The Worst Type of Group Exercise Instructors

How many of you take group exercise classes? I think they are the best way you can get your money’s worth at a gym. These are fitness professionals who basically are as close to “personal training” as you can get without paying extra. They are there for you, motivating you, fixing your form, and making sure you get a good workout. Take a class at your gym! Try Zumba, Pilates, Yoga, Kickboxing, Tai Chi, BODYPUMP, Bootcamp! It is a fun way to meet people and a great way to learn something new. Change up the routine and take a group exercise class! And if you’re in Boston, come take my Pilates class at BSC!

A lot of the reason why some instructors have really high attendance versus really low or mediocre attendance is because of the personality of the instructor. In addition to being professional and knowing their stuff, is he or she infectious? Open? Motivating? People come back because they like seeing, hearing, and being around their instructor. I’ve made so many good friends and built strong relationships by getting to know my students before, during, and after class. It’s one of the best perks of my job. I love teaching!!! And I love my students!!!

So with that said, here is a funny blog post I found about the types of instructors that you may encounter at the gym. Some of these people may just be starting out, so cut them some slack and try attending again in 6 months. But if they are still continuing to bore you/scare you/intimidate you then I think we have a bigger issue at hand!

1. The Perpetual Screamer Characteristics:- can’t survive without screaming or yelling their heads off into the mike,- somehow believes that everyone else is hard of hearing, except Self,- loves hearing own voice projections through the mike,- leaves everyone with a earache or headache by the end of the class.

2. The Sound-Blaster Characteristics:- close cousin of the ‘screamer’,– has a knack of upping the volume of the sound system to MAXIMUM,- addicted to the sound of LOUD music BLARING away in the background – somehow equates teaching ability to LOUDNESS of music,- major cause of long-term hearing loss for unfortunate participants.

3. The Energizer Bunny Characteristics:- full of energy; never seems to tire,- expects ALL class participants to be of the SAME fitness level as self,- conducts classes at ALL-OUT intensity,- chides anyone who fails to keep up with the class tempo,- fails to take into account new participants or those with lower fitness levels.

4. The Regurgitator Characteristics:- regurgitates the SAME choreography or SAME music umpteen times, – simply too lazy or too indifferent to source for NEW routines/music,- convinced that participants do not mind familiarity or repetition,- number ONE cause of class boredom for participants.

5. The Absolute Disaster Characteristics:- CAN’T seem to remember exercise steps or choreography,- CAN”t seem to follow musical beats,- doesn’t know how to cue or instruct an exercise class, – afraid of standing in front of class,- looks confused and lost,- leaves participants confused and lost.

6. The Sophisticator Characteristics:- loves to use sophisticated and complex steps in choreography,- more concerned with ‘impressing’ people than anything else,- self-absorbed in own ‘performance’ in front of class , – cannot understand why class has difficulty following the routine,- gets irked by members who seem ‘lost’ during the routine.

7. The Out-Of-Shape Instructor Characteristics:- often underweight/overweight/unfit,- in worse physical condition than some class participants,- often out-of-breath and in need of breaks while leading the class,- in denial of own physical state.

Content borrowed from: http://singaporefitness.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/singapores-worst-aerobics-and-group-exercise-instructors/