Form Check Friday, Global Employee Fitness Month edition! 🌟🗄️📎
For Global Employee Fitness Month, we’re featuring our very own Brian Sutton, NASM Senior Content Development Manager, a.k.a one of the masterminds behind NASM’s Gold Standard courses. 🌟💛 This holiday is also a great reminder to take breaks during the work day to move your body and prioritize your health!
The Dumbbell Squat to Overhead Press builds strength, coordination, and control when performed with intention.
Why is this movement great? First off, this movement targets quite a few muscles; quadriceps, glutes, shoulders, triceps, and core! More bang for your buck!
Let’s dive in on how to best perform or instruct clients on how to perform this exercise:
>> Start Position:
📍Stand with feet hip to shoulder width apart
📍Hold dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing in
📍Brace your core
>> Squat:
📍Sit hips back and down into a controlled squat
📍Keep chest lifted and knees tracking over toes
>> Drive + Press:
📍Push through your feet to stand
📍As you rise, press the dumbbells overhead in one fluid motion
>> Return:
📍Lower dumbbells back to shoulders with control
📍Repeat smoothly
🗣️ Key cue: Avoid arching your low back during the press. Keep ribs down and core tight to maintain alignment.
Why it matters:
✔ Builds full-body strength and coordination
✔ Reinforces proper squat mechanics under load
✔ Improves overhead stability and control
✔ Encourages mindful sequencing of movement
Coaching isn’t just about reps. It’s about helping clients move with intention.
Take your knowledge further with NASM. Head to the link in bio.
#NASM
Great instructors don’t see limits, they see possibilities. Every class you lead and every step you take toward certification is a chance to inspire someone to push past what they thought they could do. Keep showing up with confidence, energy, and belief in your potential. Others feel that momentum and rise with you.
Ready to join the health and wellness field and lead powerful group fitness classes? Head to the link in bio for more info!
#AFAA #AFAAGFI
Kate Stephens keeps raising the standard. 🌟
Already an NASM Certified Personal Trainer, CSNC, and CNC, she has now added AFAA Group Fitness Instructor to the list. More tools. More impact. Same intention: help people leave better than they arrived.
You will see it in how she coaches. Every session meets people where they are while still moving them forward. In a room full of individuals, no one gets lost. That balance is the work and she is committed to getting better at it every day.
From one-on-one sessions to leading the group, Kate builds strength that lasts. The kind that improves how you move, how you recover, and how you show up outside the gym. It is not just reps, it is results that carry over.
And when a 73-year-old client tells you you have helped change their life, that says everything.
Welcome to the next level, @katescleaneats__ .
If you are ready to turn your passion into something bigger, there is a place for you here. Start building your path with AFAA and NASM. Link in bio.
#AFAA #NASM #NASMCPT #AFAAGFI #NASMCERTIFIED
Whether you're deep in study mode or already certified and love a good refresher, keeping your knowledge fresh is key to success.
Swipe to reveal the correct answer & then drop a comment and tell us how you scored!
Thinking about getting certified? Check out the link in our bio for all the details!
#AFAA #AFAAGFI
You crushed your goals, now go even higher. Keep showing up and keep shining.
Want to step into the health and wellness field? Check the link in bio to get started!
#AFAA #AFAAGFI
Success grows from consistency. Every time you show up, learn, and push forward, you level up as an instructor and as a leader. Keep bringing the energy and confidence to your journey.
Whether you are already teaching or just getting started, today is your chance to make an impact.
Want to join the health and wellness field and lead amazing group fitness classes? Head to the link in bio for more info!
#AFAA #AFAAGFI
Sharpen those skills, AFAA fam! 📚💪 Whether you're deep in study mode or already certified and love a good refresher, keeping your knowledge fresh is key to success.
Swipe to reveal the correct answer — then drop a comment and tell us how you scored!
Thinking about getting certified? Check out the link in our bio for all the details!
#AFAA #AFAAGFI
Soft-spoken focus. Breath-led strength.
A teacher who treats movement like a conversation, steady and intentional. Meet AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor Cicily Oliver.
Yoga since 2001. Pilates since 2008. A lifelong mover who has turned curiosity into craft, and craft into a calling. @hellocicily teaches across traditions, including yoga and Pilates, on all apparatus. No matter the format, one principle always guides her: when breath leads, the body follows. That rhythm is her anchor and her signature. With roots in classical technique and inspiration from teachers like David Swenson, Sharath Jois, and Maria Leone, she blends structure with exploration. Her classes invite students to grow, adapt, and move with purpose. Cicily is not just joining the industry. She is elevating it, one breath and one thoughtful transition at a time.
We are proud to welcome her to the AFAA community. Ready to start your own journey as a leader in movement? Learn more about earning your AFAA GFI at the link in bio.
#AFAA #AFAAGFI
Success is driven by showing up and making things happen. Let’s show up today and go after what we want to accomplish. Strive to overcome obstacles, don’t fret the small things, and inspire others along the way.
Whether you’re already certified and instructing classes or just beginning your journey, you’re going to make today great for yourself and for others.
Interested in joining the health and wellness field and instructing top‑notch group classes? Head to the link in bio for more info!
#AFAA #AFAAGFI
Time to test your knowledge AFAA team! Whether you are studying or already certified and love a refresher, reviewing and staying on top of your education is so important!
Swipe to see the correct answer and let us know if you got the answer correct in the comments below! Interested in getting certified? Head to the link in bio for more information!
#AFAA #AFAAGFI
Strong presence. Real purpose.
Meet Shilan (@shilanfit ), now officially an AFAA Group Fitness Instructor.
With years of experience in fitness and a deep commitment to building strength, connection, and community, Shilan leads from the front, showing up consistently, pushing with intention, and creating spaces where people feel motivated to move and grow.
This is what it looks like to step into your role with confidence and credibility.
We’re proud to welcome Shilan into the NASM & AFAA community, where passionate professionals come together to raise the standard of health and wellness.
Thinking about turning your passion for movement into leadership? Learn more about getting certified with NASM and AFAA at the link in our bio. #AFAACERTIFIED
Push past limits. Prove what you’re capable of. There’s always more in the tank. 💪
Keep showing up, keep crushing it, and keep inspiring others to prioritize their health and wellness.
Ready to turn your passion into a profession? Get #AFAACertified today—link in bio!
#AFAA #FitnessLeadership #KeepCompeting
