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I am really surprised that some people find it so offensive when people walk out of classes. I go to classes to have fun and get fit, I don't have time to stay in a class I am not enjoying and don't see why I should have to stay so that instructors/other members don't think I am rude.

I walked out of body attack once. I had only been a member of the gym for about two weeks and I had tried combat and loved it so I thought I would try attack, I watched the class from outside a few times and it looked like fun. I enjoyed the first half of the class, I was a bit taken aback by the push ups but I did my best. Then suddenly we were told to pair up and stand in two lines on opposite sides of the studio. I didn't have anyone to pair up with but I thought ok I can just do it on my own, however there was suddenly no room anywhere. I felt like I was back at school again (I never got on with sports at school, competitive girls shouted at me blah blah) and just walked out, nearly in tears (pathetic I know but there you have it).

 I haven't walked out of a class since, but I have wanted to, usually due to poor instruction (and yes they are usually subs). When an intsructor is off beat, or I can't hear their instructions properly it makes it much harder for me. Now when I see these instructors I just go up to the gym instead.

At the Auckland Les Mills gyms (particularly Les Mills Central and Les Mills New Lynn that have two studios - Les Mills Takapuna only has one), it's commonplace for people to go in and out of classes; I for example, used to do half of Body Jam which started at 5pm and then go and do a full Pump class that started at 5:30.  Some of my other friends (who appear on the DVDs quite frequently in the participant crowd) on a Sunday will do the beginning of Combat, leave, go do a full Jam class, then go and join Attack halfway through the class.  I've walked out of classes because I haven't liked the instructor, felt unwell (I remember one day being so sick that I could only manage the warmup in Combat), and on the converse, when RPM instructors I know have seen me wandering around outside the RPM studio, they'll invite me to come in even though a few tracks have lapsed, knowing that there are bikes free and that I'm a diehard RPMmer

The way I see it, it's about the members, and if they choose to walk out, then that's their choice to!

rebeccaxx:

I enjoyed the first half of the class, I was a bit taken aback by the push ups but I did my best. Then suddenly we were told to pair up and stand in two lines on opposite sides of the studio. I didn't have anyone to pair up with but I thought ok I can just do it on my own, however there was suddenly no room anywhere.

You don't have to "pair  up" and stand in a single line. If there's little space and many participants, instructor should ask to form two or more lines so that everyone has enough free space to do side runs, skaters etc.

I walked out of Body Step after about 5 minutes.  I am used to doing "freestyle" step and have been taking it for years.  However, the mirror image thing, just can't get it and I'm always on the wrong foot.  Very frustrating for me because I adore step!

 I also always leave during the split tracks in Body Combat, I don't like facing the other half of the room.  I enjoy the class just fine from my back row spot.  I will go out and walk laps, etc until I see the group slowing down and sneak back in (or so I thought).  My instructor called me out on it - BUSTED.

I want to try Body Attack but now I see there is a split track in that too.  GEEZ.  That's getting to be alot like partners.  EWW.

 I haven't had any bad Les Mills instructors, so, if I leave, don't take it personally, it's not you, it is me :)

Terratron:

rebeccaxx:

I enjoyed the first half of the class, I was a bit taken aback by the push ups but I did my best. Then suddenly we were told to pair up and stand in two lines on opposite sides of the studio. I didn't have anyone to pair up with but I thought ok I can just do it on my own, however there was suddenly no room anywhere.

You don't have to "pair  up" and stand in a single line. If there's little space and many participants, instructor should ask to form two or more lines so that everyone has enough free space to do side runs, skaters etc.

we were told to pair up and stand opposite each other in two lines, there was no space, that's just what happened. Maybe that isn't what is supposed to happen, but it did.

rebeccaxx:

we were told to pair up and stand opposite each other in two lines, there was no space, that's just what happened. Maybe that isn't what is supposed to happen, but it did.

Well, this definitely isn't the Agility track objective, i.e. to pair up with the opposite participant and to be squeezed in a single line...

I've nearly walked out of a class however the instructor was trying as hard as she could and we are known to be "the hard ones to please" so I felt really bad just walking out... If our normal instructor is away or sick, he makes sure that he puts someone one who we will be happy with but this time, he couldn't find a great alternative and she just became an instructor I believe... 

