“Ugh, I’m so bad at this class. I got corrected so many times.”
“I don’t want to go to class with you because you’ll see how many adjustments I get from the instructor.”
“The class was good but I felt so singled out with corrections.”
Sound familiar? Sound like you? I am always surprised when I hear people say statements like this about a workout. I hear it all the time. And I don’t get it.
One of the greatest benefits of a group fitness class with a great instructor is getting corrected. This is one of the most important reasons I love Refine so much. Despite having taken Refine for about 16 months, I get corrected in every single class.
And I feel fortunate for this. I actually like when I show up and there are only a few other people there, not because I don’t want the business to succeed but because it means I will get even more attention and correction. This is why the one-instructor classes at Refine are capped at 12 students and the larger classes have two instructors, and why the instructors primarily come from dance backgrounds.
Sometimes, one little correction alerts me to something I’ve been doing incorrectly for a very long time. Once the instructor fixes me, something I do all the time like a plank becomes like an entirely new exercise when I’m moved back just an inch! It’s so much harder and I feel my abs working much, much more.
Other times, despite having been corrected in a certain exercise plenty of times before — I’m thinking of lat pulldowns here — my body just falls back to its old habits. It takes an instructor coming up to me and putting her hand between my shoulder blades to remind me to actively squeeze them together. Getting into this habit will help me not only during the exercise, but always. Who wants their shoulders hunched up by their ears all the time? I’m constantly remembering my instructors’ advice and actively press my shoulders down and back while at my desk at work.
Or the way my body naturally leans back during some exercises. When I’m moved forward a little, it feels wrong, like I’m too far forward — but that’s just because I’ve been doing it wrong forever and have to get accustomed to this new feeling. Now I make an effort to keep my body forward during certain exercises even if it feels “off” because I’ve been corrected so many times that I know it is right.
No matter how much I might think I’ve “perfected” a move, there are always ways to improve and I wouldn’t know any of these ways without the constant instruction and guidance from the teachers. Not to mention the times I might be doing something in an unsafe way that could lead to injury — those are ESPECIALLY the times I am grateful to have such targeted attention.
There are also always corrections to make an exercise harder once you have the hang of it. I never would have thought to keep my elbows at a 45-degree angle during pushups if I didn’t have someone correcting me to do so. I did them at more of a 90 degree angle for a very long time and didn’t know there was a “more advanced” way. Now this exercise comes with an entirely new set of challenges, which leads to more ways to improve.
And then there are the smaller corrections. During “jump rope” (there aren’t actual jump ropes but we do the exercise as though there were) I might get a reminder to keep my abs in. Little things that take pressure off my back, strengthen my core and if I remember to always follow this advice, will improve the overall shape I am in.
I recently read a couple of class reviews where the reviewer complained about getting corrected in a class, and compared herself to another student who “did well.” She felt discouraged and didn’t want to go back to the class. And I have a friend who also feels frustrated by corrections. She thinks it means she’s in “bad” shape. But it doesn’t matter what shape you are in — every single person can stand to be corrected to be sure they are getting the most effective and safest workout possible. That is the benefit of small classes where the instructors are knowledgeable on proper form! That is one of the reasons they come with a higher price tag. You’re paying to get your best workout, but how can you get it if you aren’t doing things correctly?
I guarantee that you are NOT being singled out though. You might feel like you are because you’re focused on yourself. But everyone around you is going through the same thing even if you don’t see it.
So many factors determine why someone might not get corrected as much as someone else. Maybe this person has a fitness or dance background; maybe she works with a personal trainer and is familiar with proper form; maybe her body naturally aligns correctly or she has an intuitive sense of the “right” way to do something. Maybe it’s luck.
One of the biggest misconceptions that my own friends have is that I never get corrected. They say that because — like me — they are focused on themselves during class. They don’t see the constant corrections I get, just like I don’t see the corrections they get. I’m not judging them for getting corrected (which is a reason they don’t want to take class with me!). I’m not even noticing it! We are all working out for ourselves.
Not getting corrected brings its own insecurities as well. In a class where I’m not being fixed as much, I start to wonder if I’m being ignored. Maybe the instructor isn’t paying attention to me? Is it because they think I have a handle on this and don’t need to look at me? Or am I just doing it right? Or do they not even see me? It’s ironic that so many people feel singled out when they’re corrected but I feel singled out when I’m not!
