access the specific link you've sent them if you've set up a private live stream for your class).

We've all seen YouTube videos, so you can imagine how it looks from the participant's point of view! 😃

Apart from comments, this is a non-interactive option - you cannot see the attendees, only they can see you, so it's good for mass audiences where you're not looking to give direct feedback or motivation to individual participants.

🎲 How do I get started with YouTube Live?

It's very simple.

• Log in to YouTube (or create an account). Click the video camera icon (in the top right if you're on a laptop or the YouTube app), and in the drop down menu select Go Live.

• Go through the account verification steps if you need to - this may take up to 24 hours to come through.

• On the next page, you can add details about the class you're going to stream, including the Visibility settings - public (anyone can find and watch), unlisted (only those with the link will be able to find and watch) and private (you can select specific people, via email address, to access the video - up to a limit of 50 people).

• You can also select a time to stream the class, which is a good way to get everything set up (generate the URL, etc.) ahead of time, so you can communicate this to participants.

• Send the YouTube link out to your participants, either ahead of time for a public URL or send the unlisted URL just before the class if you only want those who have booked / registered to be able to watch your class.

🎯 Tips for using YouTube Live

• YouTube is very strict with copyright regulations, so be careful if you're using any music during the class. YouTube has its own library of audio content you can use if you're not sure.

So you're on the road to live streaming your classes to help people stay active whilst at home. You've taken a proactive approach to get the nation healthy and to continue delivering your classes in the face of difficulties. You're awesome!

Apart from choosing a live streaming solution, you should be thinking about:

💷 Does it cost anything?

Nope! As long as you have an Instagram account and a smartphone to stream from, you can get going with Instagram Live.

🙆‍♂️ What's it like for participants?

You'll need to tell participants to be on your profile in the Instragram app or website at the time you want to start streaming.

Participants will be able to post comments, but you won't be able to see them so you can't offer any direct motivation ("Hold for two more seconds, Svetlana!"), nor help correct on form or technique.

Some instructors also find it a bit tricky as there's no direct feedback from the class, which can feel a little off-putting as you're not sure if what you're doing is landing.

🎲 How do I get started with Instagram Live?

Simple: sign into Instagram (or create an account) and from within the Instagram app, click on the camera icon in the top left of the feed, or just swipe right when you're looking at the feed.

At the bottom, if you scroll down, you'll see Live and you can tap the "broadcast" icon. You're now live streaming! 😎

Tell your participants what time you'll be live streaming on Instagram, and your Instagram handle name so they can find your profile.

🎯 Tips for using Instagram Live

• Don't forget to save your video once you're done, to re-use elsewhere. You can also share it to your Instagram profile for others to watch later.

• You can turn comments off if you think they'll be a distraction during the class.

If you're having any issues getting started with Instagram Live, try here:

Whichever live streaming solution you use, and whether or not you use a class management/booking system, you will definitely want to maximise the number of people finding out about your classes.

This is perhaps more important than ever, because an increasing number of people are searching online for classes that are suitable for them, so you need to give your classes as much visibility as possible.

🥁 Introducing OpenActive

is here to support you to reach a wider audience. OpenActive is a Government-funded initiative designed to make it far easier for you to work with multiple partners to promote your classes to as many people as possible.

Examples of the platforms that want to promote your classes are: , , Sport England, Ordnance Survey, and many more. Cumulatively, they have a reach of millions of users every month, and they want to put your classes in front of those users. In most cases, your classes are promoted for free and without any extra effort from you once you're setup.

🤩 Sounds great! How do I make it happen?

The straightforward answer is that you need to do two things:

1. Use a class management/booking system to manage your classes; and

2. Ensure the system you use is "OpenActive enabled".

Find out more about and in the next section of this guide.

🤔 I already work with MoveGB, ClassPass or something similar. How is this different?

Great question! 🤓 OpenActive is an enabler of these types of platforms. Instead of having to upload your class timetable information and keep it up to date in every fitness marketplace platform, you should be able to share that information directly from your existing booking system - minimal effort, maximum reward.

Some class management/booking systems (e.g. MindBody) have direct integrations with fitness marketplaces (e.g. ClassPass), so your timetables are shared directly. However, if you wanted to switch to using a new system or work seamlessly with multiple fitness marketplaces, you would only be able to make use of the marketplaces that your system has integrations with.

