Tae Bo Recert Boot Camp: Teaching Experience January 2011 - Present
For recert this year, I had to submit a description of my teaching experience so far. This was what I wrote.
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I started teaching Tae Bo in January of this year, at the office where I work full-time. Because I am studying for the Group Fitness Instructor certification from ACE I had forms and information at my disposal: I ran all potential participants through a fitness assessment, and had them fill out medical history forms and informed consent forms. Additionally I run fit tests/weigh-ins every month.
As my office is small, I have a small class and we work out in the back hallway so there is also limited space. Even so, my ladies have all seen wonderful success between my nutrition advice and classes! Angie has by this date lost almost 40lbs despite the long break in training due to my nerve injury. Renee, who is nearly 60, confided to me that I "gave her life back to her" by helping her gain strength for her daily activities. I also solved a foot cramping issue which she was having via arch strengthening exercises and advice on footwear. Rachel has lost a lot of her baby weight, and Lisa has felt considerably healthier and stronger.
At first, I was very nervous and so were my students. When I started teaching them I literally bought all of the old Tae Bo DVDs I could find and performed all of them, taking notes all the while, so that I could learn more cues and methods of describing and teaching. Because my group is varied in age (20 - 58), weight (118 - 291), challenges and goals I have constantly offered modifications and “levels” to each move so that everyone may participate, given “breathers” as needed, and taught a mixture of strength training exercises, a limited amount of plyometrics, and of course the traditional Tae Bo moves. I also began teaching a yoga class once a week starting in February.
Over time as my students gained confidence in the moves and I gained confidence in instruction we have really pushed each other in turn. Teaching coworkers at my office is to my benefit because they ask me for advice on all manner of things related to diet and exercise on a near-constant basis, much more than I would be exposed to in teaching at a gym where I have more limited contact with my students. It has been an ongoing test of knowledge of all the information I have studied in the past year and a half. I am pleased to announce that I have been fully capable of answering each question.
However, as we train in a hallway I am not at liberty to move around and correct form as much as I might like. Additionally some moves simply require more space than we have to work with, and our flooring is carpeted, which again limits the range of dynamic movement that can safely be performed particularly for the less coordinated of my students. Even so, I run Tae Bo classes twice a week for 30 minutes each (as this is during our lunch break; everyone comes in and leaves at different times). We do standing work as well as floor work on yoga mats, and occasionally we work with resistance bands or weights.
In addition to training my class, I train my boyfriend one on one when I am able. I also post challenges biweekly on the Tae Bo Accountability Check-In Group on Facebook, upon the request of some of the members who demonstrated keen interest in the independent Tae Bo-centered training I was performing - once others began to mimic my personal training, I was asked to post challenges, which I have done ever since.
Between all of these experiences, although I still have a lot to learn and I must fully rehabilitate from my injury so that I can better teach, I feel that I have gained a lot of insight. I feel that I still need more practice on my form; familiarity with the sound equipment in a traditional aerobics room; with being capable of moving around the room and correcting form as I am presently unable; and with creating further levels and modifications for each participant’s needs. These along with the completion of my Group Fitness Instructor certification and pursuit of a Personal Trainer certification are my personal goals in the coming months, as much as my time, funding, and recovery allow.