I am willing to own up to many of my faults.
I’m also willing to admit when I was previously a jerk about something. (Please see: I used to totally make fun of my friends for their healthy habits, because I just didn’t get it and was a super-bitchy, judgy girl.)
When I started getting into working out a few years ago, any classes I took were at New York Sports Club, where I used to be a member. I was new to working out, didn’t see the need for the expense for boutique classes when I had a perfectly good gym membership and, honestly, I felt uncomfortable going to a class like that. I wasn’t in shape like those other girls.
I’ve documented on this blog so many classes where I got corrected and felt embarrassed because I watched my friends get praised by instructors, and I kept getting corrected: Bar Method, Refine Method.
Dori wrote a great post last year about corrections in fitness classes. Easy for her to say, I thought. She loves boutique classes, goes often and is really good at them.
But as I started loving yoga and was getting corrected at yoga and Uplift, I totally got it.
Those little tweaks an instructor makes to your form can really help. (Duh.) Just opening up a little more in triangle pose makes all the difference, for example.
But letting go and letting yourself be corrected without ego? I’ll admit, it took me a while to get there. And that Dori was right a long time ago.
I’ve noticed lately that the touch makes a big difference, too, though. I took a class at Laughing Lotus the other day with Gena, and both the instructor and her assistant walked around correcting us. Her assistant corrected fairly aggressively, while the instructor had a much more gentle touch that led me into discovering the correct pose myself, rather than pushing me into it.
Moral of the story: don’t be like me and check your ego much earlier in exercise classes and don’t feel uncomfortable if the instructor corrects you, and look for those instructors with the gentle touch and take as many of their damn classes as possible. Also, roll your shoulders back and open them up. That has helped me in 92% of all exercise moves. At Uplift, as soon as I see Steph or Michelle beginning to walk around to make corrections for, oh, anything, I roll my shoulders back.
And you? Are you a jerk like me who took too long to start appreciating being corrected in fitness classes? And what do you think makes a good fitness instructor?
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It is so funny, my post from last year (exactly to the day I guess) showed up in my Timehop app today. I pretty much forgot about it. But I am glad you found a class you like enough to realize how important those corrections are. I never minded being corrected though since the exercise always feels so different once I'm doing it right, and I want to get the most out of it.
ALSO it seems like me or whoever else you take classes with is really "good at it" but we're not. I get corrected in every Refine class, often on exercises I do all the time and think I know perfectly. Everyone can always stand to be corrected so try and remember that you are not being singled out!
And YES to rolling shoulders back. In spin, at Refine, it is always the #1 thing to keep in mind because we are so used to being hunched over at our desks all day.
Ahhhhh corrections. A topic so close to my heart.
I've had a similar journey. When I started Dailey Method, I felt like a teacher magnet. TDM is very correction heavy and it seemed like I was being called out and physically manipulated constantly. I felt super conspicuous and embarrassed. As I gained confidence, I gradually became more grateful for the feedback. I always recognized its value but I was too uncofortable with my fitness level to want the attention. Now that I am fit and secure, I rarely get corrections and I miss it!
In my work as a voice teacher, I give constant feedback along similar lines. When I work with beginners (or any student, really), I often reference the feelings I had in my early fitness classes!
I love corrections, especially in yoga. Actually, good corrections in yoga make the pose feel even better, because you start to feel something new in the pose - more openness or lightness, and less force, and you can keep working towards it. It's almost like getting a taste of a future you. I had an instructor hold my hips in right position in half moon once, assuring me she wouldn't let me fall, and it was insane the difference in how it felt.
I come from a background of ballet where you are constantly corrected. You want it and need it so I learned to appreciate it. I want to know if I'm doing something wrong. But I definitely think it has to be done correctly too. You want an instructor to help you but not make you feel criticized.
I actually expect form correction at most of my classes. It's hard to get the form right in group fitness classes (as opposed to private classes). I found that the form corrections really make a big difference. I'm glad you have come to realize the benefits of the corrections (<-- that makes me sound like an old lady patting you on the head, ugh).
There was this yoga class that I went to for about a year and the instructor never offered corrections. Which is fine, it's just not her style I guess. When I started taking class with other instructors that did offer corrections, it completely changed my practice. I definitely prefer instructors who are more subtle/gentle with their corrections. There was one class I took recently where the instructor was fairly vocal/aggressive, and it actually made me uncomfortable. I haven't been back to that class since.
I love it when fitness instructors, especially in yoga, are hands-on. Correcting my hip alignment and things like that is SO much easier when they physically show me. I don't mind corrections - I know it's just making me better!
I also used to really hate being corrected in any kind of fitness class -- it usually made me feel self-conscious, and like maybe I shouldn't be there, pretending to be fit. But I've noticed lately that those days are gone. Maybe it's because after practicing yoga for a couple of years at home, where I didn't know if I was completely doing the poses right, I really welcome being corrected in group classes now. Especially if the instructor has a gentle touch that can guide me into the right place. Magic! Now I actually look forward to her corrections! Funny how that works. :)
One of the things I love about group fitness classes is that the instructor makes corrections. I almost feel neglected when they don't walk over to correct me because I know I'm likely not doing something correctly. I appreciate their guidance and it usually makes all the difference in the world, especially with yoga.
I sadly still have a hard time with it, and the competitor in me avoids yoga mostly because of it. I need to swallow my pride and get my butt to more classes...and learn that it is not a competition.