I called it after dinner yesterday.
A repeat of last night’s turkey bacon, spinach and tomato sandwich for lunch today!
It was simply too good not to eat again. 
Piloxing and the Ideal Group Exercise Instructor
Before lunch today, I headed to the gym to take a Piloxing class. I’ve taken Piloxing one other time at my gym and had a blast, so I was excited to try it with a new instructor today.
The instructor who taught today’s class also teaches the TRX class I’m currently loving, so I had a good feeling about her going into the class. She definitely didn’t disappoint! Today’s class was significantly more challenging than the first one I took and featured more cardio and boxing than Pilates which left me nice and sweaty!
My experience in today’s class reminded me yet again just how different the same exercise class can be with a different instructor.
At our old gym in Orlando, I had a handful of instructors whose classes I always looked forward to because I loved their enthusiasm and the way they pushed me out of my comfort zone.
These are the traits I look for in a quality group exercise instructor:
- Energetic (but doesn’t try to get class participants to hoot and holler by saying things like, “Are you feelin’ it… C’mon, I can’t hear you!?!)
- Does the majority of the workout with you
- Selects motivating music with a great beat
- Does the workout at the hardest level, but shows modifications in case class participants need to take it down a notch
- Educated and shares their fitness knowledge (describes what muscles you’re working, etc.)
- Starts and ends classes on time
What do you think?
Question of the Afternoon
- Describe your ideal group exercise instructor!
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Haaa! I love this. I most definitely agree with your list.
I would have to add on to it having an instructor that takes the class seriously as well and respects the fact that you might be DYING. At my school gym we have this instructor who giggles the whole time shes teaching and it drives me insane. At first I thought she was laughing at me because I was doing the exercise wrong or something and it would make me really self-conscious.
I’m actually taking Zumba with this one place. And all the instructors there are sooo AWESOME! They are so energetic and let you know that if you don’t get something the first time it’s ok but just keep moving, which is most important. I like how they remind us to drink plenty of water & take breaks if you need to. Some instructors are not like that and I don’t like that. Ppl are at different levels & instructors need to realize that but not all do but at this place they do. I would love to try the Piloxing though 😀
Wow! I teach a bunch of different exercise classes and for the most part I meet your criteria but in Zumba, Step and TKB i’m always “hootin and hollerin” and asking the class “how y’all doin!?” and encouraging people to sing along etc. But yikes after seeing how many people hate that it looks like I should lay off…
Erica – I don’t think you should lay off! I also teach Zumba and cheer and encourage people to sing, that is the nature of the Zumba class. do not stop 🙂
Well that’s the thing, I feel like the class likes it and feeds off the energy. I don’t mean to be annoying but haha wooping, shouting and singing is just the way I am 😛
i think you can read your class – in the zumba classes i’ve taken, people seem to love that! i don’t mind hooting and hollering at all, i just don’t like it when the instructors try to MAKE class participants hoot and holler back by asking “how ya doing? i saaaaid, how are you DOING?” and stuff like that. 🙂
Erica – I don’t think you should lay off! I also teach Zumba and cheer and encourage people to sing, that is the nature of the Zumba class. do not stop 🙂
I loved this post! I have never taken a group fitness class before but am beginning college to become a personal trainer! I will definitely keep these things in mind that make a great exercise instructor!
I became a vegetarian a 5 years ago and the thing I missed most was bacon! I came across the Morning Star vegetarian bacon and decided to give it a try….Well we are in LOVE (even my husband the non vegetarian). It has half the amount of fat and still packs a good punch for protein. Just thought I would mention since I know you are always looking for something healthy 😉
My ideal instructor is not a drill sergeant. I took a step class a few months ago and the teacher was yelling at us. She said she didn’t cater to new people. So I left after 10 minutes. Exercising is supposed to be a positive experience and make you feel good. That woman obviously didn’t know that.
Love this post! It’s so funny to read what irks people and what people love. 🙂 I think it really depends on the class as far as whether the instructor should participate. For yoga, I like my instructor to walk around and correct me, but for something more fun/upbeat, they should be huffin’ and puffin’ like the rest of us!