‌OpenActive standardises the way fitness marketplaces and class management/booking systems integrate with each other. This makes it easier for your chosen booking system to integrate with multiple fitness marketplaces, so you can access all of them without any additional effort.

👩‍🏫 Is a class management or booking system right for you?

‌If you already use a system or are looking to start using one, continue reading for more information and helpful pointers.

✅ You already use a class management or booking system...

Excellent! In order to reap the full rewards and increase the visibility of your classes, you need to check if your chosen system is "OpenActive enabled":

• If your system is OpenActive enabled, great! You're in the perfect position to advertise your virtual classes far and wide!

• If your system is not OpenActive enabled, then you can either:

  • Use one of the systems on offer in addition to your current system (although this is not recommended as maintaining information in both places doubles your effort); or

  • Replace your existing system and use one of the OpenActive enabled systems on offer as your new class management/booking system.

• If you are not sure if your existing system is OpenActive enabled or if it is not on the list of systems on offer, we highly recommend that you ask them to do the necessary work to become OpenActive enabled. It should not take them long. Alternatively, please do email hello@openactive.io with information about your system so the team at OpenActive can help make this a reality.

💭 You don't use a class management or booking system yet, but want to...

Don't panic! That's an excellent position to be in.

There are class management/booking systems of all shapes and sizes out there for you to choose from. The following section lists some of the systems on offer that you can choose from. Pick one and you're off!

Welcome to Open Sessions

Open Sessions is a platform that enables sport and activity session providers to post their sessions to multiple activity finders (such as Change4Life, Get Active, and more). Making it easy to put your activities in front of thousands of potential local customers.

Open Sessions is free to use and you can promote sessions that take place online or at a local venue.

Who is Open Sessions designed for?

Most of our users are small to medium organisations or independent instructors who don’t have their own online booking system.

For example, community groups offering tai chi or seated exercise classes in local community centres; local authority run walking for health programmes or independent instructors offering low cost fitness or sports sessions.

What features sets Open Sessions apart from the competition?

We know that many organisations and individuals can’t afford a fee for publishing their sessions, and that they might not need complicated functionality to manage their sessions or take payment.

So, Open Sessions is focused on making it easy for you to publish your session details so that they appear on local and national activity finders.

It’s basically a free and simple way to get started with publishing your activity sessions online.

What is the sign-up process?

1. Register and tell us about the sessions you run.

2. We publish your sessions on the web’s biggest activity finders.

3. 1,000s more people can search for and book your sessions.

Anything else worth knowing about Open Sessions?

Open Sessions is run by London Sport. We’ve been heavily involved in the OpenActive movement since its inception. We also run the free activity finder website www.getactive.io.

Open Sessions works anywhere. So whether you are in Lambeth or Loughborough, you can use it today to start promoting your sessions.

How does an instructor enable OpenActive within Open Sessions?

All sessions uploaded via Open Sessions are automatically published in the correct OpenActive format.

No need to enable anything, just create a session and click publish.

Can an instructor easily add live streaming to Open Sessions?

When adding a session, go to the location tab and select “Online Class”. You’ll be prompted to enter the url for the live online class.

So, you've set up your streaming solution, and made the smart decision to use a class management/booking system to manage your live streamed classes and increase their visibility. Now you need to provide the participants with clear instructions about how to access your classes, which can feature in your class description:

• Tell them what platform you're using to live stream (e.g. Zoom, Facebook Live, etc).

• Tell them how they can access the class (e.g. you'll send them a link via email 10 minutes before the class, they'll get the live stream link in their confirmation email, etc).

• Tell them how ready their technology for the class (e.g. download the Zoom app in advance, make sure you can log in to your Facebook account, etc). This could also include making sure they have a fully charged phone/laptop, have a safe space to workout, what equipment they'll need.

• Tell them if there are any expectations on them (e.g. do you expect everyone to keep their own camera on so you can provide feedback or do you not mind?).

• Tell them what time they can access the class from/until and if you'll be available before or after the class to answer questions or just to chat (it's important at times like this to make real connections!). Alternatively, make it clear if you don't want participants to join before the start time of the class - important if you've got back to back classes using the same live stream!

Welcome to Bookwhen

Whatever you organise, we make booking simple. We're the flexible online booking system for Classes, Courses, Workshops, Events and more.