I know it can feel frustrating when it seems like you’re doing every exercise wrong, but that is not the case. If you’re someone who gets discouraged by instructors fixing you, try and remember that it’s for your own good, and remember that even the strongest in the class are being corrected as well.
As I like to say: If we did everything perfectly, we’d all be teaching!
How do you feel about corrections?
Amber
March 27, 2012 at 11:50 am (13 years ago)I heart this post and I heart corrections! I recently took a “new” barre class for the first time and I was shocked and appalled that the instructor “instructed” the entire time and didn’t go around and correct anyone. It struck me as very careless and dangerous. On the other hand, I was the only person in my yoga class on Sunday and it was SO awesome – she was really able to help me fine tune a few things that I have probably not been doing quite right all along. To be fair though, it did take me awhile to get here. I really did feel singled out and embarrassed for the longest time. Now I love it! I also get paranoid when I’m not being corrected – “Maybe she has just given up on me! Maybe I’m a lost cause!”
Dori
March 27, 2012 at 11:52 am (13 years ago)Yes! I forgot to mention that when I take a new class and there are no corrections, I get nervous for all the people who will be taking the class regularly. It can’t be safe… I love one-on-one instruction too! When Refine was newer, I was the only one in class a couple of times. It was awesome.
Laura is Undeterrable
March 27, 2012 at 12:10 pm (13 years ago)I agree with you! I get really scared when I take yoga at the gym and they teach moves like headstand and don’t offer corrections. Ahhhhhh!
Ali
March 27, 2012 at 11:58 am (13 years ago)I am totally with you on this entire post, Dori. Coming from a dance background, we were always taught that corrections were a good thing — it means the instructor sees potential in you and WANTS to help you get better and do things correctly. Even now, when I’m in a class and I’m not sure I’m doing the move right, I’ll ask or wait to hopefully get corrected by the teacher. It’s one of the things that frustrates me about this Monday night class I do at my gym — there are like 50 women in there and there’s NO way the instructor can help everyone. It drives me nuts because sometimes I know I”m not doing it right, and I want the correction (shocking, I want attention).
One thing I loved about Refine was that I got adjusted SO much. I swear Brynn told me to “tuck my butt under” like 400 times. But it helped! And (eventually, I swear) I learned from the corrections and was able to apply them the next time I took class. The smallest tweaks can make the biggest difference, particularly between doing a move correctly and getting injured.
I basically should have just said “Totally agree,” but instead I decided to write you this novel. Getting corrected is good. No one should be embarrassed by corrections. It means the teacher wants to help you!
Ellen
March 27, 2012 at 12:02 pm (13 years ago)I agree with you, I think corrections and proper form are key. I don’t want to injure myself exercising and improper form often leads to injury. I also like when there is positive feedback too so I know I am doing something correctly or if I have made the correction correctly, like yes, Ellen great job, that also makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
I will say, that I went to a weight class where the entire class the women said EVERYTHING I did was improper or wrong and corrected me at every exercise in front of the class of 20+ people and never said ANYTHING to anyone else and it left a horrid taste in my mouth. a) I know that I couldn’t have done everything wrong, I do know how to squat properly thank you b) to single out one student every time in one class in a horrid tone, is NOT The proper way to correct. I have not set foot back in that class or that particularly location of gym yet.
Dori
March 27, 2012 at 12:05 pm (13 years ago)Yes! Positive reinforcement helps so much and I thrive off that as well. As for that weight class you took… I would not go back either. Sounds like the instructor was a jerk!
Laura is Undeterrable
March 27, 2012 at 12:08 pm (13 years ago)I completely agree with you. If I’m not getting corrections, they aren’t doing their job and it’s not worth my money. I actually get frustrated when I see people in class doing things with poor form and could potentially injure themselves and the instructor says nothing.
My advice though, if someone feels singled out by corrections made in front of the entire class, maybe speak with the instructor after class and ask that corrections be made one on one, instead of in front of the class.
fionarwbl
March 27, 2012 at 2:33 pm (13 years ago)I could not agree more with this! That said, I think that there is an art to the good correction that fixes the issue and encourages the student. For example, nice work, remember to keep the shoulders down, or looking strong, tuck the tailbone. Make the student feel awesome and strong, and then address the issue.
