You better believe I’m taking full advantage of BodyPump classes while I’m in Jacksonville. My parents’ gym had a lunchtime BodyPump class on the schedule today, so I worked at home through the morning before heading out for a mid-day break to work up a sweat.
After I set up my little station, I sipped on water as I waited for the class to begin. The instructor asked whether or not anyone was new to BodyPump and one woman timidly raised her hand. I expected the instructor to walk over to the woman and give her an overview of the class to make her feel more comfortable, but she kept her microphone on and asked the woman her name from the front of the room. Once she knew her name, the instructor then said, “Uh oh! Everyone watch out for Caroline! She’s new!”
That was it. She didn’t give Caroline advice or tell her what to expect from her first class. She didn’t tell her what equipment she needed. Nothing! I’m sure the instructor thought she was being playful, but I instantly felt awkward for Caroline and could tell other members of the class felt a little uncomfortable. What if this was Caroline’s first group exercise class ever?
Thankfully the woman next to Caroline helped her figure out what weights to grab, so she wasn’t too lost. Still, it was a rather awkward start to the class and I’m just glad Caroline was a trooper. I hope she didn’t feel too singled out!
Lunch
Lunch today was a tuna salad sandwich served on toasted Ezekiel bread with a sliced apple and sugar snap peas.
Nice and filling.
Question of the Afternoon
- Have you ever felt really uncomfortable in a group exercise class?
The most uncomfortable I’ve ever felt during a group exercise class was when I took my first hot yoga class at a real yoga studio. Yikes. I was waaay out of my element. I’ve also felt really, really lost during a step aerobics class, but I just laughed at my lack of coordination and kept stepping and tried my best to pretend I knew what I was doing.
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oh my gosh – I feel so bad for her and I wasn’t even there! I am glad there was someone to help her out. I always feel lost in step aerobics too. . . I am just not coordinated enough for it! Are you loving Body Pump 84? I think the shoulder track is a killer!
the shoulder track was so hard! but in the best way. taking bodypump again just makes me miss it even more!
I tried a Les Mills Body Jam class once……it was hysterically awful. I was totally uncoordinated in a class of extremely coordinated people!
UGH! I can totally relate to Caroline! The first time I went to a yoga class at a real studio, I was having such a hard time and was getting cramps in my feet, and the instructor informed me it was because I was overweight. Needless to say, I never went back. LOL!
Oh my gosh that poor girl! Whenever I try a new group fitness class, my horrific scenario is exactly what happened to that woman! I hate being singled out but the fact the instructor didn’t help… UGH, I would cry. Run and cry haha!
I didn’t have a bad fitness class experience except I got a little windy during pilates. THAT was embarrassing because I was taking it at college. Needless to say, I stayed in my dorm more than usual that week.
Wow. That’s awful! Everytime I have tried a new class I try my hardest to look around and fit in so that I don’t appear “new” for fear of these types of situations! Poor girl!
Ummm yikes that is literally my worst nightmare. I once had a personal trainer single me out on an eliptical to tell me that this was the worst piece of equipment to be using for “my body type” (a comment I’m still confused by). Nothing like a little unsolicited mortification to promptly end your workout!
Caitlin – That to me is the worst! Its hard enough to get that motivation to get to the gym!
That actually happened to me once, too! I just looked at the guy and said, “You know what, I’ve had an awful day and it’s a miracle I’m even here so just leave me alone.” He never talked to me again after that, but I’m pretty sure it’s because he thought I was crazy…not necessarily because he felt bad. Either way, it got the job done!
omg that poor woman! My worst experience was going to a Barre class in Charleston and the instructor didn’t come into the room until right when class was starting (so I couldn’t introduce myself as never taking a barre class) and she didn’t even acknowledge me until after the class was over, and that was only to get me to sign a waiver!
hahaha I just took a pole dancing class last night with my friend and some of the moves made me feel awkward LOL but other than that, I’ve never had that experience. Poor Caroline. I would have been completely turned off
I would say step aerobics for sure. This white girl ain’t got not rhythm.. except on a spin bike (which is kinda weird).
