I am an exercise snob!

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Xraygem61

Cathlete
Hi All,
I just got back from taking a step class with a friend at a local "women's only" gym...and it all came flooding back to me why I prefer working out at home: BECAUSE MOST INSTRUCTORS DON'T KNOW WHAT THE &*$@! THEY ARE DOING.
I've been exercising forever, it seems, and I have learned so much from my tapes. Cathe teaches us impeccable form, and I know I practice what she preaches. Tonight, during the weight-training section of the class, I watched as the other women practically tore their rotator cuffs out of their bodies when Little Miss Rotten Form led the class thru supine overhead lat pulls. Nothing was explained about them, or any of the weighted exercises we did. It seemed that pain was the goal, not doing it rightx( ! In classes like these, a "good" workout is measured by how sore the person is the next day :eek: It just drives me crazy.
I took this class on a guest pass and I cannot WAIT for my new Cathe DVD to get here. I just ordered Muscle Endurance with Boot Camp :D
On a positive note, regarding the class...I didn't find it all that challenging, although I did sweat. Cathe's workouts really DO make you strong!
Lisa
 
I think a number of instructors should be required to study Cathe's workouts! She's taught me more than any trining I have ever had. I have had some awesome gym workout; one instructor was so awesome I wanted to do it! When I turned her on to Cathe, she was floored. But you are so right that a few are quite scary! A few years back I taught at the Y and when it came to strength training so many of the class had no that how to execute the exercises correctly and it was nearly impossible to get some of them into proper form! Form is so critical, I hate to think of the kinds of injuries or that so many people are training to have horrible posture and all sorts of problems!You're not a snob, you are smart and well-taught!
http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/user.gif Bobbi
 
Not only classes at some gyms, but in the past I've owned quite a few exercise videos where poor form was used, and no explanation of what muscle you're working or why, and very poor or non-existent cueing. Cathe is definitely the best of the best!! I'm SO glad I finally found her!!

Carol
:)
 
Don't feel bad, from another snob! I felt the same way going to the Y lately. I have tried 3 step classes with 3 different instructors and was bored to tears. I was modifying the moves to make them harder for myself. Here I was flying over the step, using Cathe moves, and I could feel the instructor glaring at me. I sweated, because I modified to make it harder. The cueing was poor, and the moves were so repetitive I could have screamed! I'm so spoiled to Cathe! So don't feel alone... We're lucky to have her.Good thing my BB DVDs arrived, I'm on a high from them.
Lynn
 
RE: In defense of instructors

As a matter of fact, there are thousands of very fine instructors who DO know what they're doing, who DO cue correctly and demostrate and cue proper form, and do what they are doing because they love it. Cathe is in fact one of those instructors, as she carries a live studio class load as well as produce DVD and video workouts, and there are thousands more out there.

Instructors of live classes (and I'm one of 'em) face the challenge of not being able to control who walks in the door to take their classes, and are almost always confronted with the task of making a safe, effective and fun exercise experience for multiple skill, conditioning and personality-adjustment levels. Often what has to be sacrificed is to-the-wall intensity and complexity of movement, so that all participants can "get it".

There are of course bad and sometimes unsafe instructors out there, but please don't bash the whole contingent just because of a few personal experiences and being accustomed to video/DVD workouts that you can do over and over again to master the moves and form.

A-Jock
 
RE: In defense of instructors

I've only taken live step classes with one instructor and she was terrific. (A combination of finances and scheduling conflict have made it difficult for me to get to those types of classes.) I worked out with her for about six months or so (she moved) and I think she did know what she was doing. It was because I missed her classes so much that I bought the Reebok step & tape and was led to Cathe. My coworker is taking classes at her health center and she loves it.
 
With an exercise like the over head lat pull, the instructor might want to get up and walk among her participants to correct form and be able to see what's going on. She might be unaware of their bad form since she's doing the move herself. You could suggest it to her, metnioning you noticed some of the class having a hard time with form. I have gone from participant to participant making slight adjustments to everyone so that I could get that one person determined to tear a ligment to get into proper alignment.
http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/user.gif Bobbi
 
When you say supine overhead lat pull, are you referring to pull-overs lying on a bench?

A-Jock brought up some very valid points. Leading a class in real-time is so much different from a produced DVD or video workout. I teach students that I would consider advanced and can follow anything, but they can't move as fluidly, controlled and with the proper body mechanics on a lot of the choreography that video instructors give us. That leaves me with two choices: do the choreography anyway and let them risk injury, or modify it to something that is still fun, but they can perform with proper control and technique.

It isn't enough for an instructor to know what exercises to do for the muscle groups. I used to think the kinesiology piece wasn't important, but it is. I used to quote what I heard in videos early in my career (lots of Firm stuff - ugh!), because I idolized Firm instructors. But the more I become educated, the more I learned you can't just repeat things you hear instructors say in videos because many of their statements are incorrect. And not to start a war, but Cathe herself has made some errors in regards to which muscles are working on certain exercises (such as the hip flexors and quad of the back leg in a lunge). There is no hip flexor involvement at all in the back leg of a lunge. The only joint action taking place is knee extension (quad work) and ankle planarflexion (calf work).

I'm not perfect either and have made my share of mistakes. Nowadays, I want to have an educated answer when someone asks me if the hanstrings or glutes are more active in a squat, or why a seated concentation curl is harder than a standing curl. Generic answers about variety in grip positions, muscle fiber recruitment, etc., isn't enough.

