Transcript: 14 Years at the Front of the Room: What a Real Fitness Instructor Actually Sees

What's up, you guys? Famous Ashley Grant here,

and welcome back to the More Movement Please

podcast. We are right in the middle of a very

special week of episodes, and before we get into

today's conversation, I want to just take a quick

moment to set the stage. More Movement Please

is participating in the fourth edition of Podcast

Thon. This is a global event where thousands

of podcasts have come together in one week to

raise awareness for a charity of their choice.

The organization I have the pleasure of spotlighting

is the Humane Society Animal League for Life

of Madison County, Kentucky. It's a local organization

in my area that's doing genuinely important work

for animals in our community. You can find their

link in the show notes, and if you'd like to

support them with a donation, please do. The

main goal of Podcast On is awareness, but every

bit of support counts. And as I mentioned in

episode one, Rhonda Good isn't back on this show

just because I adore her, although that is absolutely

true. She's here because when I asked my community

which charities they cared about, She's the one

who spoke up for the Humane Society Animal League

for Life. I put all the nominations into a random

number generator and hers is the one that came

up. The universe picked her and I just did the

recording. Now on to today's episode. This one

is for anyone who's ever walked into a gym class

and wondered, is this instructor actually good?

Is this a real workout or are they just going

through the motions? Rhonda has 14 years of experience

under her belt on the inside of this industry.

She has watched instructors come and go, seen

trends rise and fall, and she has some very pointed

opinions about what separates the ones who build

real community from the ones who don't. We're

getting into what she looks for when she scans

a room, what drives her absolutely crazy in her

profession, and what she's learned from watching

others that she either adopted or actively ran

away from. I think you're going to love this

one. I surely did. Let's get into it. Okay, so

we're going to shift gears just a little bit

because I want to tap into 14 years of watching

the industry from the inside. You've seen a lot

of instructors come and go, good and bad, and

I think you have opinions and I want to hear

them. In the 14 years that you've been doing

this, what's the single biggest mistake you're

seeing fitness instructors make, the one that

costs their students results and costs them the

loyalty of their class? Oh, always not showing

up and canceling. That's always the case. Yeah.

And, you know, especially... When you're starting

out or you're not established or you're teaching

a format that people aren't familiar with, I

mean, and as far as your students and costing

them, I mean, if you don't show up, they don't

get anything. So, you know, it's the biggest

one, obviously. Yeah, it's my biggest pet peeve

and the reason I don't do it. Yeah. Well, there's

a big difference between an instructor who teaches

a class and one who leads a class. And you're

definitely one of those people who leads a class

because you actually do the work with us. In

your opinion, though, what separates the two?

And be specific. What does it look like from

where you're standing at the front of the room?

Well, I mean, you have to know your folks, you

know, and there are formats where it's much more

important to lead with form than others. I mean,

clearly. But when you see people. Doing things

that, you know, are probably not the best for

them or more at risk of getting hurt. You know,

that's why I say to the entire class, whatever

we're doing, keep your back straight, whatever.

And so when you're leading, you keep an eye on

everyone, though. You know, and sometimes I just

give some people the side eye and they know what

that means. Especially the front rowers. Because

I don't know what you're talking about. And then

sometimes I just look at them and say, don't

do that. Because I know every single person's

injury and body part ailment. And so if I say,

you know, we're going to do this and then they

start, I'm like, not you. That's got to feel

like a lot of pressure, though, doesn't it? I

mean, it doesn't after you've been doing it a

long time. At the beginning, it does. Yeah. But

but you've also got to have a good memory. And

that's not intuitive to everyone. So unfortunately,

you have too good of a memory. Now, what about

the flip side? Are there things you've seen other

instructors do really well that you thought I

need to steal that? Really and truly the main

thing with, I think no matter where you're at

or how you're instructing is you got to promote

yourself. And so some people do that really well.

And the reason I started my own page in 2012

was because everywhere I was at, I didn't find

that people necessarily communicated things to

people when we had to. Because sometimes like

a Berea class was canceled because the room was

going to be used and I had no choice. Yeah. But

after I was there for a while, I was like, there's

a gym downstairs. There's no reason to cancel

my class. We can move downstairs. You know, but

when you start, you can't say that. Yeah. So

communication with just your audience is the

most important thing. But word of mouth is your

biggest seller. That always is the case for this.

I mean. Because there's only so much that you

can do and there's only so many people you can

reach. And if you don't have a lot of people

to draw from, I mean, like myself, I mean, I'm

an only child. I don't have any, I don't have

family to, you know, come support me, sisters

and brothers and all this sort of thing. So I

had to just build everything organically. And

get people to tell other people about you. So

do you think you're still learning from your

peers after all this time? Honestly, no. Okay.

Not locally anyway. No. I mean, are there still

a couple people that I follow -ish? I mean, I'll

check their stuff occasionally just to see if

they have something different. You mean on social

media? Yeah. On, you know, a couple of YouTube

channels that I actually look at. People that

I know that know what they're doing, you know.

So I used to spend a lot of time when I was thrown

into classes that I didn't know how to teach

at all, which happened a lot at the beginning.