I thought it was the job in the instructor to help new people out?! My BodyPump instructor always helps new people and explains the weights and stuff to them. She makes a point to help them rather than other people in the class because she’s the professional! Poor Caroline. 🙁
i’ve never seen a bodypump instructor do this before and, like you, have only seen them be extremely helpful. i was really surprised!
I took hot yoga for awhile and I never do things like that so I felt super awkward. But the instructor said we should take it easy the first class and even suggested we just watch (since the heat was a little much). I gave it my best try though! I think it’s essential that the instructor make newbies feel as comfortable as possible…especially if they want them to keep coming back! I don’t know what your instructor was thinking! Sheesh. Poor Caroline!
The worst experience I had was during a step aerobics class. I’m so uncoordinated and couldn’t keep up with the choreography at all. I was there just to work up a sweat and have fun, but the teacher kept calling me out in front of the whole class. Correcting me and saying I was doing the steps wrong. I’m not proud of it but that’s the only group exercise class I’ve ever walked out of right in the middle. 🙁 I haven’t been back to that class but I do love Body Pump!
Oh man! BodyPump is no joke! You need at least a little instruction to know what to do!! How sad. I’m glad she had someone to at least show her what weights to get!
My first time in BodyPump, I had no idea what to expect! I thought I was pretty strong but I kept having to stop and take weight off. It’s killer! 🙂
I totally feel for Caroline and you Julie! I took a Step class recently and boy can you say two left feet! I didn’t know which way we were going, always way behind and couldn’t get the steps right to save my life! Glad to know I’m not the only one! Ps. Sadie is adorable. My husband and I had a Vizsla, best breed ever!
In college I feel like FSU’s gym was where you went when you were already super in shape and were there to socialize. I felt so uncomfortable doing the weights and machines, and surprisingly the group classes is where I felt the most comfortable. I would go with my sorority sisters and we would help each other out or encourage each other! I even went to a few classes alone and it was great because everyone there really wanted to get in a great workout rather than stand around, socialize, and judge.
I don’t do classes and that would’ve made me walk out. Poor girl. I hope you see her again!
That’s awful! It’s definitely intimidating trying a new class for the first time, especially if you don’t know anyone else in the class to give you pointers or help you out. Glad Caroline stayed and hopefully she’ll continue to come back. Hopefully that instructor won’t make the same mistake to other new comers!
Oh my gosh! I would have been so embarrassed! A little insensitive of the instructor!
In other news I’m about 1/3 of the way through The Secret Keeper and I think it’s great so far! Really keeping me questioning what happened!
i’m so glad to hear that! i’m having a hard time getting into it so far, but i’m not very far yet!
During this one class where you lifted hand held weights mixed in with lots of cardio (like burpees and stuff), I said to the teacher, “I would rather use these weights for hours than do burpees for 10 minutes…and in front of the whole class she said, “That’s because you pick the lightest weights possible, Sonja. It’s not like you’re even lifting weights at all.” ARGH!
Step is a tricky class for the uncoordinated (read: ME). I tend to stick to easy ones like Spin so I can suffer in silence 😉
Gosh that was really awkward of her! I feel really awkward in zumba… Mostly because I am a horrible dancer with no rhythm haha!
Poor girl! I recently started pump too and so far have had 2 different instructors. Both of them went through the basic moves, told me what to expect, helped me with the weights… I didn’t feel at such a loss and as a result fell in love wih pump. It’s definitely a class where every beginner needs a minimum of guidance!
i agree. there is also a lot of set up involved with bodypump, so i was shocked when the instructor didn’t at least explain what the woman would need for the class.
