Today I taught my first group exercise class. Hooray!
Isn’t my microphone oh-so-fancy!?
Though I was slightly nervous during the hours leading up to the class, I was busy the entire day so I didn’t have a ton of time to think about teaching and really let my nerves get the best of me which was a very good thing!
I arrived at the gym about an hour and a half before my shift started so I could sneak in a quick workout from Tina’s Best Body Boot Camp plan. After my workout, I showered at the gym and clocked in just before 9 a.m., ready to take a small handful of people through fitness assessments. The first woman I worked with was so enthusiastic about exercise and I cannot wait to train her in the future. We set up four sessions next week and I’m already looking forward to mapping out a workout plan for her.
Lunch
Lunch today was a grab-n-go affair. Luckily I packed lots of little things that I could quickly inhale in the break room between appointments.
All together my lunch included tuna salad, a whole wheat English muffin, a red pepper, strawberries and avocado slices.
I planned to toast the English muffin and make a tuna salad sandwich with the avocado, but I ended up eating my lunch in segments. Whatever works!
Eventually it was time to teach my first water fitness class. I got my music and microphone set up and headed outside in my fun Reebok “Love Fitness” t-shirt that the company sent me this month because I had a feeling the water aerobics crew would get a kick out of it!
The shirt is so soft and comfortable and the slight v-neck makes it much more flattering and feminine than some of the other workout shirts I own. It’s not clingy but it’s still shapely without being boxy. I feel like so many race t-shirts are boxy, so I am always happy when a workout t-shirt is cut with a little more shape.
Though I started teaching the class in the t-shirt, I had to take it off about halfway through and wear the black tank top I had underneath because it was so hot outside. I made a rookie mistake of not wearing any sunscreen and paid the price.
Yikes.
The class ended up going really well and I had a blast teaching it. My oldies but goodies workout playlist seemed to be a hit! Their favorites were “Soul Man,” “Hit the Road Jack” and “Peggy Sue.” (It didn’t hurt that there was a woman in the class named Peggy!) I took everyone through an aerobic workout and some intervals which seemed to go over well. It was a lot of fun!
After class, I showered at the gym (again) and got ready because a photographer came by to take pictures of all of the trainers and the group exercise instructors. I look super awkward in all of my photos, but at least they didn’t make me do the closed-mouth smile. We all know how fabulous I look doing that particular facial expression…
Once picture time was over, I left for the day and arrived home around 4:30 p.m. Now I’m blogging away and salivating over the smell of our crock pot dinner!
Time for f-o-o-d!
P.S. I know several of you out there have dogs like Sadie that don’t understand the concept of personal space, so I thought you might get a kick out of this cartoon that blog reader Emily sent to me:
(Source)
Ryan and I shared a laugh over that one!
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That is so my dog, Bella! She turned into a MAJOR lap dog (all 78 pounds of her) after I had surgery on my ankle and was confined to the sofa. Thankfully, now I’m a little more stable and mobile on my crutches so she isn’t so clingy. But I love the fact that she felt her only job was to take care of me =)
Well done on the first group class!!! You must be on a high! Also love the Reebok tee! Saw Courtney had the same one on today!
Glad your class went well! I LOVE that comic at the end it’s so, so true!
I’m so excited for you! That’s such a big milestone to teach your first class. I’m sure everyone had a BLAST!
Congrats on getting thru you first group class!! Sounds like a great success! Also, I love the tee…I would totally wear that!
Glad to hear the class went well! I am really curious about it and can’t wait to hear more 🙂 I feel ya on the tan line – I got the same one today.
Julie, I’m so glad that your first group exercise class went swimmingly (pun totally intended!) I knew that you’d totally rock it, but I was sending positive vibes your way today at the gym when I was huffing and puffing it away on the stairmaster 🙂
Congrats on teaching your first group class today! I bet you were great! I love the shirt. It’s so cute 🙂
Way to go Jules! I’m sure you are an amazing instructor!
That’s so cool~I’m sure group classes can be intimidating to teach, but so much fun and full of energy 🙂 And that cartoon is hilarious, so cute!
Congrats!!! It sounds like your new job is really fun and challenging which is perfect!
I am confused though, you’re not in the water when you teach a water class? Do you stand on the side of the pool? I’ve never taken a water aerobics class before!
I was surprised by this, too! At our gym, water fitness instructors actually teach on land so they can demonstrate movements so everyone can see the way their legs and arms are supposed to move under water.
Oh, that actually makes total sense! I guess it would be really hard to see what was going on under the water, unless you could master hand standing and demonstrating with your legs out of the water at the same time!
I’m glad your class went well! Congrats! That cartoon is funny. I don’t have any pets (right now) but I can totally imagine that.
Congrats on making it through your first class! I’m sure you had incredible energy and that they loved you. I see that you use the same mic that I use at some of my gyms. It helps to get a windscreen that covers the microphone part; it filters out breathing and any wind so that participants can hear you more clearly. Enjoy!
Awww congrats on teaching your first class! Did you get that post-class high after? i remember how nervous I was my first day teaching – smart on you keeping yourself busy!! It helps!!!
