PODCAST · health
Off The Mic
by Shay Kostabi: Experience Architect + Director of the Group X Conservatory
Honest conversations, soul-led strategies, and what it really takes to move people.Off the Mic is a podcast for group fitness instructors who know their work is bigger than workouts. You're not here to count reps. You're here to lead experiences. To create energy, connection, and meaning through movement.Hosted by Shay Kostabi—experience designer, master trainer, and founder of The Group X Conservatory—this show isn't about chasing the next trend or yelling louder to fill a room. It's about becoming the kind of instructor people never forget.In each episode, you'll get:• Embodied coaching tools and performance techniques that elevate your presence• Stories and insights that reconnect you with your power, purpose, and voice• Candid conversations that challenge industry norms and ignite creative evolutionBecause when you lead from emotion, energy, and intention—not just programming— you don't just build a class. You build a movement. Welcome to Off the Mic. This is where the next
Episodes
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OTM011: Are You Teaching, or Just Performing? (with Oreet of SharQui)
Are you teaching your students, or performing for them? In this episode of Off the Mic, Shay talks with Oreet, creator and founder of SharQui, The Bellydance Workout, about the difference between looking like a great instructor and actually helping people feel successful. They dig into cognitive...
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OTM010: Are You Telling Class What They're Doing, or What to Do?
What if one tiny shift in language could completely change the way your class feels? In this episode of Off the Mic, you'll hear a deceptively simple question inspired by educator Bonnie Weeks of Carrot Bowl Bonnie and Flow School: Are you telling class what they're doing… or are you telling them...
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OTM009: What Pop Culture Is Teaching Us About Group Fitness Right Now
What do Artemis II, Coachella, and the cinematic albums artists are creating right now have to do with group fitness? More than you might think. In this episode of Off the Mic, Shay reflects on what recent moments in pop culture reveal about what people are craving right now: immersive…
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OTM008: You Are The Table: How Your Persona Can Take You Further Than Perfect Programming
What would you do if you hadn't taught a live class in five years… and suddenly you're asked to jump on the schedule after a 22-minute assessment, and then teach five in one day? In this episode, I break down what actually carried me through that first day back: not a perfect playlist or flawless...
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OTM007: Not Everyone Will Love You (And Why That's a Good Thing)
In this episode of Off the Mic, Shay dives into one of the hardest truths for group fitness instructors: not everyone will love you. And that's okay. In fact, it's the key to a long, fulfilling career. Shay shares why confidence comes from knowing your secret sauce (who you are, why you teach…
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OTM006: Finding Confidence In The Midst Of Copycats
Have you ever had that gut-punch moment when someone copies your playlist, your cues, or even your whole class format? It stings. In this episode of Off the Mic, I'm sharing a candid, story-packed conversation about: My 2025 East Coast summer training tour and why in-person mentorship is making a...
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OTM005: Mid-Year Check-In: What You Need, What Your Studio Needs, and How to Reignite Your Spark
We're halfway through the year, and if you're anything like me, this is when things start to feel… fuzzy. You've been showing up. You've been pouring your energy into your classes. But maybe your momentum has dipped. Maybe you're starting to coast. Or maybe you're wondering… "Am I even growing...
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OTM004: The Rhythm Remembers: Music as Medicine for Movement, Mood, and Meaning with Emma Marshall
What if your playlist wasn't just a high energy list of songs, but a nervous system intervention? What if music could be the difference between a class that feels flat and one that leaves people cracked open in the best way? In this episode of Off the Mic, my husband Barry and I sit down with…
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OTM003: The Principle That Makes People Cry, Cheer, and Come Back to Your Class
You know that song that brings you to tears? The one that gives you goosebumps—or makes you feel like you could rise from the ashes and run through a wall? That power comes from something called prosody—a songwriting principle that aligns music and meaning to create emotional impact. And here's…
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OTM002: Your Body Is Not Your Business Card
In this vulnerable and fire-filled episode, Shay takes on one of the most damaging myths in the fitness industry: the idea that your body is your résumé. She shares the raw truth of how she got her start as a trainer—not because of credentials, but because of how her abs looked—and how that…
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OTM001: When Sh*t Hits the Fan: The Real Art of Instructor Recovery
Welcome to the very first episode of Off the Mic—the podcast for fitness instructors who know their work is bigger than workouts. In this debut episode, host Shay Kostabi shares what it really takes to lead unforgettable classes—not just when everything goes smoothly, but when sh*t hits the fan....
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Honest conversations, soul-led strategies, and what it really takes to move people.Off the Mic is a podcast for group fitness instructors who know their work is bigger than workouts. You're not here to count reps. You're here to lead experiences. To create energy, connection, and meaning through movement.Hosted by Shay Kostabi—experience designer, master trainer, and founder of The Group X Conservatory—this show isn't about chasing the next trend or yelling louder to fill a room. It's about becoming the kind of instructor people never forget.In each episode, you'll get:• Embodied coaching tools and performance techniques that elevate your presence• Stories and insights that reconnect you with your power, purpose, and voice• Candid conversations that challenge industry norms and ignite creative evolutionBecause when you lead from emotion, energy, and intention—not just programming— you don't just build a class. You build a movement. Welcome to Off the Mic. This is where the next
HOSTED BY
Shay Kostabi: Experience Architect + Director of the Group X Conservatory
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Off The Mic have?
Off The Mic currently has 11 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Off The Mic about?
Honest conversations, soul-led strategies, and what it really takes to move people.Off the Mic is a podcast for group fitness instructors who know their work is bigger than workouts. You're not here to count reps. You're here to lead experiences. To create energy, connection, and meaning through...
How often does Off The Mic release new episodes?
Off The Mic has 11 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Off The Mic?
You can listen to Off The Mic on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Off The Mic?
Off The Mic is created and hosted by Shay Kostabi: Experience Architect + Director of the Group X Conservatory.
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