-Roe
 
:D The reason I don't go to the "Y" anymore is because the instructors came no where near close to the outstanding workouts I get from Cathe! Why pay all that money and get a less than satisfactory workout when I can stay home and pop Cathe in!
 
Roe..
Not saying that Cathe is right, because I really don't know, but don't you think she has to get the OK to say what she says in her vids? I mean, you would think she would do some research on it, that it would not just be what she "thinks"? Would you produce a video like that without really researching your topic? I certainly would not.


Also, isn't your hip flexor atleast stretching during the lunge (the back leg). I sure feel mine! Or, maybe that is just accurate to say for us tighter individuals!

I really do agree with A-jock and Roe though in that real classes have to be so much different. You are teaching all kinds and all ability levels. This is one reason why I have NOT gone into teaching yet. I consider it a drawback. I think it is a shame there is not more balls to the wall classes out there! That would be so much fun! I took one here in Phx like that but it was a small, local gym and the class had only 6 participants and there wasn't even an exercise room....you just kinda had to wander around in the gym and do different stuff. But, it was intense and fun. Very ala Cathe..



Janice
 
I've had so many great live instructors that I feel compelled to speak up. Yes, a great video instructor like Cathe beats many of live classes. And yes, I've had some live duds. Had some video duds too! But most of the live instructors I've had have been impressive in the breadth of their knowledge & inspirational in their devotion to a healthy lifestyle AND TO THEIR STUDENTS!

There are benefits to working out at home, but there are some downsides. Same with the gym & to group classes specifically.

And you often get what you pay for when it comes to fitness clubs. If you chose a club solely on price, or convenience, you may get inexperienced instructors, with shaky certifications, that lack degrees in an applicable field of study. Just as we research quality home workouts, we have to search for quality live classes & gyms.

As Annette pointed out, sometimes the instructors have to work with students that aren't physically or mentally prepared. I'm lucky to have joined a gym with multi-level classes. But virgins still show up for an interval spin class or an intermediate pilates class & the instructor accomodates them.

Lisa, please go to the appropriate supervisor at your gym & share your experience. You might not get anywhere but it's worth a try. I've had mixed results.

Debra
 
Well I think Cathe is also much better then going to the gym. I only knew 2 instructor, one I did like because she really did alot of Interval and the other I didn't like because the moves were so and so. But the reason I quit is because It was way too much money and I can do the workout in my own home at my own time which is nice:) Cathe was great live and she really did show alot of form in the kickboxing class. She would show you slow in the beginning how it is suppose to be done just like the videos and during the classes. I guess every instructor is different in good and bad. Nobody is perfect.
 
Hi Janice,

I don't think there is any censorship of what instructors say in videos. It is Cathe's company, her own production.

As for the hip flexor, yes it is on stretch in the back leg, but it is not working as a primary mover. When we talk about strength training, we are referring to which muscles are being worked - what action is taking place at the moving joint on the concentric (shortening) phase of the movement. It is true that someone with tight hip flexors will be limited in the amount of hip extension of the back leg, but that has nothing to do with the muscles being strengthened during the lunge.

And to clarify, I rarely take other instructor's classes because I have been spoiled by Cathe all these years (She was my motivator for changing careers to fitness.). I could never personally workout in a gym environment again, unless I am teaching a class or training a client.

-Roe
 
Roe, you are incorrect regarding use of the hip flexor in the lunge.
The lunge targets all the lower-body muscles at the same time: the 3 gluteal muscles (buttocks and hips), the 4 quadriceps muscles (fronts of thighs), the 3 hamstring muscles (backs of thighs), the 5 adductor muscles (inner thighs) and the gastrocnemius and soleus of your calves. Also involved is the iliopsoas (hip flexor), activated every time you lunge on the front leg and stretch the back leg. When performing any lunge variation, the upper hip, the abductors and the adductors primarily work to stabilize your legs, ensuring proper alignment and knee protection (although they do receive more active work with both the side and diagonal lunges).
http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/user.gif Bobbi
 
I gotta say the club I go to in Arnold Maryland, called Big Vanilla, just may be the best in this area hands down. The class instructors are awesome and hardcore for sure. The only problem I have seen is the occasional trainer, usually some kid just out of school, who doesn't know much but the majority are really quite good. If you are ever in this area, this is THE club to try for sure.
I need to attend a gym simply because of the equipment, which is highest quality and cutting edge technology-wise. I like the motivation and stimulation I get from the people in a class. Like spin for instance. I like gauging myself against others. Sometimes you can be sweating your butt off and you really aren't working that hard so watching others helps in that regard.
Trevor
 
When I walk around my gym and I see some of the men working out on the machines, I feel like such a snob just standing there and watching all the form mistakes they make! The women make mistakes too, of course, but not as many. The men seem much more interested in the heaviness of their weights then in whether they are using them correctly. I just shake my head and sigh like the hautiest of snobs. So you're not alone, Lisa.
 
I've seen that too Nancy. I've seen men who bounce weights off their chests like the jerks that they are. I also see way too many ladies going too light. So light that they may as well call it a day and go get a manicure.
So I think you got half the trend right. Men tend to go too heavy and women tend to go too light. Men also tend to do too little leg work and cardio whereas the ladies do endless mins of worthless mind numbing cardio.
Trevor
 
>I also see way too many ladies going too light. So light that they may as
>well call it a day and go get a manicure.

Trevor I just burst out laughing when I read this. I notice that sometimes. I think those are the ones that are there just to socialized.
But I also see some ladies that do work there butts off and have a nice shape or vice versa.
 
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