When you think about the rewardss of body pump - what comes to your mind - as an instructor? Is it the great shape your in? The amount of weight you can easily lift? How many classes you can teach? The fun you have teaching and meeting new members? For me, one thing was finally having confidence in myself to stand in front of a roomful of people and not panick! However, the greatest reward is when we get an e-mail or letter from one of our participants to say how much our class has benefited them. Or when they tell us they are going on vacation and they will miss our class. Or how they can now walk up a flight of stairs and not feel winded. That is the best reward of all. Knowing that we are not just having fun, or that we are doing it just for the money (hah!) - but that we ARE making a difference in peoples lives. We matter to them - and we owe it to them to deliver a dynamite class. After all - if it weren't for them - we would have no classes. Kudos to all you instructors out there making a commitment to help others! And kudos to all participants who keep coming back for more!
And now, in regards to my previous comment on BP 55. As a woman - it's my perrogative to change my mind. And so I have. I really like 55. Not sure it's 'THE BEST" - but its right up there! ; )
And now, in regards to my previous comment on BP 55. As a woman - it's my perrogative to change my mind. And so I have. I really like 55. Not sure it's 'THE BEST" - but its right up there! ; )
Thank you Tami for such a great post.
"We are here for the people in our classes and not vice versa."
Good point--unfortunetely there are plenty of "diva" instructors who ARE NOT there for the people in their classes and it's all about them. One instructor at my club checks herself out in the side mirror and barely looks at her class the entire time. It's really sad. All of BodyPump's integrity down the drain...right then and there.
I love it when the participants tell me I'm their fave instructor. We all love to be loved, don't we? I really like it when I can help someone who doesn't share my passion for weightlifting get through it because they know it's good for them.
Also, I started doing Pump after I'd been lifting for a while, so I didn't get that dramatic body change from Pump. But I have been taking BodyFlow with a lady for about a year now. A week or so ago, I noticed a definite change in her body. Sure enough, she's been doing Pump this summer. What a difference!
And like you, Tami, I love that I can stand in front of the group and not freak out. I have to admit that I felt like losing my lunch every time for the first couple months I taught, though.
And then there's just the full out, gettin' the sweat on, mood-boosting, good time work!