Getting Back on the Horse – A Diva Instructor Starts Over at Zero

After six months away from my classes, I finally made my re-debut at the gym. I subbed a Pilates class, which was the perfect format for me to get back into the groove of teaching. I was nervous to teach again, and I found myself facing many of the same doubts and fears I felt the first time I ever set foot in front of the group fitness room. Even though it was a little bit intimidating to be back at the front of the room, I managed to conquer the fear and just teach the class. It ended up going really well, and I learned three valuable lessons last night that I’d like to share with you…

#1 – It is a really good thing I joined Toastmasters.
#2 – Who you are today is good enough, so don’t try to be someone you aren’t.
#3 – Coming back to the fundamentals every now and then is good for both instructor and student.

The first thing that was obvious to me is that my experience in Toastmasters has been paying off. I had feared that my rust would show and I would stumble all over myself and my cues. However, the practice I’ve been getting in Toastmaster’s meetings gave me a boost and helped me stay calm while the words came rolling back. If you have ever felt that you are at a loss for words or are unable to provide effective cues, I highly recommend that you join a Toastmaster’s club in your area. It is surprising how your teaching skills will improve by practicing basic public speaking.

My body was another thing. Even though I have done what I can to gradually improve my activity levels, I am certainly not where I was pre-baby. I ended our practice with a brief meditation that was as much for myself as it was for those who had participated: “Love yourself for who you are today. Accept yourself and where you are in your journey.” Well, I am back at the beginning. Starting from Zero. It gave me another reason to respect and reach out to newbies. I didn’t have any in class yesterday and had to be humble enough to admit that many of them were capable of more than I was. I don’t intend to let things stay that way, and I should be fired if I do, but for the moment, I needed to accept it. I believe I was a better teacher to them for it.

In the end, what made my first class back a success was sticking to the basics. In an effort to chase the attention spans of our students, Pilates classes have morphed into something almost unrecognizable. I chose to go back to the beginning and use the purity of the practice to speak for itself. It worked for two reasons: First of all, I could relax and allow my muscle memory to guide me through a the familiar series. Second of all, it gave the students a chance to revisit the fundamentals and reconnect with their breathing and improve their alignment.

So what’s the takeaway here? Well, I learned three valuable lessons and I’m going to keep them with me. I am going to work a little harder in Toastmasters and see if I can start using the meetings to specifically improve my cueing techniques. I am not going to stop trying to be better tomorrow than I am today, but I can accept that where I am now is beautiful too. And finally, I’m going to work a few more “Back to Basics” routines into my teaching schedule.

It feels good to be back!

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