If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my rss feed. Thanks for visiting!
So tell me, what bugs you about your fitness instructor?
- Does she/he arrive late for every single class?
- Does she/he scream “WOO HOO” every ten seconds?
- Does he/she still wear legwarmers?
Please tell me what you are really thinking when I am standing at the front of the class screaming asking for 10 more push ups. I promise to listen objectively.
Now it is my turn. As an instructor, nothing gets my goat more than chatting amongst the participants!
Aside from the fact that it is rude and distracting, I take it personally and think you are not being challenged enough. This leads me to kick it up a notch, which leads to a lot of moans and groans about how it’s too hard, our legs hurt, we need a break, etc.
I just don’t get it gang. If you have enough energy to chat up a storm with your neighbor, you are NOT working hard enough.
I understand that you want to catch up with Susie and talk about the latest and greatest in footwear but please do it outside of my class. I want you to swear at me because you are working harder than you imagined, not because I am asking you to be quiet!
Thoughts?
photo credit: TheTruthAboutMortgage.com
Written on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Filed under about me, fitness.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Oh I could TOTALLY see how chatting would drive you nuts! I think the one thing that bothers me about my pump teacher is she always expects us to yell, scream, beg for mercy when things get really tough…(to know everyone’s being challenged probably?)
Anyway, what she doesn’t get is that we are ALL DYING. Can’t breathe much less talk…much less give an enthusiatic, “Aww yeah! woohoo!!!”
please. let me get through the set!
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Yeah, the chatting makes me nuts, too. I think, though, in my case, I’m often NOT challenging them enough. Time to step it up!
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Disclaimer about my answer:
1. I have a problem with authority.
2. I haven’t had the best experiences with group exercise.
BUT I do hate it when others are talking during class. I really do.
I once went to a pilates class and the teacher was pure evil — yelling at us — like mean yelling, not encouraging-yelling — mean yelling. I went to two of her classes and just decided that volunteering to be verbally abused wasn’t for me.
I have mixed reviews of yoga classes; some are outstanding, others are wayyyy too hippy-dippy for me.
Not that you asked, but I think what’s helpful when you want the class to do 10 more pushups (at least what would be helpful for me) is firm encouragement. Something like: “You KNOW you can do this. You know you WANT to do this! You’ll feel great if you do!”
Heathers last blog post..Update!
September 4th, 2008 at 6:26 am
the WOO HOO made me laugh out loud!
it has been a bit since Ive made it to classes so I cant comment BUT back in the dark ages when I went regularly I loathed that contrived woo hoo.
yeah
I said it.
MizFits last blog post..Guest Chef Time: Fatty Gets Fit style.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:16 am
The chatty Cathy types are the worst in class! And when you have to tell them to hush, you totally feel like a grade school teacher, no?
And as someone who has always attended lots of group ex classes, my pet peeve is when an instructor has some choreography that the class just isn’t getting but the instructor just keeps doing it and doesn’t change or modify in the moment so that the class can follow. You have to think on your feet, yes, but every class is different so it’s a must!
Fit Bottomed Girlss last blog post..There’s Still Time Left
September 4th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Chatty participants drive me crazy during class! Especially those people who practically stop working out (slowing down to half the speed of those around them) - it completely throws me off my game. But as for the instructors, there are a few things that bother me. Those that assume that everyone is at the same level, and ignore people who are having a problem with form (especially with yoga, pilates & kickboxing). Also, teachers who have their favorites, and save places for those people. Drives me nuts! As for the teachers that keep kicking it up a notch, I love it - I’m there to exercise! I like to be challenged.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:13 am
I’ve never worked with a group instructor before - but one thing about working out for me is that I don’t like to be having conversations while I’m trying to concentrate on the task at hand.
Lances last blog post..Lost In This Great Big World
September 4th, 2008 at 9:30 am
I love most of my gruop fit instructors. But my pet peeve is when the teacher doesn’t know what they are doing! Even worse is if they are yellers - like in a mean way. I don’t come to the gym to be abused. Treat me like a human please. And please please practice your routines:)
charlottes last blog post..He Said, She Said: A Gym Story
September 4th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Funny perspective! I can assure you that if my mouth is wide open during a class, it’s not because I’m talking….. it’s cause I’m too darn exhausted to concentrate on keeping my jaw muscles shut!!! =)
What I like about an instructor is intuition. If you sense that I’m lost in the shuffle….then most likely I am…..feel free to come on over and give me a little one on one until I get going again…it’s not gonna hurt my feelings one bit!!!! I like to be pushed to the limit as well. I like to walk out of a class like a new baby foal as if my legs are gonna fall out from underneath me because I never am able to push myself in that way!!!
momofthrees last blog post..80’s Throwback
September 4th, 2008 at 9:57 am
mom of 3–”a new baby foal”? Absolutely hilarious! Thanks for the great laugh today!
September 4th, 2008 at 9:58 am
heather & charlotte: I agree, yelling (meanly) at people is just not cool.
MizFit: I have to say it. WOO HOO!!!
September 4th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Olivia–Oh, I forgot about the dreaded ’space savers’! I can’t stand that either.
September 4th, 2008 at 10:02 am
FBG: yes, I definitely feel like a kindergarten teacher telling the kids to listen with their ears! and so true about the choreography.
September 4th, 2008 at 10:42 am
hmmm…my instructors are a pretty good bunch, and we learned with one of them NOT to talk during class very quickly!
