Morning all,
Well, time really does fly!
In 1993, I celebrated my 20th birthday with my fellow trainee Group Exercise Instructors -
I recall going out for drinks in a bar just around the corner from the Central YMCA Club, after a long day of grapevines and hamstring curls.
My initial training course was advertised as a two week intensive, and they weren't joking - I learnt a lot in that first fortnight.
I had no idea that music was licenced and we had to pay fees to use specific tracks from registered companies.
And so many bones connected to so many muscles and so many terms of movement - my brain was a tad befuddled 🤪
I used to practice my routines on the way home, literally up and down the aisles of the old style slam door trains!
30 years down the line, my warm up routine is still pretty much the same 🤣
However, I don't think I have ever taught the same main content twice - I like to have a bit of an idea but then see what flows once we begin - after all, you never know who is going to be in your class until it starts (and sometimes even afterwards, those who favour a late arrival shall remain nameless 🤣)
Some establishments (who shall also remain nameless but you all know who they are too) do not value nor remunerate their instructors nearly enough, but we are definitely in this game for the love 🧡
As instructors we are knowledgeable, committed, passionate, kind, driven, empathetic, headstrong, entrepreneurial, sociable, introverted, extroverted and some of us are quite mad!
A fellow colleague pointed out to me this week that I don't get a carriage clock as I get rewarded every day of every year that I touch someone’s lives.
She is totally right - for me it has always been about the people in my classes, the connection, the relationships, the community .. and what a wonderful community we are.
All ages, abilities, interests and personalities sharing common ground, linking us together.
Thanks to everyone that has been part of my fitness journey over the last 30 years.
I hope you realise you are all stuck with me until I retire!
See you next week ☺️
Love Tracey x
Love you, love your heart ♥ xx
Lovely! A true star! I'm one of those who need Sergeant Tracey to push me to the end of the class "You will do this!"
So glad my current working hours are giving me the opportunity to be in your studio classes again.
Been a good 16 years with you instructing me.
Happy 50th Birthday x 😁