Last Updated on June 5, 2025 by Niki

EMD UK, the national governing body for group exercise, has launched Reach Up, a bold new free online educational resource hub designed to empower instructors to break down barriers and help more women become active through group exercise.

Reach Up - engage, inspire, ignite the fire

According to recent data, more than 20% of women in England (4.9 million) are already taking part in regular fitness classes; that’s higher than the number of women that are running, swimming or cycling.  

This highlights the fact that group exercise is one of the most effective ways to get more women more active, more often and that there is huge potential to engage even more women if barriers to entry can be removed.  

Developed in collaboration with Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign, Reach Up addresses real-life barriers by equipping instructors with powerful, practical tools to create welcoming, inclusive environments where every woman feels she belongs. 

With input from fitness professionals and sector experts, Reach Up provides guidance to help instructors connect with women who can benefit most from group exercise, giving them the motivation, confidence and support they need to get started and keep going.  

  • Addressing real barriers

    Research shows that fear of judgment and concerns about fitness levels hold many women back from attending group exercise classes. Reach Up provides insights and strategies to help instructors create safe and inviting environments.

  • Built for instructors, by instructors 

    Developed with input from group exercise professionals and industry experts, the platform delivers practical, bite-sized modules that instructors can implement immediately

  • Empowering instructors through knowledge

    The hub covers key topics, including behaviour change principles, effective marketing strategies (including social media), and how to support participants with health conditions 

  • Expanding impact across communities

    Reach Up content is designed to support instructors in all settings, from community halls to multi-site fitness operators and will be actively promoted and immediately available to more than 11,000 instructors via the EMD UK instructor membership 

  • Commitment to inclusion

    Special focus is placed on engaging women who face the biggest challenges in getting active, including those with long-term health conditions, Muslim women, and those returning to exercise after a break. 

“We’re proud to launch Reach Up alongside EMD UK. This resource equips instructors with the tools they need to engage with and retain women who often feel that group exercise isn’t for them. 

“The This Girl Can campaign has already helped nearly 4 million women become more active. This latest launch continues our mission to break down inequalities in women’s activity levels and drive the change needed so that all women, regardless of background, feel they truly belong in sport and physical activity.” 

says Claire Edwards, Head of Campaign Activation at Sport England.

Shelley Meyern, COO of EMD UK, adds: “We’re thrilled to introduce Reach Up to the fitness sector. Instructors play a crucial role in helping women lead active lives, with 4.8 million adults attending group exercise classes every week.  

 

“Reach Up makes it much easier than ever before for instructors, whether working in leisure centres or community halls, to upskill and make an even greater impact. The accessible, bite-sized format means instructors can apply what they have learnt straight away. We’re proud to work with This Girl Can help more women find activities they love and to stick with them.” 

 

The Reach Up hub is free and open to all group exercise instructors, fitness professionals, and operators. Active Partnerships and community organisations are also encouraged to explore the platform to support local initiatives. 

For more information on Reach Up, please visit, https://emduk.org/reachup

EMD UK is the only governing body dedicated solely to the group exercise community. Our members benefit from our guidance, CPD-accredited courses and over 250 resources. Pro membership starts from just £51 annually and includes insurance for instructors.

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