What if you could get inside the minds of your students? It’s common to hear compliments from your regulars about what you are doing well, but what about the students who come once and decide never to return? So far, we have explored the importance of preparation, and welcoming every student. This week, we'll consider the need for tact and professionalism, even when the complaint is valid.
Imagine that you are unpacking your gym bag after class. There is a note sitting on top. It says…
Dear Instructor,
Let me start by saying that I am a workout junkie. I have tried every kind of exercise and class there is: running, yoga, Cross Fit, Personal Training, kickboxing to just name a few. And, you know, of all the types of workouts I've tried, indoor cycling here at this club is my all-time favorite. I love it here. The team is fantastic and I enjoy every instructor and every class. Everyone is unique and provides something a little bit different, so I get a well-rounded routine by coming throughout the week. Not many places can offer that.
But I have to ask you a question — do you like it here? I can tell that you are passionate about teaching and cycling. I appreciate that you put a lot of effort into your classes and I'm impressed that you seem quite knowledgeable about riding. But it seems that you can't stand this place. The things I have heard you say about the other instructors and the management here are really unnerving. Sometimes you complain about little stuff that would probably annoy me too, like the fan or the mic being busted. That's not so awful. But it is awful when you speak badly of the other teachers. In fact, I really do not like it when you go off on my favorite instructor. She has so much energy and excitement! I really look forward to her classes and I think your comments are out of line. I understand what you said about jumps and I agree that she does them kind of fast. But don't you think you'd be better off telling her privately what you think is wrong instead of trashing her to your students? That is so unprofessional! And it makes you look really petty to complain that the other instructors teach stuff you don't like. If you are so educated, why don't you just tell them instead of making us feel like jerks for liking their classes? Why would they even be teaching here if they were as terrible as you say they are? Have you even taken one of their classes to know whether this stuff is as bad as you think?
You really are a good instructor and I would hate to see you lose your support by focusing on the wrong stuff. I hope you'll take this as it was meant – to help you see that no one is going to listen to you as long as you are bad-mouthing others, especially if they happen to like the other instructor better. It doesn't matter how smart you are if you are being self-righteous when you do it.
Sincerely,
Diplomatic Debbie
Have you ever been one of the characters in this scenario? Is it ever okay to speak negatively about your employer or another instructor to your students? If you were the director at this club and learned of this situation, would you have anything to say to the instructor or the student?
What if you could get inside the minds of your students? It’s common to hear compliments from your regulars about what you are doing well, but what about the students who come once and decide never to return? Last week, we explored the importance of preparation, which opened up a great discussion about our responsibilities and how much is too much to expect of the instructor. This week, we'll examine a different type of rider and a different type of issue.
Imagine that you are unpacking your gym bag after class. There is a note sitting on top. It says…
Dear Cycle Instructor,
Hi. My name is Emily. I came to your class last week – the one where you played that great Rihanna remix and had us do those really hard intervals. My legs are still shaky that class was so hard! I'd never done any kind of cycling before. It was cool. I loved your music and I thought class was fun. But, I dunno, I just really felt left out of the whole thing. Do I have to come more times before I feel like I belong? I guess I was sitting kind of towards the back, but that was because I didn't want anyone to watch me make a fool of myself. Was I so far in the corner you couldn't see me or something? You gave shout outs to everybody in the front row. They are probably your friends. Plus, you didn't even know my name, so I guess you couldn't. At one point you came over and gave a high-five to that kind-of heavy lady. She was doing a good job – it was cool that you cheered her on. I think that would have been great to get a high five from you. I mean, you are really motivating and everyone likes your class. I can see why they do. You are intimidating, but in a good way, especially when you said you were watching the athletes to be sure they don't cheat. I'm no athlete, that's for sure. Maybe that is why you skipped over me? I promise I was doing the best I could. I just really had no idea what I was doing.
So, I'm not sure whether or not I will come back. I'll probably give it another try, because it was fun. If I do, though, it would be so great if you could, you know, say hello or something. I mean, not anything huge or anything. You don't even have to like be my friend or whatever, I mean obviously we aren't friends yet, but just, I guess a little acknowledgement would be good. Just a “hey” or whatever. I guess what I am asking is, could you please help me feel welcome?
Thanks for considering,
Invisible Emily
How would you respond to Emily? What advice do you have for this instructor?
What if you could get inside the minds of your students? Wouldn't it be nice to receive a little feedback now and again?