I can’t believe the instructor did that!! I hope that was not her first gfit experience ever…I would have been mortified!! At least she had nice participants to help her out 🙂
My most uncomfortable class was also a hot yoga class. It seemed like no one else in there was sweating in there and I thought I was going to drown in a pool of sweat. There was no talking before or after the class either so I felt like I totally didn’t belong. Luckily any other group fitness class I have taken was great.
I’ve been made to feel uncomfortable in a Zumba class before, but was able to laugh it off. Singling someone out publicly like that is just never a good idea. No one wants to be the newbie!
gah that poor woman! When an instructor asks if its anyone’s first class I never raise my hand for fear of being singled out, that woman basically lived my worst fear about group classes
That is so frustrating!!! I hate when instructors take the time to find out if anyone is new, but then don’t really do anything to make them more comfortable in the class. It’s like just pointing out that they are new so that EVERYONE knows that they are new. That really stinks and I absolutely know how that feels.
Thats so awkward to address someone individually like that. At least the woman was a great sport and stuck it out!
That is so horrible! One thing that I love about BodyPump (and any Les Miles class) is that the instructors are consistently very good – I guess there are exceptions to every rule. My most uncomfortable class was unfortunately a weekly experience. My gym only offered one power yoga class a week and the instructor was amazing. I took her class every week and every week for at least a month she asked me my name and each time I said, “Andrea”. Well one week, she kept praising Julie and saying great job Julie to which I thought nothing of, until I was the only one in the class doing a difficult move and she said, “Great job Julie.” It was then that I realized that I was Julie. I didn’t want to correct her in the middle of the class, so every week for about a year (until I moved to Denver) I was Julie. In fact, one day I was in the gym with my husband and I ran into my yoga instructor and she waved and said, “Hi Julie”. My husband couldn’t stop laughing.
i agree! i’ve never had a really bad experience with a les mills instructor – i was pretty surprised! and that is hilarious about your “alter ego!” 🙂
Aw man, that’s not cool.. The instructor could have said that to be playful and then help her out! That’s just irresponsible and completely unprofessional.. I would NEVER do that to a student..
i used to be intimidated by body pump, my thankfully my aunt is an instructor at gold’s gym and always makes me feel welcome.
check out my blog post today about zumba – no weights needed and it’s easy to catch on! i love it: http://runningathousandmiles.blogspot.com/2013/01/zumba-zumba-zumba.html
I went to a yoga class with my newly pregnant sister in law a couple of weekends ago. She was only 11 weeks at the time, but had to tell the instructor for safety reasons. The instructor proceeded to preface every difficult pose instruction with “If you’re not 11 weeks pregnant…”
So for instance, “If you’re not 11 weeks pregnant go into a twist, if you are, go into child’s pose”.
She said it every time! my sister in law laughed it off as good fun, but someone more uptight would have been pretty annoyed! Especially since it was so early on in her pregnancy and she was only telling people on a need to know basis.
Oh my goodness! I am absolutely SHOCKED that the instructor did that to Caroline! I would have felt completely embarrassed.
I try to laugh off awkward and embarrassing situations when they come to me and not let it get me down! Hopefully Caroline can do the same and all others who has this happen to them!
I wonder why the instructor even asked if anyone was new.
I love Zumba, but the worst group class I’ve ever taken was a Zumba class. When I was a member at the Y in Green Bay I decided to visit another Y across town with a different instructor. The instructor stood in the middle of the crowd and didn’t give any verbal instruction. It would have been fine if everyone could see her or if she was doing basic moves, but she was not! At that point I had been going to Zumba for over a year and I was still completely lost. And she did have a mic because she would randomly yell awkwardly things like “woo hoo!” I ended up walking out because I felt like I was going to run into other people!
This makes me want to cry! I’m not confrontational, but I probably would have said something to the instructor after. I have *zero* idea why she would do that, but she needs to know it’s unacceptable. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, you can email the GM your experience. Just give them plenty of information and they should be able to ‘re-train’ their instructor. I promise, they’d rather have that information than let that instructor keep running loose. (I used to be a sales manager at Gold’s Gym and I appreciated criticism as much as praise.)
