Being on stage with the group exercise instructor

Some instructors like to bring members up on stage or to the front of the class with them. One of my favorite instructors always does that. He gets some people up there and they do the class from there. It’s kind of cool and I can see the benefit it presents for an instructor and the class. It works for him.

That being said, I don’t do that, EVER. I need all of my space to move around, and anyone who’s taken my classes knows that my movements are highly unpredictable. One moment I’m standing there coaching you, and the next moment I’m running at a full sprint up and down the class. Putting someone up in that lane with me would basically put them in my way and hinder a path for my random movements. No thanks, that’s not for me.

That’s not to mention that some folks are just not very coordinated, and it’s hard enough to not lose your place in the choreo when you have class participants who are already off. If you put someone like that right next to you, it can really mess up your flow if they are not coordinated. What if they are not on the level energy wise? I’m sorry if this hurts feelings, but there is a reason some of us are the instructor and some are not. I pride myself on being super intense and even when I’m tired, I dig deep and bring up the energy. You depend on me for that, and I deliver!

Recently, a participant came and got in my lane so to speak. I’m not sure what they were thinking by doing that? I motioned for them to move back into the class area, I stated that I needed the space. They resisted and said, “You don’t need all of this space.” So I said, “Okay, I’ll allow it. But if you are gonna be up here with me, then there will be no half assing it, you are going to be held to a higher standard. 100% effort and nothing less.”

This person is consistent, they come all the time, but they do tend to take it rather easy in class, they don’t go hard on that intensity. You can’t be up front, in my instructor lane and not bring it. After I made that aforementioned statement about a higher standard, they moved back to the middle of the floor. This person knows my level of intensity, and they know that they don’t match my level of energy.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking them, I’m just saying if you are not like me, you can’t be in my spot. I was very careful not to offend them, and I kept an eye on them during class to make sure they appeared okay, but you can’t get in the instructor’s spot without permission. And you definitely can’t get in the instructor’s spot if you are not at the instructor’s level of intensity.

When I take someone else’s class, I go to the middle somewhere. I don’t want the pressure of being in the front, or on stage unless I’m teaching. When I attend a class, I want to be incognito and just get my workout in. If I’m in the front, then I have to go 100%, and maybe I don’t like a song all that much or something? I can’t go 100% if I’m not feeling it. As such, I give myself the option to coast a bit by kicking it in the middle. Also, that affords me the opportunity to leave at any time without much ruckus.

One instructor always wants me in the front. I thought it was funny when I told them that I don’t want to be in the front, they said, “Nobody puts baby in the corner.” I enjoyed the class a lot, but since they insist that I be in the front, I stopped attending. I’m not kidding about wanting to just be a participant like I have always been when I’m attending classes. I already have the spotlight when I want it, but other than that, I just want to be left alone.

Know yourself, know your surroundings, and work accordingly.