I've been teaching group fitness for 22 years and Turbo for about 4. I had a friend share her notes with me when she started teaching Turbo in round 6 but it looked like Greek to me, and I didn't think it was my 'style'....by golly, I'm a 'freestyler'!
Now Turbo is one of my favorites classes that I teach and I teach almost everything! PiYo is a close second!
I still get nervous teaching- especially when a new round comes out, but I always look at it as motivation and as a good thing. I really care that my students have fun, are challenged to their level and get a great workout- whether I have one student (happens once in a while:) or 75 students in the
room. It's not an easy thing to do when you have multiple fitness levels and skills all in the same class. Learning how to challenge your A+ students without losing your B, C & D students who are new or just sort of "on-the-fence" about fitness is the real challenge of teaching and motivating others. Your A students make our job easier, but those B-D students NEED inspiration and motivation to come back again!
room. It's not an easy thing to do when you have multiple fitness levels and skills all in the same class. Learning how to challenge your A+ students without losing your B, C & D students who are new or just sort of "on-the-fence" about fitness is the real challenge of teaching and motivating others. Your A students make our job easier, but those B-D students NEED inspiration and motivation to come back again!
Just know that if you are a great instructor, you will never "know everything", you will never stop learning how to be a better instructor and although mastery will come with time, you're never "done" improving your fitness knowledge and teaching skills!
Just vow to never be the instructor stuck in a time warp wearing scrunchy socks and thong body suit teaching high impact aerobics, circa 1986 when it's 2010!!!!! Trust me....I used to teach high impact aerobics wearing scrunch socks, a thong body suit and taught hi/lo in 1986.... 7 days a week!!! Good thing fitness has evolved or I would probably have no Achilles tendons or knee cartilage left by now! Cross training is key for longevity with any fitness program!
The nervous feeling does go away, it just takes so time and before you know it you will feel comfortable up there and can let more of your personality reveal itself to the class. This is what allows you to engage the class. At this stage you are probably really focused on your counts and the choreo but as that becomes natural the rest just falls into place.
I remember being very nervous initially, then only if other TK instructors came to my class, now just a slight, slight amount the first time I teach a new round.
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