or at least I am not a virgin anymore!! I have yet to teach a full class, but that will come in just a few days. And the way I feel right now, like I could fall asleep at the computer, well, you would have thought I just ran my half marathon!! I am wiped out. Probably because I woke up at 3:26 this morning and slept fitfully till 7:30.
The first one is in the books. I need to document, of course, so that I don't forget a single moment of it.....and since I forgot to take ANY photos at all, I will rely on this account to never forget my first class ever as an instructor and not merely a participant.
Got up and got ready, and since the entire family was coming along, had to get them up and out of the house on time. Didn't happen, of course, with the kids. Tomorrow they are not coming so I can get there a bit earlier. Started to get really anxious the closer we got to the gym, but strangely, as soon as I walked in the door, I felt better. Punched in (gotta memorize my employee number, took me forever to get logged in) and saw Kerry there talking to the membership guy Kevin, and Stephanie was there warming up.
As soon as yoga ended, I went in the Group X room and people started coming in to get set up. It was weird having extra time to set up, talk and get ready because we are always frantically getting set up and starting right away. There was a personal trainer there because we had to explain that there was a special going on for new members. Rosa did the technique portion of the class and I modeled, then I put on the microphone and with heart pounding and body shaking, I began.
I was so conscious of the fact that I was shaking that I couldn't even enjoy the lyrics to a song that is close to my heart. I know I messed up the chorey in the middle but it didn't show, kept going and finished. Squats - more energetic, Stephanie - bless her heart was close to the front, whooping and cheering and smiling the whole time. Chest was good but Alex was right - when you are on your back, it is hard to coach - you can't see anyone, whenever I turned my head the damned mic kept shifting, it was hard. But chorey wise, I nailed it cause it was one of the tracks I presented in training. Back - love that track but I think I could have done better with motivational cues. Triceps - need to coach it better, although it was a fun track and I could see everyone squirming in pain (hahaha) but Deb and Kristin said that when we did tricep pushups, they noticed newbies doing regular pushups so I need to be more explicit when setting them up. I noticed that there was a lady directly in front of me that was doing her own thing - feet up in the air while on her knees during the pushups - and all I could do was reiterate that the toes are on the floor. Rosa was walking around correcting form while I taught.
Then Rosa took over from biceps on, and I was able to help a couple of people with form, and I think I may have irritated her a bit because she was not going to coach using the bench top for lunges because they slide a bit but our AGXM said to just be careful, so I reminded her about the bench tops and she look a bit peeved. Oh well. Who am I to do something different than what LM wants? I figure we need to give them all the options, and they can choose to use them or not.
It was really irritating, as an instructor, to see so many people putting away equipment during abs. I get it now. I wish people would just focus on the workout and worry about the clean up later.
Finishing the class, Rosa asked me to do the cool down, which was great because I noticed everyone stretching. Usually we don't have a chance to cool down. We did it in an hour, so I am hopeful that I will not have to cut any tracks in my own class. Of course we started right on time because we had set up before the class actually started. It will be a challenge but Andre, the hip hop instructor before me, told me he doesn't mind if we come in the room and pull equipment 10 minutes before our class and keep it to the back and sides, then just move into the room once he is done. So hopefully we can start on time and get out before Zumba begins.
Stephanie helped me clean up because so many people kept coming up to me. I have done that for my instructors and let me tell you, it was so helpful today. It will be tough getting cleaned up and out for the next class.
Stephanie H's husband Tim is a member and he and Franklin were watching us through the window. Alexander did at times but he spent most of his time in the Kid Care room watching Cassie because he doesn't trust anyone else to watch her. Thank goodness Franklin was out there - I went in to class with only half a bottle of water and it was not enough. My mouth got so dry with the teaching that I had to run out and have him fill my bottle while Rosa was teaching. Lesson learned - full bottle for class.
The mic kept going out like it does with everyone else. I had to keep moving back and forth to get it to work. So annoying. But the girls said the volume was good so I will just need to find the right spot.
When I was finished and went out to see them, Deb and Kristin were talking to Franklin and Alex, telling them what a great job I did. Stephanie said I was a natural - I don't know about that, but it felt good. She did comment that when I was not teaching, but just modeling technique, to watch the grimacing look of pain on my face - it may scare the newbies and to smile more! I do remember, though, that when I noticed the instructors working hard, it helped me not to feel like I was the only one struggling.
We went out for breakfast, and I asked Franklin how I looked in the front of the room, if I looked fat, etc etc etc. He laughed and said he even told Alexander that I looked fit and buffed. Hahaha!! I am sure THAT'S not the case! I'll have to ask the girls tomorrow for their honest opinion!! It was strange not to be able to see myself in the mirror - I always do to check form but I just had to trust I was doing it the right way. Can't imagine how big my butt must have looked in the mirror.
I've spent most of the afternoon in my chair under a blanket, on FB or trying to blog. I am amazingly exhausted, and beginning to get sore. Huh? I didn't use my usual weight, in fact went lower than I planned on several tracks because Rosa helped switch my weights while I was demonstrating. I think the lack of sleep plus the anticipation of this first class has caught up with me. Good thing my class is at 11:30 tomorrow so I can sleep in a bit.
All in all, I am so happy the first class is done. I really do cherish the experience, I will never have my first time ever again. Of course, I will have my first solo class on Thursday, so that will be a whole other "first" that I have to look forward to.....
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