Our simple schedule page makes it easy for your attendees to book onto an event with no pre-registration necessary. Features include waiting list, 'basket' system for booking, custom booking form, online payments, attachments, discount options, support for online events and in-app support.

Our paid plans start from £9/month and we also have a free plan which allows up to 50 bookings per month.

Who is Bookwhen designed for?

Fitness & Sports, Yoga & Pilates, Children’s Activities, Training & Learning, Activities & Experiences, Arts & Crafts, Photography and Wellness.

We generally support smaller providers and our mission is centred about helping small businesses grow. But bigger clients across the board include: Amazon, University of Oxford, NHS, Scouts, Uber and Zumba.

What features sets Bookwhen apart from the competition?

• Recurring events and classes

• Multi date, multi attendee booking

• Class passes and block booking discounts

• Zoom integration

• Customisable booking forms

• Child attendee and GDPR safeguarding in booking process

• Easy to embed in any website

• Franchise feature for taking commission payments

• Secure event page to embed on demand video content

• Available in 8 other languages - French, Spanish, German, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, Italian and Hungarian

• API

What is the sign-up process?

Providers can sign up for a 2 week free trial with just an email address. Setup can take as little as 10 minutes, and we have live chat support on hand to help. Check out our demo video here.

How does an instructor enable OpenActive within Bookwhen?

Enabling OpenActive is easy, and you can choose specifically which of your classes you’d like to appear in the feed. Here is a link to our help article.

Can an instructor easily add live streaming to Bookwhen?

There are three methods for adding live streaming to your Bookwhen events:

• Zoom integration. This automatically creates a specific Zoom meeting link for each of your events and sends this to attendees. The information is secure, so only booked attendees can access.

• Jitsi integration. This automatically creates a specific Jitsi meeting link for each of your events and sends this to attendees. The information is secure, so only booked attendees can access.

• Add specific joining link to any event. If you don’t want to use an integration, or you’re using a different platform to Zoom or Jitsi, you can manually add a joining link to individual events in your schedule. Bookwhen will automatically send the information to attendees. Again, this information is secure, so only booked attendees can access.

You can read more in our help centre here.

🤝 Class management/booking systems and what they offer

📽 Class management/booking systems and your streaming solution

Some class management/booking systems leave the choice of live streaming solution to you - in which case you can use the previous section on choosing a live streaming solution to select the one that will work best for you.

When you have the live stream URL for the class (e.g. Zoom Meeting URL, YouTube Live URL, etc.), you can add it into the appropriate place/relevant field in your chosen system or send it in an email to those booked on before the class.

If it isn't obvious how to use live streaming solutions with your current system, send us a note at hello@imin.co and we'd be happy to help.

Welcome to Participant

Participant is a secure online booking system which caters to the needs of event organisers and participants. Payments are integrated into the platform saving you the expense and hassle of setting up a separate agreement with a third party payment provider. We collect the payments on your behalf and transfers the funds on a weekly basis into your bank account. New events take minutes to set up and participants simply click on a link to book and pay. We offer a standard solution which has no fixed monthly costs as well as a more feature rich version which comes with a whole suite of additionally functionality.

Who is Participant designed for?

As Participant is very scalable it is used by numerous large organisations (such as the Football Association, Premier League football clubs and Great Ormond Street Hospital) as well as hundreds of smaller providers that offer after school clubs, holiday camps, weekly classes and training courses across the country.

What features sets Participant apart from the competition?

• Integrated payments so no need for third party payment provider

• Weekly pay outs with detailed payment settlement report

• Budgets codes to significantly simplify the accounting process

• User profile functionality enables customers to view all their bookings and payments

• Receive donations

• Enable webinar and online course delivery solutions for remote events

What is the sign-up process?

Getting started takes just minutes:

1. Set up an account in minutes

2. Set up your first event

3. Take bookings and payment

A simple user guide is available and we’re always available to help you get started.

How does an instructor enable OpenActive within Participant?

When setting up your event on Participant you will follow the 5 steps within the red bar:

Once on "Publish Options" at the bottom of the page, you will need to tick the ‘Allow event to display for OpenActive' check box, select the activity type and tick the relevant Attendance mode:

Once done click "Save" and your event will be ready to start taking bookings.

Can an instructor easily add live streaming to Participant?

