Don't Judge a Workout by Its Instructor

I have been encountering a lot of different fitness instructors lately. I guess because of the weather, many instructors are getting subs to teach their classes. I have been to six Pilates classes and I have had five different instructors. Each one of them is completely different, yet by the end I found they certainly had their own benefits. I had mixed feelings about most of them, but they all taught me a lesson. Here are a few of the types of instructors I've had recently and what they taught me that went beyond exercise:

Via

The Laid Back instructor. This was my first class and she was chit chatting with a friend. She wasn't walking around the room I really didn't feel like she was engaged in the class. The flip side was that I got to chit chat a bit with my friend who was with me, so I guess it wasn't so bad. However, the following week she taught a very intense class. So, I learned that even fitness instructors have their off days.

The Chatty Kathy Instructor. This was a VERRRRRRRY interesting experience. She started a conversation with another attendee as though they were picking up right where they left off about traveling to a certain country (I later learned that this had been an ongoing conversation in the class for a few weeks). She wouldn't.stop.talking. She would give instructions then pick right back up in the conversation. Then she started to ask people their names, what they do...all while instructing. It was very distracting for me, and I was getting annoyed. However, the time FLEW by in the class, and she was really great at helping me. So, I learned that some distractions, though they seem annoying, can actually help pass the time.

The REALLY Strict Instructor. This was a girl after my own heart. She made my teacher's heart soar! Very present, using precise language, and constantly circulating to check us out. Every time she gave an instruction, she would end it with "I'm watching"...gah something I totally would say! However, this was during my first few classes where I was struggling. So, I learned through her repeatedly demonstrating modifications to embrace what I could do.

The Sweet Instructor. This girl was so nice. She was very professional yet sweet, and very calming despite a challenging workout. However, I was feeling uncomfortable while doing some of the moves she was dictating. So, I learned to ask for help. She didn't see me struggling, so I had to stop and ask. It made a world of difference with my overall workout.

After all these experiences, I have been going into class determined to get the best workout possible. Instructors definitely help, but the overall effort is up to me! It's my time to feel the burn, and I'm not going to let a difference in styles ruin that.

How about you? Do you have a favorite kind of instructor? Do you stop going to a class if they're not your style? What was the CRAZIEST instructor you have ever had like? TELL ME ABOUT IT!