Yeah. Like Pilates. You know, I would spend a

whole lot of time. and stress about it. Like,

cause I was like, even if I, I mean, I'm not

going to be the best at this, but I also don't

want to be really, really bad. I mean, it's not

my fault that I've got thrown into teaching this

class that I'm not trained in per se, but you

know, so I used to spend a lot more time looking

and, but as you learn things, you know, you don't

need to, I mean, I used to stress about, and

even just formatting Tabata classes. I used to

spend 30 minutes at home and write out every

single round of what I was going to do because

I couldn't do things off the fly. I mean, it

was too stressful to think about, you know, but

once you're doing it for a long time, you can

make a workout out of anything. I can imagine.

And what kind of amuses me is that, you know,

you mentioned the Pilates and I've heard some

people say like, well, she doesn't teach real

Pilates. And it's like, yeah, she does. Like,

cause I've looked it up. Yeah, you do. All right,

another student -inspired question. Here's something

I've been thinking about since I started coming

to your classes, and it kind of ties into something

that this particular student raised. She talked

about how you can tell almost immediately whether

someone is really trying or just going through

the motions, whether they want to be there or

they're just checking a box. Can you talk about

that? What do you actually see when you look

in the room with people? Oh, you can always tell

when people are there to work or just there to

check off a box. You can tell it with their eye

contact. You can tell it with their movements.

Everything about them. I mean, it's written all

over their body language. And so, which I'm whatever,

but I don't waste any time on people that are

just there to check a box. Or there to chit chat.

Yeah, that too. And I know that's another pet

peeve of yours. Yeah, it is. I mean, people come

to the gym for social. That's why I give you

all plenty of time before I get there to get

all your chit chatty out. So that's why you're

late. Yes. Is it really? Yes. Oh, my goodness.

I always try to go five to seven minutes. Yes.

Because that should all be out, just like at

church. That should all be out by the time we

start. Oh, my God. I never knew it was intentional.

Oh, yeah. I thought you just didn't have the

ability to be punctual. No. It's intentional.

Oh, wow. Because you'll see when I get there,

like, early. Yeah. Like, yesterday, I was there

early. So we all walk in together. And then I'm

waiting for everybody to trickle in. And, you

know, and it's time to start class past time,

time past talking time. So I just turn on the

music so they'll shut up. Because otherwise they'll

just keep going. Yes. Yeah, you will. Absolutely.

Yeah. Because that's the signal. That's right.

Music's on, shut the hell up. It doesn't bother

me. Like, I don't mind it because, I mean, we've

got plenty of time and I only need a solid 40,

45 minutes to absolutely kill you. So the country

need less than that. No, I know. So but I mean,

so, you know, whatever. But yeah, I mean, so

everyone, for the most part, comes to the gym

to socialize. But the people that, you know,

in the middle of class just keep on. No, I don't

get that. I mean, I don't care. I mean, I don't

take it personally. Nothing offends me. I could

care less. But it's just a really bizarre thing.

If I was going to just go to socialize and chit

chat, I'd do it somewhere else. I think. So you

would never actually go anywhere to socialize

and chit chat? No, I would not. Other people

do. Go somewhere else. Where you look cuter.

I don't know. Well, it depends on the outfit

you're wearing. So the fitness industry, it's

flooded right now. There's social media instructors,

online certifications, people that don't have

many followers, no real experience, but they're

standing in front of the class. What is your

honest take on where the fitness industry is

headed? I actually think it's gotten away some

from a lot of the formats that, you know, are

just so little specialized. click type things

that don't produce a whole lot of real results

and because for a long time it was something

like yearly it was the next big thing you know

and I think that people have gotten away from

that and really stick to more just foundation

stuff because there's just foundation stuff that

works for everyone And so I actually think it's

gotten better as far as what I see. For a while,

it was nauseating because, you know, everywhere

I was at was like, hey, do you want to get certified?

No. I mean, no. Like I told you, I went to see

the first Pound class. I mean, I drove an hour

and a half to go check it out, the format out,

before it became a kind of a thing. And I was

like, well, I mean. this could be workable. I

mean, it's it's OK. You know, and then I called

and talked to the company and I was like, oh,

no, never mind. No. With their requirements and

all that, I was like, no, absolutely not. Complete

waste of my time. Well, some of the certifications

and stuff, because I mean, I have been looking

into a little because it keeps being crammed

down my throat because I'm every time I post

this podcast, the ads are just obnoxious. But

it seems like the whole business of being certified.

is just a business. And so it's just all money

and who's actually being helped. Well, and because

of, I mean, a lot of people are going to go get

certifications and things and they're never going

to use it. Yeah. I mean, that's just, but that's

the case for everything. I mean, a lot of people

decide they're going to pursue, is this another

hobby for some people? I mean, they decide that

they're going to do it. And then quite honestly,

fitness center doesn't pay very well. Talking.

You know, when people really I mean, if you were

really serious about it, once you really look

into it, then you tend to back away from it.

