Our Ego or Their Experience? A Lesson From a Peer

I do my best to share this story in every cycle instructor training workshop I lead & it randomly popped-into my head last week.

Years ago, I participated in a Schwinn indoor cycling certification, lead by Rachel Buschert Vaziralli, who became a peer & friend. (Rachel is the Director of Fitness Design at OrangeTheory; what was Schwinn & Equinox' loss is OTF's gain!)

An Equinox member week after week, would join Rachel's cycling class at a specific location & time slot. 

And week after week…this member would sit in the front row & essentially take their own class. If the class were cued to sit, they would stand & vice-versa. If the class were to pedal faster, they would pedal more slowly. The look on the member's face would suggest they were absolutely miserable in class, truth be told. This member joined the class most every week Rachel taught…which she found puzzling.

Initially, Rachel was understandably annoyed. She'd change-up the words she used to clearly coach the members. Rachel would smile & mime-body-language in front of this member, trying to cajole them into doing what she wanted them to do. The member continued to take their own class, half the time with resting bitchface and the other half looking miserable.

Rachel, still annoyed but being professional, chose to focus on personal corrections for other members, that the majority of the class was clearly following her coaching & let this person be.

Time passed & one day while on the NYC subway, a woman made eye contact with Rachel & said. 

“You're Rachel from Equinox, right? I take your class every x day of the week at y time at z location - you're amazing! I have been recovering from cancer surgery & treatment & I have very little stamina & cannot always ride the way I wish I could but your music, your class and you are some of the highlights of my week in a really tough time.”

Do you think our fitness spaces would grow for the better if the movement classes we deliver were 100% about the clients in front of us rather than about us & our perfect plan?

Have a great rest of your week!

Noël

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