I Teach Spinning and Want Everyone to Know These Rules of Group Fitness Etiquette
As a spin class instructor and longtime Peloton fan , I speak with some authority when I say that people with poor group fitness etiquette are extremely annoying, and that I know all the rules they need to follow.
Now, the last thing I want is to discourage anyone from attending a class, so before I get into the etiquette and safety rules I want as many people as possible to know, let me assure you that no matter where you are in your fitness journey, you should consider yourself welcome. in a class, and you should never, ever feel – or be made to feel – as if you don’t belong in that class.
Unfortunately, when standards of conduct and safety are unknown or ignored, people can end up feeling out of place. To help you avoid this, I spoke with a fellow teacher and regular class attender (and drew from my own experience) to tell you what we wish everyone knew before coming to class.
If you are new to group fitness classes, arrive early.
I don’t mean that you should show up early for your first class, although that is important. Consider yourself a beginner for at least the first five classes, as teachers, playlists, time of day, your own physical circumstances, and other factors can make each class unique. When you’re just starting out, you’re bound to encounter workouts or instructions that you didn’t encounter in your first class, so don’t be fooled into thinking you’re a beginner even a few weeks after you start.
Showing up early will allow you to pick a good spot, check out the equipment, get in the zone, and most importantly, tell the instructor that you are a beginner. For me, the biggest horror is when someone comes up to me after class and says: “Thank you! It was my first time and I loved it.” I always give instructions on bike setup and safety at the beginning, but I still know better when someone is new – and you may find teachers who don’t go into great detail about safety and explain everything along the way. I’ll be happy to adjust your bike or even your playlist, give you more detailed instructions, or just keep an eye on you.
Christina Phipps, a certified instructor who has taught full-body barbell classes for three years, agrees. “I like to help my new participants feel comfortable before a class, so coming early gives you time to properly prepare and I can give you a quick rundown of how the class works and what to expect,” she says. Trust me: we’d rather help you prepare before class than find out later that you’re lost.
Use the check-in feature at your gym
I understand the hesitancy to use the check-in feature if you’re not entirely sure you’ll be able to make it to class and know there are usually spots available for drop-ins. Still, if possible, please sign up in advance. This not only guarantees your place, but also helps us start on time. If a person shows up with a reservation and there is no equipment for him, the instructor has to spend time figuring out who will show up. This is time-consuming and inconvenient for everyone involved.
Having accurate data on who signs up and actually shows up for classes also helps management in creating and maintaining classes. Behind the scenes, the gym needs this hard data to understand which classes are popular and successful, and which ones need retooling. If you like a class offered at a certain time and want it to stay at that time, register for it in advance to ensure that this is the case.
Choose your classroom seat carefully
If you are new, I suggest positioning yourself in the middle or back of the class. Our job as instructors is to make sure you can hear and see us, so if you can’t, say so. But positioning further back will help you because you can see how other, hopefully more experienced, people are moving. If someone does something wrong or unsafe, the teacher will stop them for fear of liability, so don’t worry about copying someone who is doing it wrong.
It is also a more attentive attitude towards fellow students. Emily Rella, who recently celebrated her 600th Soulcycle class and regularly attends other group fitness classes like Pilates, says she gets irritated when newcomers get a front-row seat to classes they’ve never taken before. “No matter how fit or athletic you are, you need to have experience understanding how a particular lesson or exercise works before you can lead a class,” she says. “It turns everyone off, including the people next to you.”
Don’t just do your thing
I try to provide fun, adaptable classes because I don’t believe that forcing people to do something they’re uncomfortable with is a good way to keep them coming back or help them achieve their fitness goals. I make sure everyone knows that if there is a movement they don’t want to do, they can adapt it, and offer different levels of tension that they can try throughout the class, with a focus on safety. I don’t really care if you don’t feel like doing an all-out sprint on a given day. If pressure or shame to push yourself helps, there are plenty of instructors who can give you that energy.