What does drive me nuts: fellow classmembers who are ALWAYS late. grrr.
Missicats last blog post..Feedin’ Time!
September 4th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Being a girl that does most of her workouts using group fitness classes, I’ve developed quite a list of things that annoy me - LOL. Most of my instructors are actually really good but the ones that make me roll my eyes or stop going to their classes are instructors who do the following:
1. Brag about how fit, wonderful, etc you are – obviously you are wonderful and fit and that is why I am coming to your class so please just shut up and give us a good workout.
2. Brag about how much you do or do not eat – really I don’t care – I just want a good workout.
3. Turn up the temperature in the room to make the room unbearably hot; thus making some people actually faint during the workout – totally unnecessary and dangerous
4. Low energy - nuff said
5. Wear gobs of perfume or cologne – can we say totally gross!
6. Instructors (and I currently have one) who love to shout out woo hoo every 5 minutes – can we say annoying!!
September 4th, 2008 at 11:34 am
I totally agree - the chatting is just plain rude. A couple of other things that bug me - if the music is too low, it takes all the fun out of it! And if the instructor doesn’t really seem into it or doesn’t have a lot of energy. Group exercise classes are my favorite workouts because of the music and the energy, so I gotta have a lot of both!
FatFighters last blog post..Would you eat cloned food?
September 4th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Wearing perfume to a fitness class? You think other people will be shocked if you sweat?
I do /not/ understand people.
Merrys last blog post..Always have a plan
September 4th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
OK, chiming in again. I really don’t get the yelling-at-the-clients thing. Unless maybe you are a boot camp instructor and they have specifically ASKED you to yell at them ( hey, some people are weird).
But yelling during PILATES?!?!?! Not exactly conducive to a calming atmosphere, is it?
I personally am not motivated by screaming. I once went to a cardio class where the instructor would get right in our faces and scream at us. Wearing a microphone. Needless, to say, I never went back to that class.
And right up there are instructors who, while not raising their voice, are just rude. One yoga instructor, upon seeing us relaxing our arms in child’s pose, said “Why are you resting your arms? This a is a yoga toning class, not a relaxation class!” Yeah. Never went back there, either.
September 4th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I think it really depends on the instructor. My Boot Camp instructor punishes All of us if anybody chats or arrives late. I love it! No time for chit chat! All business! Most instructors don’t practice what they preach so I avoid those classes. Nice post!
Mark Salinass last blog post..Core Challenge
September 4th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I agree! If you have energy to carry on a conversation you are not working out hard enough. You seem like a great instructor. Keep up the good work.
September 4th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I just learned out that one of our instructors (and I’m pretty sure she’s in charge of the entire YMCA) said that she, and I quote, “has no use for fat people.” (Meaning, in her class.)
I will never take one of her classes. I’m not “fat” but that’s RIDICULOUS. If they’re IN a class, they’re OBVIOUSLY trying to do something. FOR PETE’S SAKE.
Sorry. I just learned that this morning at the gym and I’m HORRIFIED.
FireMoms last blog post..Babywearing Review + Deal for You! (That Rhymes!)
September 4th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I completely agree. Loud music and high energy is a deal breaker for me too!
September 4th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Alyssa, some instructors just don’t have a clue. Yelling in faces is never acceptable, no matter where you are!
September 4th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Talli–welcome and thank you!
September 4th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
HaHa..oh this is a good one. I don’t do group fitness, but I do 2 or 3 at a time..when they are talking it up, I have to ‘remind’ them that they’re taking too much time between sets/reps and that they’re losing the effect of the exercise on their system, I tell them their muscles are cooling too much, etc… And then when all else fails I ask them if they really want to pay for a double session–sarcasm here! That always works and we magically seem to make up all our lost time.
September 4th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Firemom-WOW, that is totally unacceptable! She has no business being an instructor, much less one in charge of the entire program!
September 4th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I haven’t taken any group fitness classes since high school, so I don’t have any complaints about the instructors.
How rude!! If I was in your class, I wouldn’t chit-chat. It just isn’t polite.
Robins last blog post..What a Difference a Day Makes
September 4th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I hate it when I am paying for the time to be there and the teacher is ineffective. That’s worse. I could give a crap about the lazy ones next to me, i’m there for a workout, dammit. Lisa, just be the hardest teacher at the gym and the lazy ones won’t come.
Rachels last blog post..For the love of eggplant
September 4th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
No wonder you’re all fired about up about this! How annoying!! I’d make those good for nothing students work their asses off, too!
What kind of classes do you teach?
Zandrias last blog post..She Decided to Start Living the Life She’d Imagined
September 5th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Amen Sista!!!!
September 9th, 2008 at 1:13 am
I like when an instructor notices I’m new to a class and welcomes me, privately, after class. Makes me feel like she cares and wants me there — but just the slightest bit embarrassed that I didn’t do better!
Kristen DeDeyn Kirks last blog post..
September 9th, 2008 at 10:45 am
There is NOTHING wrong with legs warmers, do you hear me? NOTHING!!!
Alices last blog post..
September 9th, 2008 at 10:52 am
LMAO @ you because that is one of my biggest pet peeves.. I’ve learned how to get around it though.. LOL I engage them in convo and they hate that!!! Calling them out in front of everyone stops it!!! LOL Great post.. from one instructor to another high five!
BKs last blog post..Are you protected?