They’re supposed to be fostering a nurturing, learning, work in progress environment. Shame on her. Also, BP rocks!
Damn girl liftin’ heavy with those blues!
OMG! Is that instructor serious!? Who does that!?
I’ve definitely been new to class before and always appreciate when an instructor comes over to check in or fill me in on the class structure. I specifically see spin instructors do this regularly which I think is absolutely necessary given the specific basic knowledge one needs for the call outs.
That instructor is out of line and if I were that person, I’d feel so awkward and quite possibly never go back to the class again.
My worst first class was Zumba. Everyone else was a regular so had the moves down… I was all over the place. On top of the fact I can’t dance. I was fortunate enough to have a head start in yoga, because I took it in college so beside some realignments, I was never “singled” out.
I felt uncomfortable during my first Zumba class because danicing has never been a strong point of mine. Luckily the instructor is GREAT and I’ve been a regular ever since!
Oh my goodness – I feel bad for Caroline & I wasn’t even in the class. Poor girl. Instructors really can make or break a class for me. I used to teach spin & I always tried to make new people feel welcome & ensure they felt comfortable on their bike.
That is so rude! Things like that are exactly why I never do group exercise classes….
Yes! I took a Pilates class once that was a little too advanced for me. I felt like such a schmo when the instructor kept coming over to me to fix my form in the middle of class. Eek, awkward..
That’s terrible! I can’t believe the instructor did that! It’s very irresponsible since bodypump is hard to navigate at first. It requires a lot of equipment and you never know how much weight to put on when you first start going. 🙁 this makes me sad. Maybe you can say something to the gym about that instructor, because someone could get hurt!
Shouldn’t it be the instructors job to help others out. That is very odd. You should try and make everyone feel comfortable in a class. I definitely think instructors can make or break a class for me!
I second the Zumba comments! My friend and I went together our first time, and the only instruction the chick gave us was “stand in the back and try to follow along” Once the music started, it seemed like I had suddenly grown an extra left foot and forgot that my arms are attached to my body at the shoulders. To top it off, everyone else was regulars and socialized before and after the class, as my friend and I stood around awkwardly waiting to get to the lockers.
That sucks for her! I am glad someone else in the class was nice and helpful. The first Zumba class I ever went to, the instructor singled me out for not doing one dance correctly- it was a very Latin dance, and I just couldn’t do it. She was being playful, but to be honest, I was soooo mad. In fact, I never went to her class again and just went to another instructor’s class. One time after my first Step class (so much harder than it sounds!) a lady in the class who clearly goes regularly came up to me and said “good job, I am so glad you came” etc. I am sure she did it because she could tell I was new, but it was nice that she came over, and also nice that she didn’t point out the fact that I was new. Ok, this is long- I am sure we all have good/bad gym stories!
BodyPump is a class that is very important to have a little guidance in if you are new. You can really injure yourself if they don’t teach you proper form. I don’t know what that instructor had going on in her mind when she did that, but that’s not cool.
I also struggle with Step classes. An instructor never made me feel bad but I just can’t get into the flow of it and then I end up not getting a good work out. I’m just not coordinated enough. Tell me to do a jumping jack, I’m good.
Yes! I actually posted about this on my blog yesterday! I am trying to get over my fear. 🙂
That is too bad! The instructor should have discussed modifications she could make to any exercises that may be beyond her current level and give an initial dose of encouragement and welcome. I actually went to an aerobics class last week where it was the instructor’s second time ever teaching, and it was a little awkward because I could tell she was nervous. I’d be nervous too, but it was still kind of awkward- multiple awkward pauses throughout the class.
Poor Caroline!! Just reading this, I was uncomfortable for her!
I’ve never had a bad experience in a group class, thank goodness, but I seem to be the person my TRX trainers like to pick on in class. It’s all in good fun, and I’m {pretty} sure they only do it because they know I like joking around!