Congrats on your first class! I would have been nervous too. My moms Bermese Mtn Dog is the same way. Loves to literally sit on you!
Congrats on the class!! Thats so great! Love the head mic 🙂 and omg that cartoon is soo funny, my parents have 2 dogs like that lol
My dog doesn’t even try to make it seem like he wants to sit next to anyone, he jumps all over people and gives them kisses. No discrete movements for my little guy. Haha! I’m glad your first aquatics class went well! Everytime I did presentations in college, I always opted to go first because if I sit there and stew on the idea… The more nervous I get so I’m glad things kept you busy!
Congrats on your successful day! I would love to take a fitness class taught by you!
Yay!!!! I am so glad you liked the cartoon! I was cracking up when I saw it!
Yay for group fitness!! My first class I was super nervous. I’ve even had anxiety dreams about my ipod not working (which at some point probably won’t for you!). You will get a ton more comfortable as time goes on 🙂
Congrats on teaching your first class, that is so huge!
Working with people who are so excited bout making positive changes in their lives must be so exciting!
hahah I LOVE that cartoon! That is so my dog, but lucky for me he only weighs 4lbs 😀
Congrats on the class going well! Though sunburns are not exactly the most fun. I have that thing with race shirts, too – I only have a couple that actually look nice on me. The rest are kind of big and baggy and shapeless. Ah well. A shirt’s a shirt!
That cartoon NEEDS to be labeled as a vizsla! I type this as koda ‘stealthily” is snoring on my lap 🙂
Congrats on your first H2O class!!
Well done on the fitness class, I knew you’d do well 🙂 Shame about the lack of sunscreen but lesson learnt for next time.
I laughed at that cartoon and I don’t even own a dog at the moment.
How exciting!!! I have never taken an exercise class in the water but I’d love to try it. So glad your first class went well!
Glad your class went well! And thanks for that cartoon! That’s exactly how our 60-lb pitbulll is!
I’m so so happy for you! I’m glad your first group exercise class went over fabulously. Here’s to many more! 🙂
LOL… love the cartoon! Congrats on a successful first class!
Congrats on your first class!
Your lunch today was a lot like mine, more of a collection of snacks that I grazed on throughout the day. Great idea with the avocado, i never eat mine solo like that but why the heck not?? It’s delicious and nutritious 🙂
That dog comic – SPOT ON!!!!! I don’t know what it is with those poochies! But I love em anyways!
I’m glad your class went really well! It always works better when you don’t have time to dwell on something before you have to do it! The cartoon was really cute too.
Congrats on the first (of many!) group exercise fitness classes!! I love the workout mix you posted earlier and definitely going to be using that on my runs! Oldies music is the best 🙂
Your lunch looks deeeee-licious! And that dog comic could not be more perfect!
I am loving that shirt!!
Congrats on your first group fitness class! I am sure you are a great trainer!
Congrats on getting the first class out of the way~ it’ll get easier esp since you hae that under your belt 🙂
You look so professional! Congrats on your first class!!!
Congrats on a great first class and what a busy day…I’m sure you really are ready for food and relaxation! LOVE the dog cartoon…SO true 🙂
That cartoon is great! I have a cocker spaniel and he seems to think that people are his toys! If Im on the ground, I get sat on.
Congrads on the water fitness class! Looks like a blast!
OMG, that is SO my dog!! He also makes sure to walk RIGHT IN FRONT of us and totally gets in our way when navigating around the house. It drives my hubs nuts. 🙂
Congratulations on a great first class!
Love the microphone! I would totally feel like Britany Spears 😉 I hope to have a microphone too when I become a zumba instructor. 2 showers in one day..whew, must have been busy! And the comic is perfect and also applies to cats because my Kitty will try to fit into the smallest most awkward spaces too!
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Teaching group fitness has to be so fun!!
If I had to guess, that cartoon is exactly what goes through my 87 lb lap dogs head!
Yay! Congrats on rocking your first class! Sorry about the sunburn,that’s never fun!
So glad your first class went well! It sounds like you had a blast, and not having time to worry or think about it is definitely always a good thing. That graphic at the end is hilarious! Last night while I was doing an at home workout I had a little buddy right by my side, trying to entice me with his rope and then giving up and laying right down on my mat so I would pet him haha. Love dogs!
Yeyy for the fist class!
I don’t have any pets, but my boyfriend likes to do this all the time 🙂
haha!!!!! that cartoon is hilarious! My boxer Reina does the same thing. 50 pounds right in your lap and face literally in your face– she can’t help herself!!!
Congrats on your class!
That cartoon is hilarious!
For teaching a water class, do you have to get in the pool too?
Congrats on the successful assessments and class! I may have to borrow that cartoon because that was our 70lb coon hound last night, trying to get on the couch with me!
The Kidless Kronicles
Love the cartoon! My golden retriever/lab is the same way!
Hahaha that is so my dog! And congrats on rockin’ it! This is probably just my ignorance, but I don’t understand what kind of class it is. Are you in the water? What kind of workout is it?