Benefits of Improv

A couple of years back, one of my friends hit me up & told me to keep the 3rd Friday of the month free.

I asked why.

He said because that was the day of his improv show.

He & his team had been preparing for a long time.

And he wanted me to be in attendance.

I agreed.

On the day of the event, I was nothing short of amazed.

Hadn’t expected what I saw…

That event had a brilliant display of storytelling, comedy, and fast thinking.

I was hooked.

Afterward, I found the host of the event & asked her how to join.

She said that they were going to be doing their next 6-week program in a few weeks.

I went to my friend & told him that he was going to be re doing his improv journey.

This time, with me.

Improv is everything & more.

In this post, we are going to learn some benefits of improv & decide the next steps.

What Exactly Is Improv?

Improv is short for:

• Improvisational.

This is when you are improvising different topics to put on a show.

Maybe in terms of comedy, acting, or a bit of both.

2 very famous improv shows were “Whose Line is It Anyway” and “Wild n Out.”

Just if you’re looking for references.

Improvising is not easy.

Therefore, the classes host exercises & activities to build comfort.

The improv classes are different for different locations.

But the general theme is that a group of people join with a set instructor/s.

All exercises are based on the foundation of thinking on feet skills.

What are the Benefits of Improv?

There are plenty of benefits.

But this post is going to discuss a few that pertain to mindset & communication skills.

Let’s start with a few.

Thinking on Feet Skills

There is no field or position out there that couldn’t benefit from thinking on your feet.

Whether it’s law, business, being an HR rep, etc.

Thinking on feet skills gets amplified when there is a group of people watching you or when the red light (recorder of a camera) is on.

I know some improv clubs which record.

But for the most part, all of them have a group of members.

This group helps add pressure, which skyrockets the thinking on feet skills process.

Improved Public Speaking

Toastmasters is normally seen as the first club to go to in order to improve public speaking.

However, improv is a good fit as well.

Toastmasters has a formula that is applied in all clubs.

It’s a brand.

Different improv clubs follow different formulas based on the location.

But the core element remains the same:

• You’re talking in front of people.

Brilliant way to conquer the #1 fear in the world.

Enhanced Creativity

Humor & storytelling.

2 of the great traits for content creators.

-No one can turn down a good laugh.

-No one can turn down a good story.

And the beauty is that a lot of the topics that you’re improvising on lead to you being funny and/or practicing storytelling.

Call that a 2 in 1.

Just like in the world of muscles…

What you flex becomes stronger.

Keep flexing your content creation muscle & exercise the boundaries of the creative mind.

Social Camaraderie

It’s tough to move to a new location.

And it’s tough being in the same location with friends who are not willing to grow.

Improv clubs attract people who are looking to grow.

Otherwise, you could be sitting at home watching TV.

Carrying out the same mundane routines as usual.

Improv clubs often have a certain program that will not only build improvisation skills…

But will build a social circle as well.

-It’s one thing to go thru an experience by yourself.

-It’s another thing to go thru an experience with a group.

Most people who are in these clubs are challenging themselves just like you.

This builds that inner fire & social bond.

These were just a few benefits of improv.

How Do you Join a Club?

Google is your best friend.

And I recommend reading the reviews for different clubs.

Just type in “improv clubs near me.”

Something like that.

‘Is it free?’

The one I did cost money.

But that’s because I was in a program.

It was 6 weeks long.

During the 6 weeks, there are different activities & exercises to help build creativity.

This gets you working in a group.

And the group gradually builds chemistry.

The 6-week program is geared towards throwing a big show at the end.

The show has family & friends of the members who participated.

Sometimes the show can go up to 50-60 people.

Sometimes even more.

The audience members on the show day are able to participate with the members.

The improv members ask the audience for topic suggestions.

And the audience members get creative with these suggestions.

Now it’s the improv member’s duty to bring those suggestions to life.

Overall, if you are thinking about joining, hit up a few clubs and see if they are doing a show.

Go to a show (like I did for my friend’s show) & see how you like it…

Assess if you can see yourself making a commitment.

Now the decision is on you.

Should You Join an Improv Club?

Only you can decide if you want to do improv.

But I will tell you this.

It’s an experience.

In the world of communication skills, experiences are key.

It’s always these experiences that make sense later on in our lives.

And even better, the experiences make sense in the present day.

In that case, we get to enjoy those moments longer.

Overall, an improv club leads to enhanced creativity, faster-thinking skills, the ability to deal with pressure…

Plus, social bonds that will last for a very long time.

Improvisation is an art form.

Sort of like impromptu speaking.

The question is:

Do you want to invest in this art form?

If you do, just know that there will be a myriad of benefits.

Benefits which will make you 6 inches taller.

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– ArmaniTalks