 I still tried to get the most out of the class like I always do! 

hehe i love this one,

instructors it happens all the time.. if its not happend to you then expect it one day as humans are only human after all not everyone likes everyone or everything and a lot are unwilling to accept change, even if it is just a cover instructor for 1 week. when i was a GXM i had a letter of complaint against an international master trainer .. who i knew to be "A" class and to read a complaint about them not teaching attack at the "correct" speed and how they prefered thier usual instructor who had been teaching for just 3m and taught it liek ti was new to them is just reduculous and proves it doesnt matter how good you are someone will always not enojy your class. so chillax, enjoy and do the best YOU can do!!!

chattynatty:

hehe i love this one,

instructors it happens all the time.. if its not happend to you then expect it one day as humans are only human after all not everyone likes everyone or everything and a lot are unwilling to accept change, even if it is just a cover instructor for 1 week. when i was a GXM i had a letter of complaint against an international master trainer .. who i knew to be "A" class and to read a complaint about them not teaching attack at the "correct" speed and how they prefered thier usual instructor who had been teaching for just 3m and taught it liek ti was new to them is just reduculous and proves it doesnt matter how good you are someone will always not enojy your class. so chillax, enjoy and do the best YOU can do!!!

 

KUDOS TO THAT!! :)  

I agree with Chatty Natty, and we were talking about this in the Combat thread - members will abuse or walk out on a subsitute or a new instructor and always say they are not as good as the usual one.

I've only walked out because of being injured, because I know how hurtful it can be to the instructor. If I had to leave early I would let them know beforehand.

Well, it is a good thing that no one else has an Attack instructor who:

- hops off the stage during the final cardio track, runs to the back of the class to lock the exit door and then calls you out in front of the class when you try to open the door to leave early;

- tells the class that someone from reception will be waiting at the door to make sure no one leaves early (and sure enough, there was. I rolled my eyes in disbelief and kept on walking out that door); and

- tells the class, "if you don't stay for the whole class, don't come at all!"....

delphene:

Well, it is a good thing that no one else has an Attack instructor who:

- hops off the stage during the final cardio track, runs to the back of the class to lock the exit door and then calls you out in front of the class when you try to open the door to leave early;

- tells the class that someone from reception will be waiting at the door to make sure no one leaves early (and sure enough, there was); and

- tells the class, "if you don't stay for the whole class, don't come at all!"....

That person should not be teaching classes. They are violating about 10 OH & S rules and whilst I understand the desire for your people to stay for the whole class, this is NOT the way to go about it.

justcallmeryan:

delphene:

Well, it is a good thing that no one else has an Attack instructor who:

- hops off the stage during the final cardio track, runs to the back of the class to lock the exit door and then calls you out in front of the class when you try to open the door to leave early;

- tells the class that someone from reception will be waiting at the door to make sure no one leaves early (and sure enough, there was); and

- tells the class, "if you don't stay for the whole class, don't come at all!"....

 

 

That person should not be teaching classes. They are violating about 10 OH & S rules and whilst I understand the desire for your people to stay for the whole class, this is NOT the way to go about it.

Funny you should mention OH&S. When querying the actions of the abovementioned instructor with management, as some sort of justification for her behavior I was told that OH&S legislation was under review which would result in recreation centres having to revamp their procedures in relation to duty of care and that if a participant experienced harm or harmed another by leaving the class early, the centre would be held liable. This was the reasoning provided as to why they wanted to curtail people like me leaving classes early.

delphene:

 

Funny you should mention OH&S. When querying the actions of the abovementioned instructor with management, as some sort of justification for her behavior I was told that OH&S legislation was under review which would result in recreation centres having to revamp their procedures in relation to duty of care and that if a participant experienced harm or harmed another by leaving the class early, the centre would be held liable.

 

It's a hot topic at the moment. There was a recent case brought to the courts here in Australia where a member won a lawsuit despite having signed a waiver and medical clearance. The determination by the courts was that despite signing the waiver, the trainer did not exercise proper duty of care with the client. So waivers appear to be no longer water tight as we might have assumed.

But most OH & S issues are simply solved by voicing concern. For example in the case of people leaving class early or at a dangerous time, as long you voice your concern or "warning" over the microphone in front of a large group, and repeat it, you should be OK.

Even though it can be dangerous for people to leave in the peaks of the class, NOTHING warrants locking the doors or humiliating them into staying.