Don’t get me wrong as your read the rest of this post.  I am by no means mega fit (right now.  hopefully that will change!).  But, I want to rant about the shitty Zumba class I had this Fall session.

I haven’t been to a class in a couple of weeks since the summer session finished.  I was pumped to sweat off the homemade butter tarts we picked up at the local farmer’s market.  I’ve had a great experience with the last session.  She pushed you to work harder and sweat the fat and toxins out.  I LOVED going to her classes.  Her high energy was motivating to try to reach her level.  I came home red-faced and sweaty.  Just what I wanted.

Now, this session was completely different. There were more people and therefore different levels.  I am far from a gym nut, but I do expect to sweat and be motivated to work hard.  Why else am I paying $100+ for these classes?!  This chick is either catering to the beginners or she just sucks.  I am leaning towards the latter.  She was not jumping and pumping.  She was walking her moves.  This is ZUMBA!  We’re here to dance, jump, laugh and have fun.

As an instructor by profession, albeit a technical one, I understand that there will be varying levels of ability in a class.  The challenge is to hold ALL users’ attention.  Not to cater to a specific group.  If you focus on the beginners you will leave the advanced people bored and frustrated.  If you cater to the advanced people, the beginners will be lost and frustrated.  There are tricks to the trade.  Show the varying ways you can do a move.  i.e. walk, jog, or run on the spot.  It’s not that hard!  You have to watch your audience and see if they are getting the moves to help pace yourself.  Jeeze.

Now, I signed up with two other ladies this time around.  I can’t just cancel and try to switch to another session (although I was considering it when I left that first class).  I don’t usually say anything, but I figured she would be open to a suggestion.  I went up to the front of the class to check mark my name.  I asked if she could show some varying levels.  (see walk, job, run example above).  Her answer was to exaggerate the moves to get more of a work out.  I crossed the line (by my standards anyway) and said ”Really?  That’s it”.

Now, I want to check my schedule to see if I can make the other class.  I know I probably can’t, but maybe I can inconvenience everyone and get my one hr of hot sweaty goodness.  Even if I could, I signed up with two other ladies that joined because we were going to go together.  The camaraderie sounded good.  It’s hard enough to find time to hang out with two young little ones, so I figured we could get some girlfriend time AND get fit at the same time.

I’ll stick it out for a couple of more classes before I complain.  Catering to the beginners is a rooky mistake for those who instruct/teach/train as a profession.  Been guilty of it myself.  Everyone deserves a second chance.  But after that Watch Out Biatch!