1. You know that merengue we did? I choreographed it in the car, forgot what I was going to do and made it up on the spot.
On the same note, do not be afraid if I come up and want to booty pop and shake with you.
2. If you’re talking during class, that’s my hint that it’s too easy. I ‘ll make it my mission to change your words into huffing and puffing 
3. I like when people dance in the front row with me.
4. I don’t like when people wear flip flops to class. Any class. Please wear sneakers. Best shoe fail moment: sparkly wedge shoes. No joke. I asked her if she would mind switching to sneakers or do class barefoot instead.
5. I’ve used the same combo and music for my beginning aerobics class forever… and I’ll probably never change it. (For the record, it’s Motown music and we do: grapevine, V-step, hustle, rocking horse, walk up for 8 counts -with arms going up for 2, down for 2, up 1, up 1, 2 claps for the 8 counts- walk in a circle, “scoop” to the right and left, mambo cha-cha combo and stomp combo)
6. When I can’t decide what I want to do next, it will usually be burpees into push-ups into planks <— combo of destruction
7. The song I’m playing has a “bad word” in it. This is when I start cueing to distract, or take it into some plyometrics. Jumping lunges! LET’S GOOOOOO!!
8. We eat vegetables, protein and fruit in the locker room before teaching… we also eat cookies and frosting. Some of my favorite classes happen to be the sugar-buzzed ones.
9. Yelling and smiling are always encouraged 
10. There are days when I don’t feel like teaching. Either I ate too much for lunch, am tired, miss my baby, my to-do list is running through my mind, I’m sick of my warm-up song or just don’t have my mojo. You give it back to me. Instructors feed off of participants’ energy, and every day I’m thankful that I get to do what I love. Teaching fitness is kind of like pizza: even the bad days are really good.
Confessions of a personal trainer
Hi, I'm Gina. Welcome to The Fitnessista! I love blogging about my adventures as a new mom, military wife and fitness instructor, as well as sharing new workouts and recipes. Check out the About page for more info - thanks for stopping by!
Love this post Gina!!!! As a group fitness instructor I can more than relate to everything on this list!!! The only one I’ve never seen is flip flops!!! I can’t believe you had a participant in sparkly wedge shoes!!! Craziness!
I do most of those things too 8)
The funny thing is, even though we try to distract people with our yelling during bad words, unless it’s really obvious I don’t think they notice anyway!
I never notice bad words during workouts. Guess that means it’s a great class
Love this!!! And flip flops?! People are ridiculous!
Ahhhh I love this post Gina!! I’m an instructor too and I can totally agree with some of these confessions – especially the distracting cues/ long ‘Let’s GOOOOOO’ to cover up the bad words!
In fact, that’s exactly what’s going to be happening during one of the songs in my spin class tomorrow morning!
Hahaha. This is great. In Jazzercise yesterday the instructor’s mic was broken. In one of the songs she actually said, uh oh now I can’t talk over the dirty words. It was great.
Haha this made me laugh! So true! Totally relate to choreography in the car!
I can’t believe someone wore sparkly high flip flops!!! Unreal!
I was literally just looking at continuing ed credits and felt my eyes crossing. What have you done to stay current in your certifications?
i do a lot of the online and mail-in credits- it’s super easy
That pizza looks soooo yummy!
Fun! Thanks for sharing
I absolutely love this post! I don’t attend very many classes outside of spin but I still thoroughly enjoyed this post.
No way did someone wear flip flops and/or wedge shoes to a cardio class?!?! lol.
oh this list is too fun!
This post is so great–love the pizza analogy. I am fairly new to instructing but am addicted! I teach 6 classes a week right now.
Love this post!!! I teach boot camp & Zumba classes so I know what you are talking about!
I’ve had & done most of those. Especially yelling over bad words. I always hope they don’t notice. Then my sister will come to class & laugh cause she knows what I’m doing.
As a fellow group fitness instructor….I can totally relate and agree!
People that talk in class, don’t come properly dressed with workout shoes or sneakers of some sort on…baffling!
LOVE this!
I’m so with you on all of the above. I teach at 5:30 am so I’m usually – not always- making it up as I go along. At that hour if people are standing around conversing they will do bur pee jumping jacks combos forever !! And I do the same warm up everyday. Deal with it lol.
that pizza seriously looks delicious. now i’m craving pizza
So funny. Nice to see it from the other side as I am going to a class at 8:30 tomorrow. Really though, sparkly wedges, who does that? How did you not just laugh?
working at a health resort, i see some amazing “costumes”
one lady did zumba in a golf outfit, visor and sunglasses. it was awesome
Was she drunk after a day playing the holes? Maybe lost a dare ? Lol
This was such a cute post, it made me smile. My mom has been a fitness instructor for over 20 years and a lot of the things you said hit home. Especially using the same warm up routine for the beginning of your aerobics class. Haha
As a fellow group fitness instructor, I LOVE this post!! People talking drives me crazy & I instantly make them regret that
and I’m totally with you on the burpees! ha
YESSS!!! These are so true! I am so guilty of putting together my Jazzercise classes in the car on my way to teach or even just picking my songs as I go along (GULP!)!!!
