Phew! Now that the pressure's off...
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| Sun, 05-22-2005 - 6:20pm |
... I hope it turns out that that old dogs CAN learn new tricks. Despite an ongoing, interfering injury & having my prep time cut by two-thirds I've finished my video for assesment to get certified in Body Combat. It wasn't one of my best classes but I think it was sufficient for a pass. Since BTS & Les Mills Inc. split its thrown everything into an uproar and I had to finish certifying in this before the full changeover takes place. The pressure was brutal given that I couldn't practice until days before my taping and if I blow it I may not get a second chance since the gym I'm doing this for is sticking w/ BTS & Body Combat is owned by LMI. Its an awkwardly fast paced, highly choreographed class that has slight technique differences from my boxing & martial arts training and I've been doing my thing for so long I don't even think about what i'm doing. I have to consciously override 'muscle memory' for BC, plus I'm more of a teacher than a performer & these classes are all about performance. However, its done and if they don't pass me I'm not too worried (its more an ego thing as I usually pass things w/ flying colours) since I'm not suffering from a shortage of classes to teach.
I'm just so glad to be done, for better or for worse. Now I have to learn the choreography for the latest release, but that's no biggie since my schedule eases up soon; I won't have to teach this class until July; my injury is close to healed & there's no pressure on anymore.

Wow... you never stop, do you? :)
I'm glad it's all finished for you. It's a great relief to get those kinds of things over with. That class sounds so interesting! I don't think we have anything here like that and I'd love to see what it looks like.
Wow! I didn't know that BTS & Les Mills split! My gym has all the BTS work-outs (BodyStep, BodyFlow, BodyCombat, etc.) I haven't been to any of those classes in a while - I've been concentrating on my cycling lately - I'm wondering if it'll affect the classes?
But congrats on completing your cert!!
Laura
Body Combat is definitely too fast but I understand that was one of the issues that resulted in the split. BTS, which my gym is going w/, will supposedly be offering choreography at a more moderate tempo that will allow participants to focus more on technique & intensity.
I think one of the pluses of pre-choreographed classes is that everyone learns the new choreography together and then learns well enough that they don't have to think about what comes next & can then focus on cleaning up their technique & working more intensely.
I was just discussing the issue of missing bits w/ one of my video participants yesterday. If I weren't being assessed on yesterday's class I wouldn't have worried in the least about flubbing the choreography here & there because I'm experienced enough to fake it until I get back on track, but part of the assessment is having everything memorized so I can focus solely on performance. I did fake my way thru the flubs so the class mantained its sense of continuity, but I'll get dinged on the assessment for it. She was commenting though on how the other instructors get all flustered when they miss something. Unfortunately many instructors in these programs are only trained to teach the pre-chor. stuff & simply don't know how to wing it.
I'm a motivational instructor, but not in a gung-ho performing-for-the-crowd kind of way and this actually makes a bigger difference in the pre-chor. classes than the others. It could be my downfall at this gym. Despite my dance background I'm not much of a performer, I'm more of a teacher & facilitator. However, if they don't like it I'll just look at it as their loss.
Not that I see them not accepting you but it would definitely be their loss if you didn't get it.
I videotaped the launch of a new release that was led by one veteran BC instructor & 2 newbies. My technique is definitely better that any of them, my memory is no worse than the newbies, but then the veteran only had to learn one at a time whereas we had to start learning the new one before were done w/ the old one. The only place they all smoke me is performance. That's not to say I'm not motivational or cue poorly, I do these well, BUT I don't put on a show, which is part of what's expected of us. I suspect {hope} that my technique, cuing & knowledge of kickboxing will out weigh my lack of pizzazz though, so I'm not really worried.
On a positive note if I were available to teach tomorrow the boss asked me to come team teach her class. Fortunately I'm not available since I'm learning the new one still. What stinks is we get the new BTS program at the end of the month & then i have to learn that too. Its said that memory is a skill that must be practiced to be maintained & mine is HORRIBLE so this is probably good for me. ;-P