Imagine that you are unpacking your gym bag after class. There is a note sitting on top. It says…
Dear Instructor,
Thank you. I appreciate what you did in class yesterday when those two women would not stop chatting. You tried your best. Please don't feel badly that they left. Those of us who stayed weren't sorry at all. I personally think you gave them more than enough chances to get with the program (maybe even too many). They either didn't realize or didn't care that all of your calls for quiet were directed at them. Short of getting off the bike and going right up to them, I'm not sure how you could have been clearer. I mean really. Four separate requests, each one a little more direct than the previous? They were just rude. Maybe you should have started with the comment that finally got them to leave. I believe you said something like, “This is not the place for conversation. If you must talk to each other, please do it outside the room.” That was great. You should use that first next time so we don't have to endure the pain of watching them disrespect you while we have to listen to their yammering. I know that it threw off your composure when they actually walked out, but please don't feel bad!! We don't.
See you next week!
Happy Helen
Having riders who do not respect the need for conversations to end when class begins is a frustration nearly all of us have faced at one point or another. There are numbers of creative ways that we as instructors can get the quiet we want from our students. There are also tactics that will cause more damage than good. What have your experiences been with talkers and how have you handled them? Did it always turn out well?
You met Dr. Shannon back on Podcast #200 and now she is an official ICI/PRO Team Member! This is the first in a four part series; Be The Instructor (Inspirer) Your Students Can’t Wait To See Again
Your alarm goes off and even the sun is still asleep. It’s time to get to your class and teach the best class of your life. But you don’t feel like it. Now what? It’s time to encourage YOU!
People have always told me that I am an encourager. I would agree. I love to encourage others. Well, actually I don’t think of it as “encouraging others”. Instead, I truly think of it as “seeing the best in others”, as well as almost every situation. (I say, “almost” because we all have those moments when we have a really bad attitude. When all we want to do is swear and think the worst about others or ourselves…. But then, if you’re like me, you realize that this kind of attitude gets you nowhere except into a deeper funk, which just makes everything worse. So my best advise to all of us is “choose to think the best about ourselves and others, and choose happy.” Deal? J) There is nothing quite as brilliant as mastering the art of encouraging others and yourself.
When you see the best in others, they will tend to see the best in you. It’s amazing to me how few people on this planet truly encourage and compliment others. That is, compared to the number of people who focus on the negative and are very vocal in their discouraging opinions about others, as well as themselves. Let’s face it; gossip is usually not the art of telling others how awesome they think someone is! Even total strangers will generously give you their negative comments or ask discouraging questions…I wouldn’t do that if I were you. That will never work. Why would you want to do that in this economy? …blah, blah, blah!
All of us need encouragement. Even on great days a little encouragement goes a long way. The art of encouraging begins with recognizing something unique, new or special in those around you. When you notice something worth noting in one of your students, don’t hesitate to let them know it. The art of building others up with genuine words of praise and recognition will draw others to you. Think about it, the last time you felt discouraged, how valuable was a single word of encouragement to you? Invaluable!
I believe this is why social media has become so popular and almost addictively pleasurable for many. It’s because the human population is desperate to be recognized, valued, and appreciated. Everyone wants to be noticed! That includes, you! The more you recognize and encourage others, the more others will notice you. It really is that simple, as long as your encouraging words are genuine and heart felt.
It goes back to something we all learned in kindergarten. I believe it’s referred to as the Golden Rule (because it is highly valuable), “Treat others the way you would like to be treated”. Am I right? Or am I right?
My Pastor used to say, “Pay attention, or you will have to pay somebody”. I like to think that if we master the art of paying attention, soon others will be paying us…a lot! How does that sound?
But what about those days when you yourself are feeling totally discouraged. First of all, it’s vitally important (especially when you pour into the lives of others) to have those individuals in your life (Your “Inner Circle”) that you can always count on to lift you up and remind you of whom you truly are. I have a dear friend, Noah St. John, who refers to them as “Loving Mirrors”. I like to think of them as my 1 of 11’s. What? 1 plus 1 does not equal 2 in my book, it equals 11. They are the people in your life who add exponential value by simply being there. They are the 1’s who keep us straight, who keep us up…especially on those days when we are not, and quite frankly, don’t really want to be…period! They are the 1’s who care even when we don’t!
The person at the top of your “1 of 11 List” must (and I repeat, must) be Y-O-U! There are going to be plenty of times in your life when you need to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and remind yourself that, “Yes you can! You can do it!” You have got to encourage yourself and be willing to do so, especially if no one else is doing it for you.
The simple act of encouraging yourself will totally encourage (and inspire) YOU and those around you. I guarantee it!
There is infinite power in the words that we think and speak. Seriously, have you ever thought about someone out of the blue and that same day you happen to run into them? Coincidence? Or is it evidence about how powerful our thoughts really can be? I like to think that my thoughts have power, how about you?
