Transcript
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?