Teaching My First Spin Class

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I arrived at the indoor cycling room 30 minutes before the class was supposed to begin last night with a little bit of nervousness.  I had seen my friend, Leah, downstairs who said that she was coming to the class.  I immediately felt 100 times better!!  We had biked outside together earlier this year, and I knew that she wasn’t going to complain about being in the “saddle” too long like most newcomers to spin often do.  I also knew that she wasn’t going to hate my class! 

I had spent an hour that afternoon designing the ride profile and the music to go with it.  I taped it to my bike, got the stereo system and mic ready, set up my bike, and laid my water bottle and towel out.  I wanted to have everything ready by the time most participants started showing up.  Six people showed up for the class overall including one guy.  It was great!  Honestly, I was expecting less considering this was the first class offered at that time ever.  With the exception of the mic pooping out (battery dead and no extra batteries in the case) 15 minutes into the class, me having to hit PLAY after every song so the next song could play, and me saying “okay” after every command (I don’t do that in real life), the class went smoothly.  Honestly, it would be really weird if everything went perfectly.  I have bad luck like that!  I’m totally used to it, and expect it every time 

There was one girl who seemed to have an attitude problem during the class.  She looked like she was bored the whole time, didn’t listen to me when I said to lead with the heal multiple times looking directly at her, and her hill did not look like a hill if you know what I mean.  I’ve been to some pretty bad spin classes, and I don’t think mine was bad at all.  It wasn’t perfect (I’m new!!), but give me a couple of months!  I tried my best for my first class and as nervous as I was.  The rest of the class seemed to be sweating and smiling, and this girl was just staring at me like, “You suck.”  I tried to ignore that look on her face, and focus on the class which happened to go by faster than I expected. 

I can’t wait to teach my next class on Monday.  I heard that once you get over the first class, then you are golden!  I hope that’s right!  haha.  Actually, I know that I am a good instructor.  Obviously, I need to work on my transitions (it was my first class, sheesh!), but my cues were on and I worked (the majority) of the class.   I also need to smile more!  These are just some things that I thought of right after class about how I can make it better!  I always want to be improving myself in all aspects of my life!  Who would have thought, the skinny uncoordinated girl who was always forced to be picked the last to be picked in gym class is now teaching spin (but still uncoordinated, ha), and actually knows what she is talking about relating to cycling, and can swim/run faster than the average person?  If you would have told me what I would be doing now in high school, I would have laughed in your face, then walked away.  How far I have come…

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