I mean, they may go get certified in something,

but you're not going to live off of it. I mean,

it's not going to be some sole income for you.

So between that and the amount of time that it

takes, you know, just like when I started teaching

Zumba. And the only class, the only songs I had

were from the other instructors. I didn't have

time to do anything yet. I mean, so, and I told

them, I was like, I'm going to use your material.

Oh, fine, whatever. You know, they didn't care.

But gosh, then you were like, do you, and I would

tell people, do you realize how many songs it

takes to build a class? Like, you don't have

to think about it. Do you realize how many songs

you have to have to fill the class? It's like

16 to 17. You know, and it's, oh, you know, they

don't think about it. But. I mean, a lot of it

is a lot of work. Well, and some of it, you wrote

your own choreography. Oh, yeah, a lot of it.

Now I do. Yeah, because some of the songs, they

don't match what's on the Zumba channels. Oh,

yeah. No, no, absolutely. Because I don't really

like anything that Zumba puts out now. Sorry,

Zumba. But, no, yeah, no. And then, you know,

I'll think of... when you've been doing it forever

some things come to you like you hear a song

you're like oh I know what I would do with that

part but then I may go look for something to

fill the part that I just can't figure out and

then I'll go look at six YouTube videos for the

song and I'll pick one thing out of it be like

I'll use that you know and then the rest of it

I'm like I don't like any of that is that how

you came up with the Lady Gaga abracadabra yeah

Choreography? Because that's really good. I like

that one. Yeah, just pieces. I took like one

piece from a YouTube video and then the rest

of it. I was like, I got this. Your choreo is

good. I'll give you that. If you could sit down

with a brand new fitness instructor before they

taught their very first class and give them advice

that nobody gave you, what would you say other

than run? Oh, you have to be yourself and just

let the chips fall where they may because not

everybody's going to like you. And if you don't

have a thick skin. Don't even think about it.

I mean, don't even think about it. Because if

you get offended and your feelings hurt, this

is not the industry for you. Because people are

going to walk out of class. People are going

to tell you they don't like your class. And you're

like, yeah, I mean, you know, I can care less.

But I mean, I tell everybody, I mean, the very,

one of the first classes I subbed to the Y, it

was Zumba at that point. But, and she's still

in my class. She's not like there all the time

because work. She's there rarely, but she used

to be there more. And she came up to me after

class and she was like, Rhonda, you know, you

did a, that was a really good workout. I'm surprised

because, you know, you're kind of big. That's

not nice. And I was like, oh, okay. And I thought,

you just wait. Yeah. I'll kill you. I'm going

to get you. Yeah. So, I mean, people and because

you're the up front. Yeah. You know, people will

say anything to you. People feel like that they

can say anything to you. They don't have any

filter. And so they'll they'll give you their

opinion about everything about you, whether you

ask for it or not, which, again, I could care

less. But if you're like tender hearted and soft

and all that or no, you don't even don't even

be in a position where you're up front and in

a leadership role. Because they're going to tell

you exactly what they think, whether you want

them to or not. You know, just like when I came

in with a new hair color. Oh, my gosh. You cut

all your hair off. I'm like, give it a month,

y 'all. Give it a month. Yeah. I remember I'm

in the Zumba subreddit because sometimes I read,

you know, just random stuff for the podcast and

whatever. And there was a lady in there and she

said that. one of her students was fat shamed

by another instructor. And I was just like, why

would instructors fat shame their students? Like,

I don't know, just I find that interesting. Well,

younger instructors, the kind that tend to be

the cheerleaders at the front. Those are the

people typically that will do things like that.

Do they think it's helping? I have no idea. Or

are they not mean? That's clearly why people,

I think, over time. followed me because I've

always been very straightforward about what I

do, what I don't do. And I also have a weight

loss story. And so, you know, they know that

I preach it, live it every single day. Yeah,

absolutely. I get there a few minutes late intentionally

so you can get your chit chat out before we start.

Rhonda Good, everyone. I'll tell you what, this

woman, she is a so no -nonsense, she tells it

like it is, 14 years of calculated moves, and

I add, no idea. But before you go, I want to

remind you that this episode is part of Podcast

Thon, and I'd love for you to head over to podcastthon

.org to discover all the incredible charities

being spotlighted by podcasters around the world

this week. There are some truly amazing stories

and organizations that are being highlighted,

and it's worth a look. And as always, please

check out my show notes with a direct link to

the Humane Society Animal League for Life of

Madison, Kentucky. Visit their page, share it

with a friend, or make a donation if you're able.

Awareness is the goal of this week, and you sharing

this episode for me, it's one of the best ways

that you can help. Episode three is the final

installment of this podcast series, and it'll

drop on Friday, March 20th. In that episode,

Rhonda will get into what she actually sees the

moment a new person walks into her class, what

tells her whether someone is going to commit

or walk away, and what she'd say to the person

who knows they need to make a change but hasn't

made the move yet. It's direct. It's real. It's

raw. It's Rhonda. And some of you need to hear

it. I hope you'll check in with us on Friday.

Onwards and upwards, my friends. Have you worked

out today?