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Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

Last post 05-14-2008, 7:11 PM by L-Miguel. 26 replies.
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  •  02-25-2008, 5:22 AM 24113

    Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    I have a few members that like to talk throughout the workout.  They used to talk in between tracks, but now they will stand and talk while everyone else is working out and then join in on their own time.  It has become very distracting to me and some of the other members, who would like me to say something.  What is the best way to address this without embarrassing them or taking away from their good time either?
  •  02-25-2008, 7:30 AM 24121 in reply to 24113

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    I have the same issue in my classes!  It drives me nuts! Usually I just ignore it! I'm interested to see if anyone has some good advice. 
  •  02-25-2008, 8:20 PM 24147 in reply to 24113

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    If they are distracting other members i guess you would have to do something. id probably talk to my GFM first and get some advice on how best to manage the problem. wat you are and arent allowed to say/do etc????
  •  02-26-2008, 7:48 AM 24158 in reply to 24147

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    Options just off the top of my head.  Not necessarily in order of likelihood:

    Option 1) Turn the music up.  And comment "need to turn the music up, having a hard time hearing it".

    Option 2) On a track that has a call out/call back....get class to say it.  "....come on, let me hear ya.....", so at least you break up their conversation and get them in to the group.

    Option 3) Smile a sweet, innocent, full of expectation smile and say "....It's not so helpful to other participants to talk during the tracks...between tracks is fine....(or something like that)".

    Option 4) Do none of the above during the class, but approach the individuals privately after class and explain that you could hear them talking during the tracks, which is very distracting to other participants.  Sometimes, it is simply a matter of not thinking about it, and tolerating it during one class without making it an issue in that class but addressing it afterward can be effective.

    Option 5) Be teacher like and simply say, just like you do when you're telling them to take out a riser, "We're going for the best workout we can get today, so come on and join in.  Save the convo for later.  Or at least, text it (need the smile at your blatant attempt to soften the words...but it actually does soften it if it's a real smile).  Are you ready?.....Are you ready?!"

    Option 6) Be a teacher or old time librarian, catch their eye during a track, and put your finger over your mouth, the "shssh" signal.

    Option 7) Go big time ego on them (so over the top they know you're playing, but also can then get it) and say "hey, I have the mike, so the in track conversation has to wait", laugh, and get on with the class.

    Option 8) Make them go stand in the corner for a classic time out (that's being a teacher on a bad day).

    Option 9) Put on harder tracks, encourage them to push themselves, and get them breathing harder so they don't have interest in using that oxygen to talk. Devil

  •  02-26-2008, 2:00 PM 24181 in reply to 24158

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    It's a tricky situation, and you'll need to be tactful about your approach.  You don't want to step on anyones toes.  For a lot of members, the gym can be more of a 'social' event.  When you're doing your class introduction, maybe through in something like, "...ok team, we're here for a good time not a long time.  The idea of this cardio workout is to get our heart rates up and keep it up in the training zone 'coz we want to get fitter, burn fat and have fun!   YES?!  If you feel you need to take a break at any time for what ever reason, you know where the toilets are and the water cooler is outside the door..."    Funny thing is, from an instructors point of view, the one's whose attentions you are trying to grab are busy chatting, and the one's who are ready to get into it are listening and know exactly what you mean.

    You also do want your participants to respond to you and make some noise during the class, but because this 'chitter chatter'  has been brought to your attention by other participants and you are now aware that it's not only yourselft that's being distracted by this, if your class introduction has no effect, I would try and approach them after the class and just ask them if they enjoyed the class, was it too tricky for them, did they like the music.....   And then mention that you were a bit worried about the time they were spending letting their bodies 'cool down' before getting back into it again.  They have more chance of injuring themselves by doing that, especially if this is a cardio type class like step or attack.  You could always through in a .." HEY, you guys musn't be working hard enough, I can hear ya chatting...!!"    Hmmm....

    You want these people to keep coming back, so you need to be tactful while offering helpful advice  Wink

    Hope some of the above helps.  Good luck and have fun!

     

     

     

     


    ...Aspire not to have more, but to be more...
  •  02-26-2008, 2:01 PM 24182 in reply to 24158

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    I would go for option 4 (talk to them after class). If that doesn't get them to shut the *beep* up, then go for option 7 or 8. Other people in class want to work out properly, talking is fine in between tracks (as long as they don't disturb the explanation some people need), but don't let them ruin everybody's elses workout.
  •  02-27-2008, 9:49 AM 24246 in reply to 24113

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    It kinda rude isn't it.   On one hand you want people to be having fun and another you want them to work so they get results and have a bit of respect for everyone else. Here's some of my reactions when it's happened to me.  The one thing you cannot do is ignore them.

    Opt 1- Speak to them politely before your next class and let them know that it's distracting, you can always tell them that other class members have complained.