However, you need to listen. I’ve had people come to class with their own headphones on, completely tuning out my music, cues, and class. Other times people just ignored me for 45 minutes. I respect that you know what you want to do and how you want to train, but I gently ask that if you are not going to participate at all, please wait until the class is empty or use the equipment at a regular gym. Minding your own business alienates everyone around you, and it’s incredibly awkward. Instructors must take certification courses to be at the forefront of giving guidance, so it can’t hurt to listen to what they have to say.
Phipps, whose classes use heavy weights and is adamant about safety, puts it this way: “If you come to class, try to really participate in what’s going on in class rather than freestyle. and continue to ignore my instructions, feel free to return back to the weight lifting area.”
Stop chatting (and put down your phone)
This goes without saying, but please do not talk throughout class. Chatting a little is fine, but yapping at the instructor the whole time is just rude. This makes it difficult for other participants to concentrate and hear instructions, and it makes it difficult for instructors to hear if anyone is screaming for help (which is hard enough when there’s music playing in a dark room).
Rella says people talking throughout class is a major pet peeve of hers, as is the case when the class is set up in a dark room and people’s personal devices are on full brightness.
I get it: You might have to respond to a message from your nanny or work Slack, and I’m sorry that the state of the work world is such that you can’t take 45 minutes to unplug and focus on your fitness. But don’t spend the entire lesson answering emails or text messages. I know it sounds obvious, but you’d be shocked at how many people do it. This is not only rude to others, but also a safety issue: you get distracted by your phone or Apple Watch, miss a cue, look up and realize that everyone is running, doing a climb or posing. You rush to get it done, but struggle to catch up, potentially injuring yourself in the process. This is a recipe for disaster.
Speak up if you’re confused
You may be the most experienced gym-goer in the world, but if you make one wrong move, get distracted, or encounter something new, you could get injured—and that’s not what any instructor wants. I started taking spin classes 10 years ago and during one of my first classes I was in a lot of pain because I wouldn’t talk to my instructor when something wasn’t right.
Know your limits, don’t come to class if you’re already injured and the class could aggravate it (this is another rule that seems obvious but isn’t followed), and talk about anything that bothers you. The benefit of group fitness classes is that you have access to someone who is trained to help you perform all the moves safely and effectively, which is not always the case when you work out alone at the gym. Take advantage of this!
If a movement doesn’t feel right, stop doing it. The teacher may notice and ask what’s wrong, and you can get help in real time. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this or the class is full, come back later. Either way, don’t try to push through or you might regret it. “If something hurts or doesn’t feel right, listen to my safety cues to make adjustments, and if it still doesn’t feel right, stop [the movement] and ask me for help after class,” advises Phipps.
Fitness should be fun
Some people take fitness seriously, and that in itself is great. But don’t come to class and treat it like a life or death scenario. This will only cause stress for you (and everyone else).
Don’t be mean to other people. If I see you laughing at someone, you’re out. I don’t care if you’re having a bad day. It’s time for you to go. You’re in class because it’s supposed to be a fun and collaborative alternative to working out on your own at the gym. Don’t forget about this and don’t let it get to your head.
Yes, in group classes people will look at you, but it’s usually just to see if their form is similar to yours, and most people are too focused on listening for cues and doing exercises to really pay attention to you, especially if it’s dark. . You’re not here to impress them, and you’re certainly not here to win them over. You are here for yourself.
“Have fun and allow yourself to laugh,” suggests Phipps. “These classes are challenging at first, but try not to expect perfection. Just let the high energy in the class help you.” If a class doesn’t provide that kind of energy, find another one. I’ve taken a lot of terrible classes in my life. I just didn’t come back. Only take classes if they benefit your fitness in some way.
Rella adds, “Come with an open heart and a social attitude. Some people will want to come and go, and others will hang around the studio and chat after or before class, but your best friends who you haven’t met yet may be standing next to you. At worst? You don’t like it, and you will leave there in an hour maximum.”