Yes, the relevant link would be included in the confirmation email along with relevant instructions how to access the class, what equipment is required, etc.

Welcome to Playwaze

Playwaze is offering a free ‘Netflix-style’ live and on demand activity finder for those who want to:

1. Promote your activities and content in a widget on your website

2. Enable anyone to find and access your activities and content from your website

3. Provide free access or take bookings and/or payments to access your activities

4. Manage your activities and content in one place but promote them in many, for free (e.g. on your website, your social media channels, other high profile activity finders)

   Great for:

5. Keeping anyone and everyone active at home

6. Bringing people together online

7. Helping combat isolation

Who is Playwaze designed for?

Playwaze is suitable for anyone who wants to promote and/or deliver live and on demand activities.This starts from a single coach or instructor to large organisations. We already work with:

1. Coaches, Personal Trainers and Instructors

2. Clubs, Charities and Community Organisations

3. Universities and Regional Activity/League Providers

4. Fitness Studios, Gyms, and Local and County Councils

5. National Governing Bodies and Active Partnerships

What features sets Playwaze apart from the competition?

Playwaze is the only provider who can provide you with a FREE custom branded ‘Netflix-style’ activity finder at speed, and/or allow you to manage your activities and content real-time, and make these free or take bookings and/or payments. In summary, we are offering:

1. A free live and on demand activity finder, on your website in 2 working days

2. Free use of our activity tool for you or your partners to manage your activities and content

3. Ability to make activities and content free, or take bookings and/or payments

What is the sign-up process?

To get started with Playwaze, follow these 3 simple steps:

3. BEGIN ADDING YOUR ACTIVITIES AND CONTENT: once you’re registered, just start adding your live and on demand activities!

Anything else worth knowing about Playwaze?

There are no catches, no if’s and no buts. Playwaze is offering a free way for you to promote, manage and provide anyone with easy access to your activities and content while we wait for the current circumstances we are all to begin to subside.

How does an instructor enable OpenActive within Playwaze?

It’s a simple tick of a box to display your activities and content on your website, and on all other public activity finders.

Once you are setup and start adding your activities and classes, you simply have two options you can select (you can use one or both):

1. I would like this activity to be listed on my activity finder, embedded on my website.

2. I would like this activity to be published and promoted on all public activity finders.

Can an instructor easily add live streaming to Playwaze?

Playwaze doesn’t host your live streams or on demand content directly; there’s no need to when there’s lots of great systems out there for that already. When you add your activities and content, all you do is provide us with a link to where you are delivering your activity or hosting your video, and we will send the person who wants to access it straight there (unless they need to book on or pay)!

This means you can use any great live streaming tool like Facebook Live, Instragram Live, Zoom or any other, and upload your on demand content to YouTube, Facebook or Vimeo!

🔑 Preparation is key

You might be used to live streaming your classes already. You might be new to it. Either way, consider having a list of exercises to hand so you can seamlessly move from one to the next. This can be out of view of the camera so it looks natural.

🤐 Think carefully about the meeting settings

You can set it up so that participants' microphones are muted as they enter the class, and that you're always the main speaker (i.e. otherwise Zoom will jump to participants' cameras if they make a noise). This is a good idea in general, but especially if people are joining late and might disturb the class whilst they figure out their muting settings.

🌟 Practice makes perfect

Do try a practice class before the real thing. Ask some colleagues, family members or even some of your trusted regulars to join a practice live stream and observe you. Get them to provide critical feedback on things like the position of the camera, the lighting, how loudly you’re speaking, how much you're talking, etc.

🔙 Back to basics

Body-weight training (or calisthenics) may now become more of a prominent feature of your live streaming workouts in the absence of standard gym equipment. You shouldn’t be afraid to go back to the basics with the classics: push-ups, squats, lunges and dips. This offers a great opportunity to focus on the mechanics of different exercises, helping people achieve good form.

🎱 Make use of cues

As people are not in the same room as you, be prepared to explain different movements and exercises. These explanations may take the form of external or internal cues:

• An external cue: direct people's attention toward the effect of their movement while executing an exercise, e.g. “push through the floor” when doing a push up or "bouncing on hot coals" when doing high knees.

• An internal cue: direct people's attention toward their body and the movement process, e.g. “push through your heels” when doing a squat or "stay on the balls of your feet" when running on the spot.