    Opt 2.- Use humour etc.. say at the beginning...Oh no, not you two again, are you gonna give me trouble tonight, don't make me come down there...Or   If you're still talking your not working hard enough or...shall we turn the next one up 'cos I cant hear it over the town meeting over there..Then give em a big grin. (the objective is to embarrass them a bit in front of their peers)

    Opt 3...Pick really powerful tracks one week and TURN IT UP so loud that they cant talk. (hope fully they will leave and you can wave to them on their way out.)

    Opt 4- Turn down your music and GLARE  at them

    Opt 5 -Throw them out...they have no awareness or they don't care about anyone else. and they will probably complain that they havn't gotten any fitter since they started coming 100 years ago.

    As u see i get more horrible the further down the list.  I teach Combat and Pump so you get to  develop  an attitute, so I get away with it.

  •  02-27-2008, 11:07 AM 24249 in reply to 24113

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    I don't teach Step, but in Combat & RPM there are exertion levels to coach.  If my riders are talking I know they're still "Comfortable" so I'll just say some thing like, "It looks like I'm not working you guys hard enough.  Time to turn it up!"

    Always an Adventure!
  •  02-28-2008, 11:36 PM 24349 in reply to 24249

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    well...if they are standing about talking for most of time...they simply are not getting a workout and would be better served grabbing a table in the lobby and catching up with their chat....I recently had two ladies who had their steps side by side standing and talking for most of the class....I came very close to calling them out and telling them to "take it outside"....had they been in the mid to front part of the class where it would have been a definite distraction to the rest of the class ..I darn would have called them out! Yet, since they were in the back..I let them have their coffee clatch convo the entire time and let it go.

    I recently had one lady directly down on the front row on her cell phone for much of the time.....many in the class mentioned it to me afterwards ..I could not believe someone would do such a thing and right on the front row mind you!LOL...

    some peeps will never get over the fact that it is not all about "them"...sheesh


    KIA KAHA! "for the strength of the Pack is in the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is in the Pack"...Rudyard Kipling
  •  03-03-2008, 4:56 AM 24498 in reply to 24349

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    "Hey guys, I know this is a whole body work out, but our mouths get a big enough workout as it is!!!"


    --- Success is sitting at home nailing it, Talent is at the pub with his mates.
  •  03-08-2008, 4:19 AM 24771 in reply to 24113

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    I just ignore ignore ignore...

    they pay to be there...you cant stop it soooo, why waste your energy on something you cant change.

    Focus on something you love about the class...


    Tim
  •  03-08-2008, 4:27 AM 24772 in reply to 24771

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    I once used a line I remember from these forums.  It was for Pump, I think and I wish I could remember who posted it so I could attribute it to them. 

    "Right behind your bench, Body Step SET!  Tummy tight, shoulders back and MOUTHS SHUT!  Let's fly!"

     The offenders burst out laughing, as did the rest of the class but everyone got in behind their bench and burned it out.  And I never had another problem with talkies in that class after that.
     

  •  03-08-2008, 7:24 AM 24783 in reply to 24771

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    timbjammer:

    I just ignore ignore ignore...

    they pay to be there...you cant stop it soooo, why waste your energy on something you cant change.

    Focus on something you love about the class...

     I don't I agree with that. Ok so they pay but so do the rest of the members and if they are bugging other people you have to deal with it. Ignoring them wont help..you have to say something. The instructor is responsible for the safety of the group as well and we are in charge of class organisation too. We can change it. I have  done it a few times.I'm not saying it's easy but it can be dealt with and usually a quiet word before class is enough.

    B

  •  03-08-2008, 8:44 AM 24786 in reply to 24783

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    sometimes it happens in pump when I am explaining things and two or three will start chit-chatting and distracting those trying to listen....i usually stop talking, look at offending group (usually regulars who I have befriended), when they look up to see, i smile big  and continue....usually gets the point across without too much trouble...

    also try education...about the percieved rate of exertion scale...if you can hold a conversation during working blocks, you are not getting the full benifits of the class and are missing out on valuable calorie burn...explain quickly at the beginning of class the point of interval training, to work hard and burn off all of our current energy supply then slow it down and focus on decreasing the heart rate a bit to get oxygen back into the equation so that your body can use fat for energy...the hitch is this...if you don't maximize during the working blocks your body never burns up all the energy and thus does not need to use as much fat for energy....then spend the whole class pushing, if you can talk you are not burining fat....like rihana says....shut up and work....hehehe


    Always grace appetite with soul!!!
  •  03-12-2008, 3:46 PM 25057 in reply to 24786

    Re: Any advice on dealing with members who won't be quiet?

    penalty pressups...at least 20/30 for everybody if someone...yawns, hands on hips, stands still between tracks, talks, phone rings
     
    do that a few times and the rest of the class will tell them to shut up!
     
    it works well in our combat class :)

    There's more than one way to skin a cat
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