Mindbody Group Fitness Arts LLC

Raina Casarez and Chandra Russell are co-owners of Mindbody Group Fitness Arts LLC. Mission: to recruit, train and coach Community Fitness Ambassadors. We offer a holistic approach to group fitness, emphasizing self-care and spirit over size or current ability. We believe anyone can be a Community Fitness Ambassador which includes group fitness instruction. Indeed, we desperately need Community Fitness Ambassadors to radically impact the health and wellness of all communities around the world.

Who we are

 Raina and Chandra have been in the business of fitness for decades and are excited to share our knowledge through recruiting and training Community Fitness Ambassadors to provide group fitness experiences. Our approach is unique. We prefer teams to classes. We support entrepreneurial approaches to monetizing your fitness business. We are supporting you throughout your career, lifelong we trust, in serving your local community as a Community Fitness Ambassador.  

The Substance and the Mind/Body Fitness Instructor: A Reflection on Industry Values

As mind/body fitness instructors, our product is not our bodies—it’s the experience we create, the expertise we share, and the results we help others achieve. Yet, The Substance forces us to confront an uncomfortable reality: in many parts of the fitness industry, perception often trumps skill.

What Is Our Product as Group Fitness Instructors?

A true group fitness instructor’s product is not their appearance—it’s their ability to create a movement experience that fosters health, connection, and longevity. Our value lies in:

• Programming  and Adaptation – Designing workouts that suit all fitness levels while keeping engagement high.
• Cueing and Motivation –       Helping participants move safely and effectively while staying inspired.
• Building Community –    Encouraging consistency and accountability in a way that solo workouts often fail to do.

However, in the commercial fitness world, the lines blur. There’s an unspoken expectation that an instructor should look like a walking advertisement for fitness—often young, lean, and conventionally attractive—regardless of their actual expertise.

Do We Need to Look a Certain Way?

Physically, no. Professionally, sometimes. The industry still leans on the belief that looking the part is just as important as delivering results. This is especially true in high-energy formats like dance cardio or HIIT, where marketability often outweighs credentials.

Yet, in mind/body disciplines like yoga, Pilates, or Team Rhythm Walking, experience should be the most valuable currency. An aging instructor brings an understanding of longevity, injury prevention, and sustainable movement—things a 22-year-old influencer may not yet grasp.

Still, The Substance exposes a painful truth: when a system prioritizes aesthetics over substance, aging instructors feel the pressure to stay “marketable.” The protagonist’s desperation is not just about regaining her youth—it’s about staying visible in an industry that discards its veterans.

Are Group Fitness Classes Loss Leaders in Big Box Gyms?

Yes, and this is key to understanding why instructors rank lower in the fitness industry hierarchy.

• Big-box gyms use group fitness classes as loss leaders—low-cost,      high-energy attractions designed to pull in members.
• The real money is in personal training, memberships, and supplements, not in paying instructors a sustainable wage.
• Since classes are often included in a gym membership, they’re not seen as      revenue drivers, making instructors expendable.

This creates an industry paradox: group fitness is often the gateway for people to start working out, yet instructors are undervalued because they don’t directly drive profits the way personal trainers or nutrition programs do.

Where Do Group Fitness Instructors Rank in Industry Hierarchy?

In terms of necessity and effectiveness, we should be at the top. We introduce people to fitness, build communities, and create an environment where people keep showing up. But in terms of how the industry values us, we rank lower because:

1. We’re seen as replaceable. If one instructor leaves, another can take over. The brand of the gym often matters more than the individual leading the class.
2. We’re underpaid compared to personal trainers. A certified personal trainer can charge $50–$100 per session, while a group fitness instructor often makes $25–$50 per class, regardless of attendance.
3. We have less control over revenue. Personal trainers sell packages; gym      owners sell memberships. Instructors simply provide the “free” experience      that keeps members engaged.

Final Thoughts: Are We Performers or Leaders?

The industry often treats instructors like entertainers—jumping up and down, looking good, and keeping the crowd hyped. But mind/body fitness demands more. It requires instructors to be guides, helping people build movement patterns that last a lifetime.

In The Substance, the protagonist is trapped in an industry that prioritizes youth and appearance over wisdom and skill. It’s a stark reflection of the reality many aging instructors face. But for those of us in mind/body fitness, the goal isn’t to conform to this system—it’s to redefine it.

Do we need the “substance”? No. What we need is an industry that values substance over spectacle—one that respects experience, compensates expertise, and understands that fitness is not just about looking fit, but being fit for life.