This is so funny
Love these posts!
Haha, I love this!
I’m a college teacher, and sometimes I’m just NOT feeling it. But if the students are interested in the subject, ask questions, etc., then it’s exactly like you said – I feed off their energy!
HA! love this! As a fellow Zumba Instructor I totally feel you on this – I choreograph so much in my head in my car that I totally get cocky and think when I execute the routine in the class, it comes out exactly how I pictured in my head.. WRONG! lol. I do not get that lucky all of the time. I also HATE when people talk in my class… I find it rude, but I don’t have the guts to quiet them because at the same time I don’t want to be rude, ha. I also get SO SICK of hearing the same songs over and over, but I don’t always have enough time to come up with new ones.. ahhh life. What did you think of ZIN 39?
I love this post series! I wish I could take a class from you sometime…but alas, I live in CA. Also, I still need to take Zumba. My Mom and my Sister recently started and love it!
I loved this! I can’t believe someone showed up to your class in wedges. Craziness.
When hiking in Cinque Terre, Italy there was a sign at the trailhead indicating no high heels. I thought it was hilarious and took a photo. Now I realize some people really need to be advised about proper footwear. Yikes!
Super great post! I wonder what my Zumba teachers (who are my cousin and friend) are even thinking and I know them!
Just an idea! 
No gluten-free places here yet. lol We still get eyerolls and “what is gluten?”
Have you ever thought about doing a more “out in middle of nowhere” type shopping list for people who have limited access to the good stuff? I know you lived somewhere that wasn’t super modern before so maybe it would help some people…like myself.
Haha, I love it when you have a talkative class and they wont to ‘woohoo’ and ‘yeah yeah’ with you.
I’m not a group fitness instructor, but I was a dance teacher for three years and I’m definitely guilty of making up choreography on the spot. I used to teach mostly young kids, but I had a few classes of older students aged 14-17 where I would play slightly ‘riskier’ music. I would just make sure I was yelling over the swearing
Haha- I love it! I agree in particular with #10. Clients give me so much energy and excitement.
I think that even the other participants will feed off each others energy. I know sometimes when I’m not feeling a workout if someone I’m near or with is pumped I get into it and enjoy myself.
Really enjoyed this post missy! I just posted about my first class teaching experience yesterday. Nerve wracking doesn’t touch the sides!
Are those Asics your running shoes? I wear the exact same ones! I just got my new ones (GT-2170s) in from Zappos yesterday. I paid for the free shipping, and they were delivered less than 24 hours later. Love it!
2, 7 & 10 are SO true! i teach spin and have been known to get veryyyy vocal all of a sudden when i realize the song i’m playing has one too many curse words…
Love, love, love this post. As a fellow fitness instructor I just found myself nodding along to each and every point you made. Almost reminds me of the post I did on fitness instructor pet peeves…! http://fitnessandfeta.com/2011/12/02/fitness-instructor-pet-peeves-what-grinds-your-gears-in-class/
AMEN!
I teach group ex classes tons every week–and I can say the exact same things!
Esp the bad words-or ‘too sexy’ words–just start yelling cues 
I wear Asics G-2160s, too. In fact, I have that exact pair!
Hi Gina! Great post! I was wondering if you could recommend sneakers specifically for Zumba class? I have been using my running sneakers, and they’re starting to bother my feet. Thanks!!
I am a zumba/spin/power muscle/kickboxing instructor 38 weeks pregnant with my first baby and I have just loved reading your blog throughout my pregnancy. And yes, I can relate to all of these things- so true! Thanks for sharing your life!
Love this post, when you taught at Moody me and my friends would workout in the far back and then as time went on we started working our way up to the first. It really was more fun in the front then the back. Specially when we got the routine down and wanted to showoff a little
You are adorable! I’ve been lurking for ages but thought I’d finally speak up! I always love your take on things and you’re positive attitude is contagious! Thanks for all you do.
This was a great post! You are such an inspiration Gina!
I have always wanted to be a fitness instructor and may have my one and only chance to get certified this fall.. Which would you recommend ?? There’s a few different ones and I’d really value your opinion
check out the link at the bottom of the post! it’s all about getting started
xoxo
My favorite Zumba instructor comes up with new routines every 8 weeks for each of her classes and I mean completely new routines. She will never repeat a song from a previous routine. I love that every 8 weeks we never know what we’re going to get! Keeps it fresh and keeps us on our toes.
I have a secret for you: theyre most likely from the DVDs Zumba sends us. It makes coming up with new stuff much easier, and def makes classes more fun!
As a fellow group fitness instructor, I can definitely relate to you on almost all of those “confessions!” especially the one that mentions that sometimes we just aren’t in the mood to teach…but once that first participant walks in the door that slight hesitation or want to go back home is completely gone!
I love group fitness!