Run Bake Eat
March 27, 2012 at 3:24 pm (13 years ago)Great points! I agree with you completely, however, the perfectionist in me DOES enjoy assuming that I’m just doing everything perfectly when I don’t get corrected.. Also depends on the class. There are classes, where I know I need correction attention, and other classes that are less form-challenging and that I’ve taken so many times, I would (honestly) feel a little embarrassed if I got corrected at this point (again, I’d prefer to assume I’m just doing everything perfectly!). Thanks for reminding us that corrections are a good thing!
Britney
March 27, 2012 at 6:28 pm (13 years ago)Maybe it’s because I have a ballet background, but I also love corrections in fitness classes. Even if I’m taking a ballet class I judge the class/instructor by how many corrections I get…even if I’m the “best” in the class I’m not perfect! In fact, I’ve not returned to dance studios because I didn’t get enough corrections.
Missy Maintains
March 27, 2012 at 9:19 pm (13 years ago)I agree with you. I now get angry when I am not corrected because I know I don’t have proper form for a lot of exercises. I will not take a strength class at Equinox like 30/60/90 because there is no way the instructor can correct my form when there are about 50 people in the class. I love getting corrected so much in Refine and discovered last week that I was doing the plank the “easy way” for the last year! All it took was for Brynn to push my butt down and push me forward a bit.
Nicole
March 28, 2012 at 7:20 am (13 years ago)I totally agree with you!! I think I mentioned it recently in my own blog about Yoga to the People. I love the fact they are $5 for a class, but worry about beginners who don’t know the subtler parts of each pose for yoga. It can be very dangerous! When I was a beginner, a yoga instructor stood on my hands while I was in downward facing dog to really push me to put weight in them properly. In the moment, I was embarrassed (he actually stopped the class to use me to demonstrate what NOT to do and then how to do it properly), but looking back, I am really grateful he did that, because I was doing it completely wrong! And I was more embarrassed when I realized, there are all these other classes I’ve taken where either the instructor didn’t notice OR they just let me do it wrong!! I’m still an exercise newbie, so when people don’t correct me, I usually assume that it’s because they are not the best instructor, not because I’m doing everything perfectly – I’m still learning so I know I need a lot of support!! Great post 🙂
Michelle
March 28, 2012 at 4:27 pm (13 years ago)I’m with you, I think corrections are so, so important, and they don’t bother me in the least. When I’m training someone one-on-one, it’s obviously much easier to provide hands-on corrections, but when it comes to teaching classes, every instructor handles it a bit differently. Like some of the other commenters have pointed out, I don’t want people to feel too singled out, so if there’s something I’ve tried to correct them on a few times and they still aren’t quite there yet, I will generally pull them aside after class just to give them my full attention and a more detailed explanation (and hopefully this makes them feel more at ease and less singled out as well). I’m all for calling out positive reinforcement as well.
Kathy
March 28, 2012 at 4:39 pm (13 years ago)Hi Dori! I love corrections – in my mind, the more the better! I personally feel that I don’t have great body awareness, so I know I can’t be doing everything right.
Off topic, but have you tried SLT yet? I have been reading about it and would love to hear your opinion if you have!
Caroline
March 28, 2012 at 7:24 pm (13 years ago)Okay so I totally felt “singled out” in Refine .. Most likely because I was too focused on what I was doing opposed to what the other students were doing. At first I felt embarrassed but then I realized how much even the minor changes were improving my workout and I appreciated it! I’m back in Florida now and majorly missing Refine!! Can’t wait till next time in in town 🙂
Sam @ Mom At The Barre
March 30, 2012 at 1:16 am (13 years ago)Totally agree with you on corrections. If I’m not corrected I get irritated! That is actually one of the main reasons how I choose which instructor I want to go to. On the flip side, I did have one experience at a barre studio here where the instructor constantly picked on my form on practically every exercise. That started to get irritating. I actually think she did it on purpose once she knew I was a regular at a competitor barre studio.
Meghan
March 31, 2012 at 5:32 pm (13 years ago)I used to HATE getting corrected, especially in my barre classes (mostly Bar Method), but now I completely understand why they do it. When I attend other fitness classes where I receive zero corrections, I actually find myself wishing the instructor would help me out!
Leena Madan
August 18, 2018 at 6:29 am (6 years ago)I was excessively centered around what I was doing restricted to what alternate understudies were doing. At first, I felt humiliated yet then I understood what amount even the minor changes were enhancing my exercise and I valued it! I’m back in Florida now and significantly missing Refine!! Can hardly wait till next time around the local area 🙂