😩 Pobody's nerfect

The whole situation feels different, but it's also incredibly similar - people still want to exercise in a group environment, you still have to offer positive feedback, give encouragement, and provide a feeling of community during your classes. The only difference is that it's now online! Be prepared to make mistakes and know that you'll grow from the experience.

🔐 Don't forget to provide access to your class

Be sure to provide people with the link (and password if necessary) to your online class. And don't leave it too late before doing so - you don't want people rushing to get into the class and turning up flustered! See the instructions to give to participants section above.

👩‍🎓 Qualifications

✍️ Insurance cover

You will also need to take all the same health and safety aspects into consideration, just as you would when running a regular class, including:

🦺 Space risk assessment

Provide common sense guidelines to participants about the space (size and type, ceiling height, floor, etc.) they should use to exercise, the clothes they should wear and general hazards to watch out for. Be sure to also carry out a risk assessment on your own exercise space as normal.

Whilst bodyweight exercises are perfect in the absence of equipment, we understand that sometimes it is necessary, e.g. a chair for chair based exercises. If you will be asking participants to use equipment (see 👟 Put yourself in their exercise shoes), be very clear that they must ensure it is in good condition and safe to use.

👧 Safeguarding procedures for virtual classes

At this time, you may need to apply some of your existing guidance and procedures to the classes hosted in your new space. However, the principles of online safeguarding will still apply. For more information, we recommend you thoroughly examine this guidance provided by the NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit.

The NSPCC and O2 have published a Net Aware guide to using Zoom safely, which includes pointers like:

• Supervising young people and children at all times when they are using Zoom;

• Reminding children not to let anybody into a chat that they don’t know;

• Familiarising yourself with and utilising Zoom's security features (by clicking the Security Icon - read Zoom's guidance here for more information) to restrict participants’ ability to share their screens, chat in a meeting, rename themselves or add annotations to what the host is sharing, and to remove participants entirely; and

• Reminding children not to share Zoom links with anybody other than their friends. They shouldn’t share them on social media, in game chats or on group chats.

📋 Participant disclaimer

Due to the nature of virtual class delivery, participants need to understand that they are taking part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety and welfare. The instructor still has a duty of care, which can be met by observing these guidelines.

It is always good to have a disclaimer like this in writing, so you can add it to your class description and/or confirmation emails, as well as saying it at the beginning of the class.

🩺 Participant health screening

Use the same process as for regular classes as far as possible. If participants pre-register you can contact them prior to the class. On the day prompt/remind them to stop if they start to feel at all dizzy or unwell.

🏥 First aid/emergency procedures (instructor and participants)

Make sure everyone knows what to do if they feel unwell, are injured or have any kind of accident during the class.

👋 Think about how you greet people

Think about how you greet the client. How do you greet them in person? This might be an unusual experience for them. Appreciate and reassure them that this is a strange time for them and this is a time for them to have some time for themselves.

👷‍♀️ Try to build a rapport

The trainer represents a sense of normality during a strange time. Try to mimic your in-person style - by having the same structure, focus and tone of your normal workouts, you will provide a sense of normality for your attendees, who will most likely be dealing with a lot of upheaval and change already! People are starting to find their feet at this time. Try to be a sense of comfort.

😊 It's a privilege for you

It’s a privilege to be invited into people’s homes. You might see kids joining in, spouses taking part. This is a chance for you to inspire the whole family in fitness. Encourage attendees to share physical activity and movement with their family members - we’re all in this together.

✅ Let people know they've made the right choice

People come to you for a reason. There are lots of other choices out there - on-demand classes, running, people can even buy their own weights - however, there is a reason people still look for the live, personal experience. You want them to have a great time. Welcome them at the start of the session.

😇 Be honest with people

Just be honest with people - they will understand that you’re used to leading classes in a physical space, but we’re all new to this and adapting takes time. The important thing is that you’re trying. People will appreciate just being a part of something.

⚠️ Relevant licence

🎙 Un-muted participants

When noise is picked up from microphones other than yours, it will interfere with the sound clarity coming from your broadcast. This means that if some participants are left un-muted, others will find it difficult to hear the music you're playing. Consider muting all participants during the class and explaining why you're doing so.

