Instructors -- is this happening where you teach?

M

maxwells

Cathlete
I first got certified back in 1995 and taught step for a few years, but eventually ended up quitting when it started feeling more like a job and less like fun.

Recently I got re-certified and started teaching at a gym in the DFW area. It was a little hard to get back into it because I was nervous and my normal personality is not the "smiley, jumpy, cheerleader" type (which I realize is a bit of a problem for an instructor). What I have noticed is that the step classes have gotten CRAZY. The music is fast, the moves are fast, the choreography is SO fast and complex, and the people LOVE it. My style is more like Cathe's (since she is a role model for me) and I like to focus on powerful moves and intensity as well as fun choreography. The size of my class is dreadful. Whereas the size of some other classes are very large. I try not to let this bother me because I know class size depends upon a lot of different factors (time, format, instructor, music, etc). However, I can't ignore the fact that it might be ME (gasp) :)

For the longest time I just thought this gym had a lot of die hard choreography groupies. Surely other gyms aren't the same. To test my theory, I took a step class at another gym. Guess what?! Same deal. Choreography so difficult that people spend a lot of time simply watching. For me, it was a little fun...but I really didn't sweat very much. Mainly my brain got the workout. I could tell the instructor was really good (cueing, phrasing, explaining a move), but wonder if the population is dictating more and more complex choreography to the point that the actual workout intensity is suffering.

Is it just me (here in DFW)? Or is this something you guys are seeing too? Or, do you teach really, really complex combos (MUCH more complicated than any of Cathe's stuff) all the time? Am I just stuck back in 1995?

I have a class tomorrow and I'm currently struggling to figure out what to do with them at this point.

thanks for any advice you can give me!
Shonie
 
Hi Shonie

Where I instruct, our gym has come round in a full circle with what we instructors offer in "Step"

Up until 2 years ago, EVERYONE basically demanded 8inch, 10inch risers, faster music, faster moves, so in the end you couldnt put in strong intensity moves like lunges because the music was "too" fast to exacute the moves safely. I found the Ghoreography would end up"very dancey" because what eles could you do at that speed?

We even had a couple of classes run that used 2 steps!!! - that was very short lived.

This in the end got too frustrating for alot of the "new comers" to class and the class ended up consisting of the few "die hard" fans - not enough in the end to warrent continuing this structure.

Now, we are back to a 6inch step at the most, music between 126 and 130bpm, lots of concentration on lunges and repeaters (because we have the
music time to perform them), low complexity but not low energy moves, and the class is slowly returning to big numbers such as 25 - 30 "stepppers"

I personally love to instruct this format better.

Not sure if this has helped you at all, but I just wanted you to know that I hear what your saying, and I give you my support, and encouragement not to give up or give in. The public dont always "know" whats good or safe for them.

All the best
Marion

:)
 
If it's anything like the nikewomen.com website I was on last week, the one with the Step Intro, I see what you mean. They are basically dancing on the 4" platform very hip-hop like. I could tell that work out would not be for me. I like Cathe type workouts too. I guess I'm a bit of a snob. If I'm going to step then I want to step, not dance around. It would take a lot more for me to break a sweat. Also, I don't want to have to think about the choreography constantly.

That's why I just workout at home for the most part. Sorry Shonie, just hang in there. If you've got something good to offer, you'll have people trickle in & start being regulars & then bring their friends & so on.

Where do you teach? I have a membership to 24 hour fitness in Plano, but haven't been there for 3-4 years.

Marla
 
I have been teaching group fitness for nearly 20 years (wow!) and I have noticed two trends - one going towards complex choreography in step and the other moving away from complex choreography to a more athletic style as per Body Training System(Les Mills) Bodystep which is closer, but not the same as Cathe. You may like to look into BTS training.

I teach both styles and teaching BTS style is a lot easier as it is prechoreographed and you can add your own style to it. With the complex choreography, my aim is to always to go in there and have everybody "get it".

With your teaching personality, just go with the flow. I'm more of a "serious" instructor and focus a lot on technique. That's just how the man upstairs made me. It doesn't click with everyone, but it does bring a lot of people into a club that would otherwise be intimidated.

Good luck
Liz N
 
I am not an instructor but I had an idea which may or may not help. Can you do a little PR for your class describing the objectives of the workout..simpler choreography but laced with high energy moves, interval blasts perhaps etc. you get the idea. Describe the benefits of this type workout and post on the bulletin board or put in your gym's brochure of class descriptions. If I want complex choreography, I'll take a dance class..if I want a step workout..I prefer something like Cathe...which does have great choreography but not like the stuff you're describing. Good luck and wishing you the best.
 
