They Can Feel Your Confidence Before You Say a Word: What Stand-Up Taught Me
In group fitness, the first impression doesn’t happen when class starts. It happens the moment you walk into the room. Before you cue a single movement, your students have already taken in your posture, your energy, your expression, and the tone of your voice. Confidence — or the lack of it — is noticed in the first few seconds. And no, confidence doesn’t have to mean being loud, dramatic, or over-the-top. It’s the grounded, steady, I’m-glad-you’re-here-and-we’re-in-this-together kind of presence that makes people feel like they can trust you to lead.
I learned this in a very unexpected place: on a comedy stage.
A few years ago, I did a short run of stand-up. And the wild thing about comedy crowds is that they judge you before you say one word. My face said everything. All the internal chaos — the “Oh god, what if I bomb?” “Is my zipper down” “What if I get boo’d off stage and have to fake my own death to escape this room?” — it was written right across my expression. After a few shows, I learned to make a micro-shift in my face and posture to give the illusion that I had my shit together. That I was about to mic-drop this set. And guess what? Inside, I was spiraling, but once I let my face say “I’ve got this shit,” the audience gained confidence in me. People respond to the energy you lead with.
The room follows what you project. Always.
Now let’s talk about your own “face” in the studio. Many of us have a “default concentration face,” which sometimes reads as intense. You’ve seen it on students before — that expression that makes you think, “…okay, are they good? Are they mad? Are they plotting my downfall?” And yes, if we’re being honest, we’ve all had the moment where the inner monologue whispers:
“Oh no… he’s giving bitch face.”
Totally human. Totally relatable. The trick is: don’t let your face accidentally give that same message.
You don’t need to plaster on a fake smile — just soften your jaw, warm the eyes, lift the cheeks a touch.
Think: approachable… or like you’re holding a spicy secret.
That tiny shift changes everything.
Then comes your voice. Your voice is your connection tool. And the goal isn’t to be loud — it’s to be grounded. Your strongest teaching voice is the one that feels natural in your body, not pushed or forced. Try this: hum “mmm” and feel the vibration in your face and chest, then speak from that place. When your voice comes from your grounded point, your cues land clearer, your energy feels steady, and your leadership becomes effortless. You don’t have to yell to be heard — your presence does the communicating for you.
Because here’s the heart of it: group fitness isn’t just about guiding movement — it’s about guiding people. And people follow connection, warmth, confidence, and presence. Small shifts in expression and voice tone make your class feel more welcoming, more cohesive, and more human. So the next time you walk into the studio, remember — your leadership starts before the warm-up does. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be present. And trust me… they’ll feel it.