As a group instructor, do you find it challenging to fit in your own workouts without overtraining?
I teach a Boot Camp, Pilates, and Yoga class each week. I know there are other instructors out there who teach even more than that. How do you balance your weekly classes with your own personal workouts without overtraining? Do you still do your own resistance training programs on days you’re also teaching a class?
Hi Nicole – I understand your concerns. I teach 10 classes a week and had the same fear. However, a while back I learned to “teach” more and “do” less – and I find my participants like it better, too. I get to walk around – make eye contact – help “push” someone thru that last set, and be part of the class, not just the Instructor yelling from the front of the room. (As a former Manager, I think one of the worst feedback comments I heard about an instructor was “she works out for herself, not the class”.)
Now, it does depend on the type of class; in Step – I show the moves and get them started, but once I see the class is rockin – I start walking the room and motivating…taking turns on/off the step. In Strength Training, since my focus is on their form any, it makes sense that I’m not doing the whole class with them – and they are used to me directing and not doing. It’s also an opportunity to explain “overtraining” to them.
Currently, I do MY strength training on days that I’m teaching strength – I prefer to workout in the early am – so by the time I teach at night, I’ve just gotten 2 workouts in 1 day – and I get rest before I have to teach that class again. But, I do change it up depending on when I change up the format of the strength class. I find the key is having a plan for my classes each week, and then planning MY workout to compliment – and vice-versa.
That is a great question! I had to learn to teach more and do less as well! Part of it is due to my exercise-induced asthma, also because I take 2 hours of martial arts after I teach on Thursdays and an hour of martial arts after I teach on Saturday mornings. I teach 4 cardio classes each week: 2 days of Turbo Kick and 2 days of Hip Hop Hustle in addition to one day when I teach dance for kids.
I am working on when I add in my strength training again, but, I’ve only been at this since mid July!