When you speak (whether with words or thoughts), let it be the language of creation, not destruction…encouragement, not discouragement. I believe that our lives are a product of the words that we speak and the questions that we ask ourselves. How encouraging are you? Do your words reflect positive expectation (hope) or negative reflection (despair)?
I encourage you to be the biggest encourager you know. However, this comes with one challenge. If you are the biggest encourager you know, people are going to want to know you. And you must be willing to encourage yourself; because no one else can do it as well as you can do it for yourself.
When I opened my own Fitness Studio several years ago, I had one woman that used to come to class, let’s refer to her as “Mary”. Mary was an older woman that was pretty de-conditioned. I remember seeing the look on her face, as we were amping up our intensity. She had this look of “OMG, I cannot do this…I think I’m going to die!” Without even thinking I said, “Yes you can, Mary! You can do hard things!” The look on her face changed and so did everything else.
This quickly became the mantra for the entire class…Yes we can! We can do hard things!
For years I have reminded others and myself (as I am reminding you today) that YES YOU CAN! YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS! When it comes to being the Instructor (Inspirer) that your students can’t wait to see again, YES YOU CAN! IT’S REALLY NOT THAT HARD! Pay attention…it will eventually pay you!
A person who joins the gym in early January because of their New Years Resolution. Resolutionists can be spotted by their pasty white skin, excessive fat, poor form, and blank look on their face as they stand next to any piece of gym equipment. Resolutionists usually migrate back to the couch any time from mid-January to early March.
“This damn Resolutionist has been on the Smith machine for 30 minutes. Maybe if he put more than 30 lbs on the bar and stopped taking 10 minute rests it wouldn't take so long. I can't wait until March”
And they're coming to a club or studio near you soon!
So how can we take advantage of their enthusiasm and create classes the are both appealing to them, while also help them learn the exercise we call Indoor Cycling properly?
Master Instructor Tom Scotto from Cycling Fusion joins me to discuss his ideas for creating special classes for these new students in the latest episode of the Podcast.
With the holidays rapidly approaching, we’ll soon feel the stress they bring.
Did you know one of the top stresses is weight gain? Alcohol can contribute to that in several ways. It’s often a big part of holiday celebrating and socializing, so let’s look at the ways.
– Alcohol has lots of calories.
Alcohol has 7 calories per gram. Protein and carbs yield 4 calories per gram. Only fats have more calories with 9 per gram.
– Alcohol triggers lots of insulin.
High insulin may trigger hypoglycemia in susceptible people. In turn, that may increase appetite, cause mood changes, or bring on cravings. Insulin also inhibits fat oxidation and may promote storage of the fats we eat.
– Alcohol increases appetite.
Drinking alcohol releases endorphins (beta-endorphin). Endorphins inhibit the center of the brain that makes us feel we’ve had enough food and won’t need more for a while. That can lead to more frequent desire for food — and more food at a given meal.
– Alcohol makes us want different foods.
Endorphins again. Endorphins shift food preferences and cravings toward sugars and fats. Eating more of those foods can increase calorie intake and weight gain. It may even lead to insulin resistance!
Insulin resistance isn’t just the result of overweight, as we usually hear. It can cause it — along with a variety of metabolic disorders.
– Alcohol can mess up our moods in several ways.
Alcohol changes brain chemistry and may lead to depression or anxiety, for example. But any negative mood can cause cravings. The cravings won’t be for good foods, but for junk. Between cravings and the junk they make us want, we may eat more.
Serotonin typically drops with alcohol use over time. Low serotonin affects mood, triggers cravings, AND makes us more impulsive. That combination may make it more difficult to resist cravings of any kind — including more alcohol.
– Alcohol disturbs sleep.
Alcohol prevents the deep stages of sleep (theta- and delta-wave) that are most restorative. Poor sleep can trigger the monster hormone ghrelin. Ghrelin increases appetite and food intake while it slows metabolism.
Alcohol may also cause middle-of-the-night insomnia. Insomnia might make it difficult to exercise — or to show up for early morning workouts. Insomnia may lead to depression or other bad moods, and that may decrease your motivation to work out altogether.
As you can tell, alcohol can contribute to weight gain and the stress it brings. The sabotage of alcohol goes beyond calories in/calories out.
Even worse, most of the factors above — with the exception of calorie density — hold true for sugar, as well. Limit alcohol this holiday season for better health, better moods, better sleep, and better weight management.
Yes, holiday time seems like a tough time to work on health. But it can be done — and will make you feel great going into the New Year. For help with cravings of any type, or any “odd” food issues, just contact me at drjoan@LastResortNutrition.com .We can find a simple and effective plan to move you where you’d like to go in a way that’s easy and do-able.