▶️ Avoid trying to "sync" music

By getting participants to press play on the same track as you at the same time will inevitably cause a lag between you and them receiving the live stream. Even a few (milli)seconds lag in the music can create a bad experience for participants.

📣 Stay vocal

You might be the vocal type. You might opt for a more relaxed approach to leading a class. During a live stream class, remember to always let people know you'll still there and with them. It helps to be as vocal as possible. Try to keep talking - reassure the people that you are still there. This can be hugely beneficial for participants with sensory impairments, for whom you will need to maximise the quality of your verbal communication.

🧐 Survey your class

Stand back and watch people’s form - don’t continually be working. If you stop and observe, people will appreciate this - this is probably why they joined the class. You could start people off on an exercise and then offer feedback (individual or group) by looking at people's videos. Give them feedback on their effort levels or form, which will reinforce the idea of community.

➕ Be positive

Focus on positivity: “Great squat! Good form!” You want to provide positive feedback and helpful encouragement without making people feel like they’re being shouted at for an hour in their own home. Unless that’s your style, in which case make that known at the start and in your session descriptions.

🥳 Celebrate together

This is no different to an in-person class. People have had to make the effort and motivate themselves to be there with you. So, at the end of your class, don’t forget to get everyone to do a big round of applause. Celebrate the accomplishments of each and every one of them! This can be especially important for disabled people who may feel more isolated or less active during this time - if you have time a little chat at the end to give feedback, etc. you can help people feel more included (see Activity Alliance's website for more information on adapting activities so more people can stay in and work out).

ℹ️ General information for participants

You should provide participants with the same information as you would when delivering a normal class – what they can expect, when there will be a break, what kit they will need, class length, intensity, etc. If technology is involved, you could provide guidelines on its use and troubleshooting.

👩‍🦽Adapting for the whole household

During this time, Activity Alliance notes that we need to be mindful of disabled people in our communities who may feel more isolated or less active during this time. You can easily adapt activities using the STEP tool so everyone in the household, disabled and non-disabled, can take part together. The STEP tool, which stands for "Space, Task, Equipment and People", is one of the most effective ways to use household items to be active. With a few simple tweaks, you can make activities quickly become a part of everyone’s daily routine. You can read more advice from Activity Alliance on adapting activities here and check out these STEP tips for organisations and activity providers.

🏠 Varied workout spaces

You should always make sure your class can be done safely by those who might have limitations on space - people might be in a living room, garden, or maybe even a bedroom. Maybe remove the shuttle runs from your workout for the time being! Ask people before you start the class to make sure the surrounding area is free of obstacles and hazards - a space about 2m² should be fine. See the section on safety and insurance for more information.

🏋️‍♀️ Equipment to hand

Many people may not have access to the fitness equipment that you have. Some might have dumbbells or fitness bands; others might have nothing. So, can you do a workout without equipment focusing on bodyweight exercises? If participants will need to use equipment, can you be creative and help people safely use common household objects? If this is the case, do please bear in mind the earlier information on carrying out a risk assessment.

If people will need equipment for classes going forward, then you can send a link to the online retailer from which they can order for delivery (but remember - people are watching the pennies at this difficult time!).

🤳 Engaging content

There is plenty of highly polished recorded content out there. But understand that you might be the only person that people have interacted with all day. Try to engage with them in such a way that, regardless of whether they are a first-timer or a regular, they want to come back. You may want to limit class space to only as many as you can give feedback to, to maintain high engagement and quality levels.

🖼 Entire body in frame

This is very important: can people see your entire body? When you go down to do a press-up, do people lose sight of you? People need to be able to see what you’re doing at all times. So make sure your camera is pointing in the right place and you are far enough away to incorporate all of your movements. For more detail about this, see:

🤐 To mute or not to mute

Some instructors choose to start the class off with all participants on mute - this might be helpful for a yoga class where you’re trying to create a relaxed environment. Others want a bit of chit-chat in the build up. Just remember that some platforms default to the user who is currently speaking. So during your class you might want to mute all of the participants so that only your camera is being focused on, or "pin" your camera as the main video feed.

👋 Give me a gesture

Hand gestures offer a good way for people to get your attention. However, they are also a great way for you to easily check if people are OK without taking everyone off mute. "Raise your hand if you want me to demonstrate that again" or "give a thumbs up if you're feeling good" will allow to you quickly assess how everyone is doing. 👍

💬 Questions

People may have questions during the class whilst everyone is muted, so make them aware at the start that they can type them into the chat so you can read them. That way you can answer the question, which might be something other people are thinking anyway.

