Spin Class No No's

[Julibird]

Think about how the instructor will view this.
He/she has invested time and money to be certified. She views herself as knowledgeable and a leader. Now here comes some new kid who read something on the interweb and is now telling her how wrong she is.
I'm just sayin...

Yes...but Jen Sage is one of the best known and respected presenters for MDA/Spinning. She has written some of the curriculum, she is one of a small number of headlined presenters at their largest conference in Miami, attended by people from all over North and South America (including the perhaps more familiar Coach Troy of Spinervals who presents smaller workhops).

It may be a subculture - but if you're in it (an instructor), you might receive her words without taking offense. Maybe.

[Tuckervill]

You could also present it as a question. "I read about this, here, and I was wondering what you thought about this advice?"

Karen

[Flybye]

I think I should preface this a bit. I live in a town with a population of about 15,000, give or take a few. The gym is new. The instructor is young. When I tell people that I am taking a spinning class, they say "a what?"

In the classes that I have taken, there have been only 3 students, including myself. That leaves plenty of time for the instructor to chatter and to ask why someone isn't doing what she has instructed.

I realize that she has gone through certification somewhere, but I also realize that as a "consumer" I have a responsibility not to put my trust in her and her training entirely. Heck, I don't even do that with physicians who have a phd. Not even entirely in Funhog or others with their suggestions (sorry). I also think that if she is doing something that is dangerous or could cause harm to another student, it is SOMEONE'S responsibility to say something, be that me or someone else. I would hope that if one of you who had more experience came to class with me and noticed the instructor doing something wrong, you would feel free to approach the instructor graciously. It might squash an ego for a bit, but the benefit outweighs the risk. The benefit would be long lasting - who knows how many classes the instructor might teach and for how many years and how many students. I think that each teacher is different, as well. Some may be completely unapproachable. But then again, that is the most fun kind of person to approach. Guess that's the naughty side of me coming out. I like to get under the skin.

Now here comes some new kid who read something on the interweb and is now telling her how wrong she is.

I work with people as a Licensed Social Worker. I have a little couth, when I summon it - I have been known to handle thinks perty prefessnally - once, I think, back in 1987. Thanks for calling me a kid. Never too old to hear that one - but don't tell my three kids you called me that - they might get big ideas!


Just my $.02

[Crankin]

When I was an aerobics instructor I worked really hard to keep my class SAFE. I knew some clients didn't come to my class because i didn't do certain moves that they viewed as hard and "good" for them, when in reality, they didn't do anything but hurt you. I really didn't care. When I go to spin class, if I don't hover or do the silly jumps, the instructor pretty much knows why! But, some of the spin instructors, i.e. the ones who aren't cyclists keep doing this stuff. I am not sure why if the training is telling them these moves are contraindicated.
I think the list presented above is excellent and most people who go to spin regularly will understand it!

[Tuckervill]

I think I should preface this a bit. I live in a town with a population of about 15,000, give or take a few. The gym is new. The instructor is young. When I tell people that I am taking a spinning class, they say "a what?"

I know that feeling! You should see the looks on faces in my small southern town when I say I went on a cruise with Barenaked Ladies!

I realize that she has gone through certification somewhere, but I also realize that as a "consumer" I have a responsibility not to put my trust in her and her training entirely. Heck, I don't even do that with physicians who have a phd. Not even entirely in Funhog or others with their suggestions (sorry). I also think that if she is doing something that is dangerous or could cause harm to another student, it is SOMEONE'S responsibility to say something, be that me or someone else. I would hope that if one of you who had more experience came to class with me and noticed the instructor doing something wrong, you would feel free to approach the instructor graciously. It might squash an ego for a bit, but the benefit outweighs the risk. The benefit would be long lasting - who knows how many classes the instructor might teach and for how many years and how many students.

I completely agree! And if you can't change the instructor's mind, you can always serve as a good example. I don't do anything in my boot camp class that I think will make me sore later (but I still do something), and I feel free to modify at will. Some people are so rule bound that they wouldn't DREAM of doing anything other than exactly what the instructor says. So I modify, and that lets everyone who is feeling stressed over it relax a little, and then they are modifying and doing only what they CAN do.

And guess what? I can now do EVERYTHING in the class, because I went at my own pace and did what I could and kept trying and didn't get discouraged and refused to feel guilty about anything I couldn't do. [This is a class run by PTs so nothing they do is unsafe. Hard but never unsafe!]

Karen