I gotta be able to understand them!!! I just took a yoga sculpt (hot flow yoga plus weights= killer workout!!!) class today, and while the instructor is a BEAST and does everything along with us while managing to still walk the room…I couldn’t understand half of what she said and spent the first three reps of a move trying to figure out what weights we were supposed to have or we were supposed to do.
Hoot and holler…haha. Gangsta 🙂
I can tell you that the WORST thing is when they count slowly when you are in a class like pilates (or I go to the Dailey Method). You are holding a plank and they say “5 more seconds!” And then count down, taking about 20 seconds to get from 5 to 1!!! blerrrrggggg
I agree! I love taking Zumba, but I hate taking it with an instructor who makes the class feel bad if they aren’t yelling, laughing and smiling. Sometimes I just want to go to the gym after work and not worry about how happy I look — just let me get in a good workout, I’ve already had a long day :).
I apprecaite you writing this..I teach zumba and I do tell the class to smile and “HAVE FUN!!” but I can see how it may be annoying. sometimes it’s hard not to take it personally when you are teaching that the class looks so serious and miserable, but maybe they really are having fun but just dont want to be all “cheery”.. so thank you for reminding me of this!
I agree with your list! I’m not too picky about BodyPump instructors, since they’re following a set “routine,” but for spin class, my favorite instructor is the one who always swtiches things up, has great music, & keeps the class exciting. I had one instructor who constantly played the same music & did the same stuff over & over again & I simply stopped going to her class because I was bored!
I totally agree with all of the above, also, I like when they correct you without making you feel dumb. I must admit that at my gym the instructors lack a lot 🙁 So I’m just waiting to go back to school and work with the instructors in there 😉
I agree with most of this, however I think the reason why group fitness instructors ask participants to “scream” is not only to pump up the energy in the room, but also because if you can make vocal noise it means you aren’t holding your breath (which I subconsciously do while sweating my way through a brutal exercise).
The actual instructor makes such a difference in a class. My favorites are people who will make me sweat, correct my form, have an amazing energy and encourage the class to have a little fun. Often times I don’t even like the actual group fitness class, but because the instructor is so motivating and fun to take class with I keep coming back
Great post, I completely agree with your list and would like to add:
1. ALWAYS exercises both sides of the body evenly–My OCD comes out when they forget to do the same amount of reps or time on each side.
2. Doesn’t take too long in between activities–I’ve been to an instructor recently that gives each person in the class a different exercise and has everyone rotate after about 60 seconds. Explaining each move and setting up the stations takes 10 minutes. That is 10 minutes I could be sweating!
3. Does not lie about how many reps are left–I seriously get angry!
As an instructor who teaches lots of formats, I loved this post and all of the comments about what people do and do not like in a group exercise instructor. I think the most important thing is to make sure your student know you genuinely care about them. Everyone is going to have their pet peeves, and you can’t ever please everyone, but I think when the instructor is there for the right reason (to help and motivate his/her class) that really shows through!
I am in school currently at UCF and I just took a class with the best spin instructor! She was so motivating! She reminded you why you came to the class and was constantly motivating you to do your personal best… it was never about anyone else! It was about how well you did battling yourself! I am going to her class on thursday because I missed the class so much! She told you what muscles you were working and reminded you the benefits of each part of the class. She even let us dance around the room if that is what we felt was best for our cool downs! She was the best instructor I have had, hands down! It was fun! Not a workout! (Yes, spin class was FUN!) Beside, maybe, our wonderful UCF Zumba instructor whom I will be so sad to see leave! She was the best instructor I have had… I will only take a class with her because I know the end result will be something I motivated myself for and did working as hard as I personally can.
I agree with the NO hooting and hollering! I also don’t like it when they only seem to work one side of the room (focus).
I love when they pick current music and play it at a normal volume…I don’t want to leave Bodypump with my muscles AND my ears dying! lol
I completely agree with you about the ideal instructor doing the majority of the workout with you at the hardest level and just demonstrating modification. It makes me so angry when an instructor is telling you to do something hard and they stop in the middle of the exercise. i think its so much more motivating when you see someone doing it with you!
My all-time favorite instructor always did the whole workout at the hardest level. She played great music and was great about communicating with the class. She always seemed so prepared too. I could tell she really planned her workouts in advance and practiced steps for classes that had choreography.