I bumped into someone I've not seen for a while today. Another instructor. Who has (in her words...) 'chubbed up' lately. She asked if she could talk to me about something a bit sensitive and a bit awkward. She asked what it was like being known as the 'big instructor'. She's recently been approached by the studio coordinator for a 'chat' about her weight and it had been quite strongly suggested that she needs to slim down or lose her class. Had I experienced this before?
Here's the thing:
I am old. And I am fat.
Ok, I'm not.
But relatively speaking, and when compared to a load of the other instructors, I stand out.
I don't wear tight crop tops, I don't have skinny thighs. Bits of me wobble. Some of them, a lot.
And I know that. And I don't particularly care.
I get a few sidelong glances from new participants. When teaching in new places, I confuse the staff by not 'looking right'. And yes, I have had studio coordinators not use me because I'm not 'right' for the venue.
And that's fine with me.
But they're missing a trick.
I know my stuff. I'm good at what I do.
I'm fit. I'm strong.
I am well capable of delivering any class I'm qualified to teach, and giving it some welly.
I can (and do) teach damn hard classes if that's what people want.
And, look at your class participants. Some of them are 'young' and 'skinny'.
But, some of them are 'old' and 'fat'.
People like me because I'm 'safe'. People will come to a class to try a new format because it's me, because they trust me. I'm like them. Except I do the 'mad as a box of frogs' thing up the front and bounce around motivatingly (or something).
I'm happy in my own skin, and I don't feel the need to aspire to be something I'm not. I'm just doing my thing.
So, should my friend care about being the 'big instructor'? As long as she's still 'walking the walk' and capably delivering effective sessions, I'd say she's doing her job. If people care more about what she looks like than what she's able to teach people to do, and what she can inspire them to be, then that is their problem, not hers.
First impressions count.
But sadly some people don't look any deeper than that.
I very much hope she tells that studio coordinator where he can stick his class.
Here's the thing:
I am old. And I am fat.
Ok, I'm not.
But relatively speaking, and when compared to a load of the other instructors, I stand out.
I don't wear tight crop tops, I don't have skinny thighs. Bits of me wobble. Some of them, a lot.
And I know that. And I don't particularly care.
I get a few sidelong glances from new participants. When teaching in new places, I confuse the staff by not 'looking right'. And yes, I have had studio coordinators not use me because I'm not 'right' for the venue.
And that's fine with me.
But they're missing a trick.
I know my stuff. I'm good at what I do.
I'm fit. I'm strong.
I am well capable of delivering any class I'm qualified to teach, and giving it some welly.
I can (and do) teach damn hard classes if that's what people want.
And, look at your class participants. Some of them are 'young' and 'skinny'.
But, some of them are 'old' and 'fat'.
People like me because I'm 'safe'. People will come to a class to try a new format because it's me, because they trust me. I'm like them. Except I do the 'mad as a box of frogs' thing up the front and bounce around motivatingly (or something).
I'm happy in my own skin, and I don't feel the need to aspire to be something I'm not. I'm just doing my thing.
So, should my friend care about being the 'big instructor'? As long as she's still 'walking the walk' and capably delivering effective sessions, I'd say she's doing her job. If people care more about what she looks like than what she's able to teach people to do, and what she can inspire them to be, then that is their problem, not hers.
First impressions count.
But sadly some people don't look any deeper than that.
I very much hope she tells that studio coordinator where he can stick his class.
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