Community

 

instructors facing the mirrors

Last post 11-11-2009, 4:35 AM by Bradley. 12 replies.
Sort Posts: Previous Next
  •  11-07-2009, 6:02 PM 70676

    instructors facing the mirrors

    I know some instructors turn around during BA or BC or BS once in a while to make sure the participants get the movements, but there are quite a few - almost all of them whom I know personally - who face the mirror during the ENTIRE class.... What do you do? Even the group exercise director at one of the locations I teach faces the mirror and advises new LM hires to do the same. So frustrating because the members are asking me (a new LM hire at a couple of particular clubs) to turn around.... If we are so passionate about the program, why is it so hard to follow the LM protocol...?
  •  11-08-2009, 5:13 PM 70750 in reply to 70676

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    if lm wanted us to teach the entire class facing the mirrors or on participant leg - the dvds wound not be reversed ... maybe tell them that?
    SMILLING is OPTIONAL QUITTING is NOT
  •  11-09-2009, 5:27 AM 70791 in reply to 70750

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    Someone facing the mirror the whole time would fail their Certification Video if they did that. If they know they would fail their video - why do they think it is okay to do it once teaching?
    Please read my blog at: www.grandnat.co.uk
  •  11-09-2009, 6:15 AM 70794 in reply to 70791

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    I went to pump training a month ago and that was specifically asked. The reply was to never face the mirrors and never leave the stage.

    “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone. else thought they could.” -Zig

    Teaching RPM and BODYPUMP in Bowie Maryland!!

  •  11-09-2009, 12:17 PM 70807 in reply to 70794

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    To me it just seems rude that you have your back to your participants, very impersonal to look at them in the mirror.  Maybe someone should ask "are we too ugly for you to look at us directly?"
  •  11-09-2009, 1:19 PM 70812 in reply to 70807

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    surely it is illegal to teach with your back to the participants?? that is just so wrong in my opinion.....

    you need to face the participants so you can demo moves like the clean & press, the correct technique for biceps...etc...


    "I'm sorry - and your name was?"
  •  11-09-2009, 2:23 PM 70823 in reply to 70812

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    I was involved in a Launch recently with 2 other Instructors.  During one track (which one of them was teaching), they both suddenly turned to face the mirrors.  The participants seemed confused.  It completely threw me as suddenly we had 2 instructors facing one way and me facing the other way (I, of course, was facing the class).  The participants in front of me were pulling confused and angry faces at what was going on and I was left shrugging my shoulders and pulling confused faces to them mid-track as if to say 'I have no idea what is going on!?!?"Tongue Tied

    It looked a total mess and they continued in this way, so I walked out.  I left for the two remaining tracks they were teaching and then came back when it was my turn to teach a track and stayed until the end.  No way am I going to compromise my LM training and the CORRECT way to teach by being a part of that!   Fortunately I am professional enough to have done it in a way that looked like I was leaving for a reason and not throwing a tantrum.

    There were also alot of other things that they did that are not relevant to this topic.

    When I queried everything with them afterwards I was met with denial and indifference (one even said he had NOT faced the mirrors Hmm).  I made the point clearly that you cannot CRC if you are facing AWAY from the participants (i.e. facing the mirrors).   I therefore told them I would not be participating in any launches with those two again as a result. 

     It provoked a bit of a storm, but I do believe in standing up to so called 'instructors' that deviate from the program just because THEY feel like it.Angry

     I guess they still do this but I decided I can only raise my disapproval and if it gets ignored, then I just need to ensure I keep 'my own house' in order Cool

  •  11-10-2009, 1:58 AM 70873 in reply to 70676

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    I have never turned my back teaching a Pump class, I don't understand  any move that you would have to (someone feel free to let me know).

    Occasionally I have turned my back to the class in Attack ("L"-shaped moves that participants are just not following for example) and Combat (specifically in Jump kick moves, whereby newbies are confused about which leg actually kicks).  There are mirrors behind the stage (at each of my three gyms), I'm still watching the class.  Two reps are usually enough and then I come back around to "mirror" image.

    I was doing a fill-in class for a few weeks and watched the Step instructor before me teach with her back to the class the entire time, and her head down watching her step, not even looking at participants in the mirror.  Notwithstanding safety issues, there didn't seem to be any "connection" there.

     

     

  •  11-10-2009, 8:16 AM 70907 in reply to 70873

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    Oh yes, I always face the mirror when teaching RPM, those riders need to be able to see my legs so they can match my right leg on the downbeat. Plus I'm into narcism. Geeked

    DUH!! Tongue Tied How rude to be staring at an instructor's butt during class (although some participants may enjoy it) it's just not the way to teach. How in the world can you see your participants faces and if they are doing the moves correctly? Maybe for quick demos, I can see it for some programs.

    I would walk out of anyone's class that taught that way. I guess they don't care to connect with anyone.


    Robert - Certified RPM instructor & BODYPUMP enthusiast - LIVE TO RIDE, RIDE TO LIVE! (Don't feed the monster!)
  •  11-10-2009, 9:20 AM 70912 in reply to 70907

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    yea... Its right up there with cycle instructors getting off their bikes to "check form"

     


    “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone. else thought they could.” -Zig

    Teaching RPM and BODYPUMP in Bowie Maryland!!

  •  11-11-2009, 12:19 AM 70979 in reply to 70907

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    robertk184:

    DUH!! Tongue Tied How rude to be staring at an instructor's butt during class (although some participants may enjoy it) it's just not the way to teach.

    ...and every time  as you left the house in your cycle shorts you'd be asking your significant other "does my butt look big in these??"


    Certified Bodyvive Instructor,Certified Personal Trainer,participant in everything LM.
  •  11-11-2009, 2:40 AM 70987 in reply to 70979

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    madari:
    robertk184:

    DUH!! Tongue Tied How rude to be staring at an instructor's butt during class (although some participants may enjoy it) it's just not the way to teach.

    ...and every time  as you left the house in your cycle shorts you'd be asking your significant other "does my butt look big in these??"

    Love it Maddy, thanks for the visual Surprise

    BTW, I stopped asking that question 6 months ago thanks to RPM Wink


    Robert - Certified RPM instructor & BODYPUMP enthusiast - LIVE TO RIDE, RIDE TO LIVE! (Don't feed the monster!)
  •  11-11-2009, 4:35 AM 70991 in reply to 70987

    Re: instructors facing the mirrors

    I think I just threw up a little Confused

    “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone. else thought they could.” -Zig

    Teaching RPM and BODYPUMP in Bowie Maryland!!

View as RSS news feed in XML