Venting

[Raindrop]

I teach seven cycle/spin classes a week...one of them at a community center. Last week I had a couple of women come in who hadn't ever attended before, so I greeted them, and set them up on their bikes.

During the beginning of my classes I always explain the goal of the class, proper form and pedal stroke and RPE. We are in the warm-up anywhere from 8 to 10 minutes and then proceed to a moderate effort before getting into the "meat" of the workout (about 10 - 15 minutes in). By the time we get to that point, I explain that they should be at a perceived exhertion level that has them breathing deeper and although still able to talk, not wanting to carry on a conversation. (Just one of the cues I use to help newbies to understand).

One of the women gives me a hard look, works for awhile and then blurts out, "You mean we can't talk at all??!!" I explain that sure they can talk, but if they're able to easily hold a conversation they might not be working at a level that will cause a conditioning response...and besides, a conversation during this point of the class would ruin it for the other members that were focusing on their ridel.

She was pretty quiet after that, but I knew she wasn't happy about it.

Later, after the class was over she came over to tell me that they (her and the friend), had a wedding shower to plan, and I kind of ruined it for them. I said that the planning was better done before or after the class...or, if they wanted to be working out while doing their planning it would be more productive to take it out to the bikes on the aerobic floor...you know, so they wouldn't be interuppted by the music, and my cues. (Yes, I said this very nicely and meant it totally....but talking during the my class should happen before or after, maybe a little bit during the warm-up. Otherwise, you're not there to work, IMHO).

OK...just my little vent about talkers in class....back to t subject at hand.

[Tuckervill]

I don't spin, but that drives me crazy in boot camp, too. You're lowering the intensity of the whole group if your conversation is more important than the next thing the instructor is about to tell us to do. If he has to wait between activities for you to finish your sentence, then my heart rate is going down during that break and I don't want that! (Of course, if the instructor would be a little less polite, I'd like that, too!)

Karen

[Miranda]

I put some blab in the other thread about this, but repeat a bit of that...

Try:

1) wearing decible lowering ear plugs to cut out some breathers, but still hear the cues;

2) close your eyes and focus on you, not the distraction you see with your eyes open.


fwiw

Miranda