Monday, March 19, 2012

Whirlwind

4:40 PM | Posted by |
Well, that was a whirlwind of a week!

After just starting my spin classes, I received a request from another instructor to fill in for her this past Wednesday. My manager was originally slated to sub but she had to back out because of a scheduling conflict. Seeing as how I need the practice (and the cash doesn't hurt) I readily agreed. Since it was another Noon-time class and many of the same people who show up on Wednesday are also there on Friday, I then made it my mission to create two different playlists for the week so they wouldn't be bored.

It took a lot of juggling to get both done but I managed to pull it off. What I wasn't expecting was my manager to call in sick on Thursday. We managed to get her coverage for her shift at the desk and then she reminded me that she was supposed to teach spin that night.
Oh, boy... here it comes...

"Can you do it?"

I told her that I could but I didn't have any one-hour long CD's (hoping this was an easy cop-out without actually having to say, "no.") The Noon classes are all 45 minutes long to accommodate the work-schedules of people taking class during their lunch hour. The evening and earlier classes are all 1-hour long.

"I don't care. They'll get their money's worth."

Checkmate.

Fine. I knew I wouldn't be able to put together a third playlist that I was comfortable with so I just took my first CD and used it. I knew the people in the evening class wouldn't be the same as the Noon people so it would be fresh to them.

It's still a little odd sitting in front of the class. I keep telling them that I'd be happier teaching from the corner where I usually sit, but it always works out in the end. The biggest problem was that, not knowing what was in store for me, I sat in on a spin class Tuesday night and still worked out songs on the bike. Then I taught and shouted for 3 days straight (no PA in the spin room) so my legs are tired and my voice is still shot. It was a quiet weekend, to say the least.

The extra work is paying off though. What used to take me all week to put together I have now whittled down to a few hours and once my spreadsheet with my options for songs based on style, cadence, climbing or seated, etc. is built up, there should be no reason for me to take more than an hour or so to put together a new list, freeing me up to do other things like TRAINING. Funny how you miss it when you can't do it.

In the meantime, I think another cup of Ginger tea is in my future.

5 comments:

  1. Roy and ChristineMarch 20, 2012 at 12:11 PM

    Spin class participants do not appreciate the preparation that goes into a class. We just show up, spin, cool off, stretch, and leave.

    Keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete
  2. EdieMarch 21, 2012 at 12:19 PM

    Roy - spin participants aren't supposed to appreciate the preparation. They're supposed to SPIN!! It's my job to make sure they're safe and maybe (maybe?) motivate them to push a little harder than they would if they were working out on their own. I have a classic love/hate relationship with that challenge but it's still more fun than work.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Roy and ChristineMarch 26, 2012 at 8:49 AM

    If I may impose upon you again--. An article today on Yahoo (http://health.yahoo.net/articles/fitness/photos/10-exercise-machines-avoid#0) listed some exercise machines to NOT use. Half of them I do use.

    Do you agree with the article or is it just another sensationalism piece?

    If it is accurate, I will have to rethink my routine. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  4. EdieMarch 26, 2012 at 11:20 AM

    @Roy - The only two I wouldn't do are 1) behind-the-neck lat pull-down. That's old-skool and the risk is greater than the reward and 2) Roman chair sit-up not because it's unsafe but because you are using your hip flexors to complete the exercise and that's a waste of time. The rest of it has more to do with weight-assisted machines versus using body weight or other "home gym" types of equipment. Weight-assisted machines are fine as long as you are not lifting so much weight that you lose your form. If you are using other muscles to recruit what you're doing, it's too much weight and you need to lighten the load.

    This is what I found out about Stephen Perrine's background, right from Amazon:Stephen Perrine is an editor-at-large of Men’s Health and the former editor-in-Chief of Best Life. He has appeared on numerous national television shows, such as CBS’s The Early Show, the 700 Club, and Extra!

    That tells me NOTHING about his background in kinesiology, only his background in writing/publishing. Maybe he knows his stuff, maybe he only knows what he reads in magazines. I do know he's working his butt off to promote his new diet book.

    Most SEO experts will tell you that two of the best ways to get traffic to your site are 1) Create controversy 2) Create a Top Ten list. He's the author of a new book and guess how he's trying to promote it?

    But you already knew that. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Roy and ChristineMarch 26, 2012 at 12:13 PM

    Thanks!! I am going to the gym after lunch and feel much better about my exercises. I am now on endurance/maintenance rather than strength building phase so I am only using weights that allow me to do 30 reps x 3 for 3 sets.

    I am alternating Monday/Wednesday upper body; Tuesday/Thursday lower body. (and stretching before, during, and after).

    Thanks again, Roy.

    ReplyDelete

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