How A Dishwasher Delivery Man Changed My Teaching Forever.
Take your minds out of the gutter, friends - it's not THAT kind of story 😏 .
I've fallen in love with step aerobics again. There. I said it.
I even got certified to teach it - but I'm not ready yet, still working on my callouts if-you-know-what-I-mean... BUT - I do at least 2 step classes per week. I call it my anger management because you've gotta think, coordinate and BREATHE through an energy release that is the REAL DEAL. What's that got to do with the dishwasher delivery man? I'll tell you.
I take step class with CDorner Fitness on YouTube. Shes everything you might want in a step instructor: peppy, rhythmic, creative - the full package. A few weeks ago, while streaming one of her classes, she became distracted. She was receiving a call on her house phone from the dishwasher delivery man - right in the middle of the live stream. 😬 They were calling her to inform her of their arrival and she couldn't find her husband in the house to let them in.
If you know anything about appliance delivery, it's all about that window. Miss it and it may not come for another week - a month even! So this was household dire straits and I felt the pressure. She tried to keep going but the anxiety was palpable. Both mortified for her and intrigued about how this drama would play out, I kept on watching and stepping.
At this point in class we had learned the beginning of the combo and repeated it enough times to know it. She was trying to multi-task, answering the phone, teaching the combo, finding her husband... and then finally she said "Keep going with your knees in the center and let me take care of this so we can get back on track."
She just...LEFT US! How could she just LEAVE us there, repeating our knees and wondering if she was coming back? What would we DO?!?!? Then I remembered:
I know the combo.
I'm allowed to move without another adult leading me through every step.
This person is a human being having a human experience. I am capable of caring for my needs AND feeling empathy for the situation.
AND ALSO the class was free so... I could be patient.
She found her husband, got the delivery going and finished the class and it was all wonderfully imperfect. But here's the kicker - SHE KEPT THE RECORDING UP!! With all of that imperfection! I wonder if you or I would've done the same?
It revealed to me how much pressure we can put on ourselves to have it all together at every single moment. It reminded me that grace under pressure is an entire love language and that by offering it to her, I was also creating the space to offer it to myself.
Chris has an emmy. AN EMMY! And she still let herself have an off-class. It wasn't unprofessional, it was human and while I don't think this is by any means a standard for every class, I do think it opened a space to remind us that criticizing our teaching can feel like an important part of getting better, but at the end of the day it comes down to 3 things:
Were we kind?
Were we considerate?
Were we encouraging?
When those three things are present, the exercise part is a non-starter. In truth, I'm rarely in a step class for the cardio. It's the dance, coordination and the realness that comes from the teacher.
For my teachers, remember those 3 things above - I promise they will carry you far.
For my movers, you are capable of moving without being led - let the leaders you choose empower you to do just that!
Love you all and if you're over there on YouTube why not support a teacher who's rooting for you and clicking that subscribe button :). (For Chris & For me too ok? 😝 )
Much Love,
Jenna
