Fitness Fails

In the Masterclass videos, the Les Mills presenters make it look effortless, right? But like all of us, they’re not immune to wardrobe malfunctions and unexpected floor crashes, whether on-stage or in-class! We asked a few of the team to share their blush-inducing moments, and the results are just as funny as they are relatable – especially Kaylah’s gigacringe moment…
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RACHAEL NEWSHAM

One time, a long time ago, I caught a chest infection or a cold – I’m not even sure what it was, but it completely floored me. I was coughing all night, all week, including the night before filming, and I just couldn’t sleep. I finally crashed around 4 am, even though I had a 5 am wardrobe and sound check call time for BODYCOMBAT™ filming.

I woke up at 6:45 am to several missed calls and this wave of dread, disgust, and sheer fear when I realized we were due to roll at 7 am – and the club would already be full of people waiting for me. Let’s just say I flew to the gym, parked out back, ran up the fire escape steps, and made it there by 7:15 am.

I ended up having an awesome filming, ha ha – that extra adrenaline helped me find an edge my lungs definitely weren’t ready for.

ERIN MAW‍

I’ve only had one decent crotch pant rip – years ago, teaching BODYCOMBAT and doing an aggressive kata! Pretty sure gum has gone flying a couple of times too!

EILEEN POST

I think we’ve all been in a moment like this… During BODYCOMBAT 105 filming in July, I wanted to give Vili a high five. But he was already back in Combat Stance – boxing guard up, tunnel vision on the camera, ready for the next block. And there I was, hands up in the air next to Vili, saying, “Vili, Vili, Vili, don’t leave me hanging!” haha.

You might see it in the BODYCOMBAT 105 Masterclass video. Maybe they’ll do me a favor and cut that moment out. If not – enjoy and embrace this awkward moment.

GEENA PANNETT

My top two would have to be bailing (face first) off a Box Jump in my LES MILLS CEREMONY™ station setup, or splitting the back of my tights during my BODYPUMP™ squat track!

MAGGIE CHENG

When I first started teaching BODYPUMP, I once taught a class on a wooden floor. I was sweating a lot, and the floor was wet. While doing heel-toe wipers, I accidentally stepped in some sweat. The barbell was on my shoulders, and I ended up sitting down on the floor lol! At that moment, I quickly reacted and stood back up. The participants’ eyes were wide with shock hahaha. Fortunately, I wasn’t injured, and the class was successfully completed.

DAN COHEN

Looking back, agreeing to do a rap and dance during a live BODYJAM™ filming with Gandalf and Chris Richardson was probably the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done.

LULA SLAUGHTER‍

When we filmed BODYCOMBAT 100, we filmed on a round stage. Round stages are tricky to manage because it’s hard to find the center due to the shape. The big camera is a huge help to “split” center, but I didn’t use it and got so turned around that another presenter and I were facing the wrong way by the time the track was over – and Dan and Rach were on stage behind us, lol!

Now, it’s a running joke during filming: whenever there’s a round stage, everybody looks at me, and we just crack up laughing. Gotta love a round stage, man.

FRASER BECK

I once fell flat on my face when completing a Warrior 3 with my hands bound behind my back. In my defence, I did manage to do a commando roll out and play it cool :-)

OTTO PRODAN

Recently in my cycle class, there were two regulars who always sat together in the front row. One day, the guy showed up alone, and I casually asked him how his mom was, since I hadn’t seen her in a while. He looked at me and said, “She’s not my mom… she’s my partner.” I just about melted into the floor – so awkward and embarrassing!

BRONTÉ TERRELL

There have been a few awkward moments over the years. I’ve definitely been a victim of wearing my tights or leggings inside out and back to front, only realizing it when a member points it out. I’ve gone to pull my head mic out of my bag, only to discover – much to my embarrassment – that my thong had gotten tangled in the string and flew across the studio right to the foot of a member. I’ve also had a few vocal hiccups, with all kinds of language flying out of my mouth.

SUMMER BRADLEY

At the LES MILLS DANCE™ #1 filming in L.A., while I was teaching Track 9, my foot got caught on my pants, and I fell to the floor. You can’t see it in the Masterclass because the edit cuts away, but I literally rolled like a contemporary dancer to get back up!

CHRIS RICHARDSON

Have you ever been teaching RPM™, and mid-Track 5, you decide to snap one of your pedals, which causes you to collapse on top of your bike and severely cut your leg? Yeah, that happened… twice! The second time was many years after the first, and it was Track 7, but just as traumatic. There was also one time I was going all out teaching a BODYJAM workshop class and blacked out for about 2–3 seconds… that was so cool.

KAYLAH-BLAYR FITZSIMONS-NU'U

In Berlin for LES MILLS DANCE 7, there’s a move in Track 3 where you punch down while doing a lunge-type motion. Unfortunately, snot ran down my face, and because I was moving so big and snapping my head up, it flew straight into the corner of my eye. I had to play it off and get it out because I was about to start coaching, haha. This also happened AGAIN in LES MILLS DANCE 10.

SEBASTIAN JARAMILLO

Years ago, at a launch event for the new BODYCOMBAT release, I did a roundhouse kick and immediately heard a tearing sound... well, at that moment, my shorts ripped (luckily I was wearing underwear, hahaha), and I hadn't realized until halfway through the class when a participant came up to me and told me, and I was like, OMG! What could I do?

I kept going until the end of the class, and all I did was make jokes about kicking so hard that you rip your clothes or having muscles so big that even your clothes can't handle them... You have to take all these moments with a sense of humour and laugh about them!

KHIRAN HUSTON

My first LES MILLS TONE™ filming had propulsion lunges, and fun fact (Mark Nuu Steele knows this about me – to this day I still check with him): I’m not the most savvy when it comes to coordinating my arms and legs, haha. Team reading this – this is a safe space, right? Anyway, I’m teaching a propulsion lunge and somehow I’m jumping same arm, same leg! I turn to KG in the audience while moving and calmly yell over the mic, “Heeelp!” My brain just couldn’t brain how to fix it. We stopped the filming, I got it the second time – but wow… just wow.

Remember...

As Sebastian says, “Perfection is boring” – it’s the connection and authenticity that count. Embracing the occasional mishap, and owning the moment can turn embarrassment into a shared, memorable experience – and it’s often those very moments that members love most.