I have been in the fitness industry for 3 decades, so that’s a really long time. I can remember my first class like it was yesterday. The room was full and I was dressed in a bodysuit and spandex tights, the color was tan so my legs looked better and of course the infamous leg warmers. Let’s not forget the belt that sucked in my waist.
I was ready, the hair was high and the belt pack for the microphone was on my belt. No wireless in those days. Test, Test 1,2,3 on the mic and my cassette tape from MusicFlex was set to role. I was sweating bullets, heart pumping, adrenaline was at an all time high. Just like that we started, right leg step up, left leg up, repeater knee side to side. Once the music went on I was in my zone and the class was flowing. From that first class, my journey began.
I started teaching step class back in the 90’s. Step was the thing and we developed sort of a cult following. People would follow an instructor to the ends of the earth if they liked their choreography and their music. It is still like that today with all formats. Like many new instructors I started teaching different formats, Tae Bo, slide board and Total Body Conditioning. I loved teaching and motivating people to move. I am beyond blessed to say, I still do.
You show up, wow them and they love you forever. Until someone new comes along.
I believe it was Jeff Martin, one of the most remarkable instructors of that time, who coined “Your only as good as your last class” Ain’t that the truth!
Once you moved on to another club, you had to prove yourself all over again. The butterflies were back, the sweaty palms, the stares or blank faces from people you don’t know. You perform, you give your all and you hope that one person got something out of your class. In those days, there wasn’t any pre choreographed classes. We needed to design the class from start to finish. I am not a dancer so imagine me learning to hear the 8 count. Thank you Lauren Calarco for that. Sitting in the car counting to each beat together. Google her and go take one of her classes! She is another outstanding instructor that became my mentor and helped catapult my career in fitness.
I finally made it , I got a Saturday morning step class!! Woo-hoo!! That is the prime time slot everyone wants. Step was so popular that we added another step class after that. Imagine double step class on Saturday mornings. I was the sh*t. This Queens girl was rocking.
In this industry, you learn fast that if you let your ego take over, it will take you down. Remember the above quote. “you’re only as good as YOUR last class” or until someone else, with better music, better hair, better anything comes along.
Now let’s discuss subbing, imagine now your the sh*t. You are the most popular instructor in that gym and you need to take off so you get someone else to cover you. Well, you can only get someone as good as you of course otherwise your members are going to freak out. You get (_fill in the blank_)You return on your next scheduled class time and the members are waiting to attack you for letting so and so sub. Never allow that person to sub again they say. We hate him or her. Wow, to think the members would be that harsh. It validates your expertise, and you feel downright like the hottest thing on the planet right now UNTIL…
Until YOU have to sub. My worst experience ever but the class that changed the course of my career. Lauren, who was the SH*T in Manhattan, was working for NYSC, which in those days, there were only a few clubs. Lauren needed a sub for step for 6:30am on a Wed. at 86th and lex. Are you kidding me?? I am not a morning person, I’ve never taught in the city, I can’t even imagine filling her shoes. She was my mentor, the queen of step. She was also my boss in the queens club who gave me that Sat. morning double step. You know I had to say yes.
I drove into the city, I was terrified of the subways. I parked and took my sweaty palms and overly anxious self to the club. The studio was on the 4th floor I think. Now remember the gyms in Queens were one or two floors. This to me was massive. I told myself, girl you are the step queen otherwise Lauren would never put you in this club to sub for her. I also told myself, it’s 6:30am who the heck is going to come for step. It’ll be a small class and it’s good experience for me. The elevator doors opened and there I stood frozen. In the studio was a ridiculously packed class. I thought I would die. I should have known, it was Lauren’s class. YIKES, I am no longer feeling like the step queen. The dirty looks, the blank faces, the sound of whispering and snaring at me. It was overwhelming. I wanted to cry and die.
I put my sparkly shiny face on and tried to remember all my hot choreography that I do every week. I basically forgot steps, I even went off the 8 count and one lady screamed “Don’t ever come back, you suck” I took my sad sorry ass and walked to my car to find out it had been towed. After a long grueling ugly day, I got my car back and made it home.
I sulked, I cried and I lost all faith in my teaching skills. Lauren called me that evening to see how it went. I almost killed her through the phone. In typical Lauren fashion, she immediately laughed so hard and said, don’t take it personally. “Don’t attach your EGO to this job, if you do, you will never love it and you will be a slave to it”
Her words changed the trajectory of my career. I realized that no matter who you are subbing for, the members love who they know, their permanent instructor. I realized that when I got a sub, that sub experienced the same thing. For the next 2 1/2 decades, I let go of my EGO. I never attached my self worth to my class performance or my job in anyway. In this industry it’s easy to allow your ego to take over. I guess in any industry or job that can happen. Why would anyone attach their self worth to their job. You are more than just your career.
At some point in my 3 decades of teaching, step, slide board, Tae bo, cycling, kickboxing, TBC, yoga, pilates (I am sure I am missing some formats) I felt confident enough to not get the butterflies and almost panic attacks. I remained humbled throughout my years of teaching and it has served me well. I love my job. How many people can actually say that?
Here is the moral to this blog post….Fast forward to this week, I get asked to sub a yoga class. No problem, I’ve been teaching yoga for years. It was again an early morning class but these days I am up. I again imagine the class is going to be small. I never ask who’s class it is, because truthfully that’s not important to me anymore.
To my surprise 30 years later, 4th floor , different gym, I walk into a packed class. I immediately ask if this was so and so’s class, it sure was.YIKES! Just like that the butterflies returned, the sweaty palms and the heart was pounding. I love this instructor myself. Even though I teach a good yoga class, my style is way different. She is a true yogi and I am a faced paced vinyasa instructor. I put my sparkly shiny face on, introduced myself and humbly say to them, “I am sooo nervous because I realize who’s class this is, as you know I am not _____, and I teach a very different style of yoga. I want to die right now because she is my all time favorite yoga instructor. I smiled, “well I will do my best to give you a good yoga class” and so I did.
At the end the class, I thanked them. I thanked them for staying and being so gracious to me. I told them that I was humbled and honored to be teaching HER class. I was honest, raw and transparent. You know what happened next, as I went to get up after a little blessing I gave them, the whole class clapped. I can’t tell you how this class took me full circle in my career. Never let your EGO define you and always stay humble.
I hope you got something out of this blog post. Please share it with anyone that might benefit from it.
In health and happiness.
Maria Lorenzo