So, I touched on this super briefly a few weeks ago, but I was super super taken aback by something that a fitness instructor said to us during an early morning Body Pump Class a few weeks ago.

So that morning, the instructor, who was really only okay (her form looked a little shaky, which isn’t safe for us students), was teaching us, and as the class crescendoed to a big lifting song, she said something a little…off.

“Come on ladies, it’s getting warmer out, and it’s time to get into those bikinis!”

My neck nearly snapped off when I heard that.

But as a fitness instructor, saying something like this is a huge no-no, and had something like that been said at the Cary YMCA for example, a talking-to, and a note would probably be in the file.

Here’s why.

As fitness instructors, our job is really to be ambassadors of fitness.  We present the safe, correct, and fun way for a group of folks to get their exercise in.  Our concern is not with our participants’ diet, what they look like in their clothes, or how well or badly they dance, it is to safely deliver them a good class.

When something like the bikini is mentioned, the focus shifts from health and wellness, and shifts to the wrong thing, in this case, the bikini.  Yes, some of us are motivated to look good, but overall when you feel good you look good, and the feel part is what we, as fitness instructors, should be concerned with.

Okay, rant completely over.  I just had to get that out 🙂