🚫 Cameras off

Remember, some people might prefer to have their camera off. This is nothing against you - they just might not want their home on the video or may be embarrassed as it’s their first time. Helpful words of encouragement is sure to help their confidence.

🆚 Offer exercise modifications

Try to offer and demonstrate different versions of the same exercises, e.g. seated exercises as opposed to standing, slow movements as opposed to fast, static moves as opposed to dynamic, etc. This, coupled to regular feedback to those who are opting to do the different options, will benefit all participants, regardless of age, ability or physical impairment. For more information on catering for the needs of both disabled and non-disabled people, please see .

👁 Self-evaluation

Watch your recording back and see what you could have done differently. Be critical of worked well and what worked less well. Now is the time to combine the information from the recording from your own personal experience of how it felt to improve your workout before the next class.

🗳 Ask others for feedback

The best feedback will be from the people who attended your class. Is there something they didn't enjoy or something they loved that you could incorporate more of next time? All feedback is good feedback.

🎥 Share your recording

Can you share you class with those who attended? They might want to do it at their own leisure. Perhaps if you limit access to a certain amount of time then people will be more likely to attend your live streamed classes, which is what we all want!

🎺 Blow your own trumpet

Shout about your class on social media. Ask those who attended to shout about it, too. Never has there been a more important time for a digital presence. And don't forget to continue listing your classes on an open data activity finder - that way thousands of people can find them across a number of different apps and websites:

🌐 Check your internet connect and WiFi connection before starting. You don't want lose connection and drop out of the class half way through!

📣 Choose an "OpenActive enabled" class management or booking system to increasing the visibility of your classes.

🎶 Ensure you have the requisite insurance and music licences.

👷‍♂️ Make sure you and your participants are exercising in a safe space free of hazards and obstacles.

👩‍🏫 Write a thorough class description, including what participants can expect, the kit they will need, the class length and intensity, etc. And don't forget to include the participant disclaimer!

🪑 Tell your participants to thoroughly check any equipment or household objects to make sure they are safe to use.

🎭 Do a dress rehearsal before your first class - this will help you focus on your workout and not your equipment during your real classes. Start small and build up to bigger classes.

🤸‍♀️ Make sure people can see all your movements. You don't want your torso being cut off during a burpee!

🔐 Don't forget to provide people with instructions to join your online class, including the link (and password if necessary), with sufficient time for them to get setup and join.

🗣 Be as vocal as possible during the class - reassure people that you are still there and their connection has not failed.

🙋‍♀️ Give group or individual feedback on their effort levels and form - this will reinforce the idea of community.

🎉 Don't forget to celebrate at the end of the workout - whoop, cheer, shout!

🤷‍♂️ Be prepared for mistakes to happen. But be prepared to grow from the experience.

👩‍👧‍👦 Encourage people to share physical activity and movement with their family members - after all, we’re all in this together!

🔋 Above all, remember that at this difficult and uncertain time, you can offer an escape from the new normal. You are in a position of great power. Now go forth and help get active (virtually)!

🏅 Hosting tips from Zoom

• Test the audio before your class begins: this will ensure your speakers and mic are working properly before the live class begins. Here’s how to test your device audio.

• Minimise background noise: try to host your class in a quiet place. If you must be in a loud environment, using a headset with a mic often reduces background noise compared with your computer’s built-in microphone.

• Start on time: Zoom recommends you start your event 5 minutes early to allow your participants to join before the class kicks off. Be sure to let participants know when the event will begin and if the content will be recorded and shared afterward.

🎖 Need-to-knows from Ars Technica

• Make sure meetings are password protected: this is the best way to ensure classes can only be accessed by the intended participants. It may not be practical to password protect every class, but you should use this measure as often as possible.

• Lock a meeting, when possible, once it's underway: This will prevent unauthorised participants from joining late. Locking a meeting can be accomplished by clicking "Manage Participants" and using the controls that appear on the right of the meeting window. "Manage Participants" also allows you to mute all participants, eject select participants, or stop select participants from appearing by video.

• "Join Before Host" setting: by disabling this setting, you can control the meeting from its very start.