Everyone -- thanks for all your encouragement and advice. I guess I just need to focus on giving them a good workout and not take it personally if some people don't like my class. I went to the same class again last night (different instructor, a sub) and she had very much the same style as me. Her focus was on big movements, safe speed, stepping properly (hello...let your heels touch the floor occasionally), and good posture. I really appreciated her!

Of course, the mean people in the class were very critical since it's not their beloved instructor. One of the women even yelled "it's called knees corner-to-corner" when the instructor called "traveling knees". I secretly wished this rude woman would have fallen on her behind or, better yet, wished the instructor would have said, "fine...you come up here and teach then if you think it's so easy".

After class, I went up and thanked the instructor for a good class. It made me realize that this isn't just happening to me. She was a good instructor and it happened to her too.

Marla -- I teach at the Ranch in Valley Ranch. Funny that you have a membership but haven't gone for 3 to 4 years :) I did that for a long time too!

Thanks for your support! I will try to incorporate all your suggestions. I'm teaching tonight so please wish me luck!

Shonie
 
I found your post funny, not for you, but because i think Cathe is really really hard to follow. Not IMAX and stuff like that, but her other tapes. You need to be a dancer in order to keep up. Sigh...

I think that intensity is a must, and complex movements should be broken down into very small chunks. Why do i have to go "around the world" on the step? Will that make me burn fat faster? Is it going to help my heart? Or is it just some facny step pattern that is nonsense?

All silly if you ask me. Some movements are fun. Some irritating. Ponys. What is that all about? Stupid ball room dancing steps or worse, any movement that requires you to have a LARGE space in your home. Yea right, i barely have any room, so running around the step like a loon isn't an option.
 
I know what you mean about not having a lot of room, I have to toally move every piece of furniture in my living room on a cardio day. But I think the more complex movements keep things from getting boring. I need to use my brain when I'm working out - and doing the simple choreography just doesn't cut it for long. I really like Ponies. You know what I don't like - those sashe (spelling? Sorry - never took dance) repeaters in MIC. Ugh! Those are just lame. I do Crazy Eights instead.

There's a move in Step Blast and one of the intervals in IMAX2 that I absolutely love. I can't think of what it's called off the top of my head, but you start off by tapping the top of the board, then straddle and tap with the other foot - then QUICKLYTAPSIDETOSIDE for 16 counts. FUN! FUN! FUN!
 
Fast Foot Repeaters - this is something I just can't do! On one of Cathe's dvd's she breaks it down - anyone remember which dvd?

Thanks.

Laurie
 
I love fast foot repeaters now that i have the count figured out. the first time i saw her fo that i just starred at the screen and shook my head.

jes}(
 
Smoogy thanks. I just did Step Blast this morning and just did regular repeaters. I'll check IMAX2.

Laurie
 
Laurie, she does just a 3 count on Stepblast, (1 count each foot). I think she explains the movement better in Stepblast but in Imax2 she does an 8 count for each foot-going longer.

I probably just confused you more. Never mind.

Marla
 
It's happening here too

I've been teaching group x since 1987 so I was there when step first started - in fact, I was at the ACE convention in 1990 (called IDEA back then) when they brought out the steps and we all tried them. I have seen the exact same thing over the years. The complexity and difficulty have increased to the point where the classes can be unsafe at worst and at best are not do-able for newbies. Luckily I have a coordinator that is very firm about BPM not over 130. I have been teaching an adv. step class for over a year now at 5:30 PM, and I just can't get enough people to come. I am Cathe's biggest fan and my classes are very, very similar to hers. When newbies come to my class and they don't even know what a turn step is, what on earth can I do? Pretty much nothing unless I suddenly teach a beginner class and if I do that, my regulars will be gone. The problem is that we can't take these advanced people backwards. Would you go to a beginner class? I'd be bored to tears.
Funny - I just posted about this topic on Turnstep.com today. My coordinator basically said it's time to give up and asked if I could come up with a new cardio style of class. So I asked for suggestions on what style. Any ideas here, let me know. I feel sad about not teaching step, but I would LOVE to have more than 5 people in my classes.

Meredith
 
RE: It's happening here too

Purely from a participants point of view, basic intensity drills can get pretty old pretty quick. Lunges side to side, over the tops, repeaters and swimming moves can get tedious if you do them for several counts. If I attend a group class then it would be nice to have some fun and a workout that moves and caters to my attention span. The real athletic work could always be done on my own on a treadmill.
 
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