This is a post about a hobby that I turned into a "job" but more-so because I loved doing it so much that I wanted to share it with others.
Let's take a stroll down memory lane... after high school, I joined a local gym and started taking group exercise classes. You name it, I took it. Old school step aerobics to kickboxing, even a class with people triple my age using 2 lb dumbbells for toning! It was really the group experience that I enjoyed so much and the music.
Fast forward to 2008, I decided to try a new class at the gym called "turbo-kick". It quickly became my favorite class. The instructor went on to open her own gym that focused on gymnastics, group exercise and personal training. I am telling you, if you ever get a chance... go try one of her classes. You will be hooked!! I began to wish I had gone to school for Exercise Science, but at this point there was no turning back. I really enjoyed my human biology class that was taught by one of the Exercise Science Department Chairs. In 2011 after taking a hiatus from exercise classes due to moving further away from my favorite gyms, I had gained a bit of weight. I decided something must be done, so I joined an online support group via beachbody because I recognized one of their at home workout programs : Turbo Jam (basically the at home version of the class I took). I drank shakeology, ate clean, and worked out... Turbo all day, every day (basically :)). It worked like a charm and I lost 40 lbs. Needless to say, I still missed seeing real-live human beings. I knew that since it was too late to go back to school, maybe I could become a Turbo-Kick instructor and work on getting more fitness certifications elsewhere. So... I did just that... (after becoming a Beachbody Coach, which I decided wasn't really for me... I wasn't really into "selling" products, although I did love helping people).
So I drove the 2 hours to Rochester to my 8 hour training to become a Turbo Kick instructor. I came home high on life! The training was amazing, it not only taught the format, but a lot of basic foundations of group exercise. Powder Blue (which was the company at the time that certified us and was run by creator of Turbo Kick, Chalene Johnson was an elite company, really something to be proud of). They gave us the option of joining the VIP group, so that you could get the newest choreography music, notes, and dvd mailed to you every other month. But it was just that....OPTIONAL. I didn't know if I would get a job teaching, or if I would teach at all... so I didn't join VIP, and just bought a discounted package of 11 rounds that they were selling the day of the training to get me started. Here are some of my thoughts: I think it is amazing that instructors can create their own classes and choreography, and generally I do that when I (or when I did teach) classes like boot camps etc... where you create stations or HIIT intervals, and specific targeted workouts that aren't "dancy"... but for classes like Turbo Kick, it is amazing that the work is done for you. Let's face it, most fitness instructors work other full or part time jobs, or have family's that they are raising. I can tell you how long it takes to create a routine, burn music, make sure it is approved through K&K (which is a insurance you need to have on music that protects the original artists, etc). It really can become a headache. Turbo Kick and things like it (zumba, etc) already have music that has been "okay-ed" by that organization. I knew right off the bat... I didn't expect to make $ doing this... I did it to share my excitement for fitness, specifically this FUN way of staying in shape! However, I didn't go into it to burn a hole into my finances.
My first "gig" was at a local high-school... teaching for free which was super fun because it was my first time, and it really gave me the experience and confidence I needed. A few months after that, I decided to rent a studio at an Ice Arena who graciously advertised for me. I charged $5 per class and they charged me $30 per class I had there to use their facility. If I did not have 5 people in attendance, I lost money. I knew I had to leave there VERY soon! Luckily, the Director of Fitness Programs at the Y sat in to watch one of my classes at the Ice Arena. She offered me a volunteer instructor position at the Y. So I began there teaching for free... but I was totally okay with that... at least I wasn't LOSING money. Several months later, I was offered a paid position. I grew my knowledge base with her guidance. I completed the foundations of group exercise course, CPR/ First Aid/ AED training's, and then went on to get certified by Powder Blue once again in the PiYo format. Soon, I was teaching 5 classes per week at the Y. I loved every second of it! I became pregnant in the midst of all this, and although I felt fine, physically to continue teaching, I was going through my own struggles at home... so I decided to take a leave from teaching for a bit.
During the midst of all this, my certification for Turbo Kick expired, but having a new born at home, and being super busy, not even thinking about teaching, I completely forgot. Not to mention... Powder Blue was bought out by Beachbody. I remember at our initial training saying we would get an email reminding us to pay our renewal fee ($30) every 2 years. I never received and email reminder. Not only that... I began seeing posts on facebook about the changes with Beachbody... that in order to stay a current instructor, you HAD to be a VIP member ($30/month per format you are certified in)... for me that = $60/ month for Turbo and PiYo. Yes, I would get the most current lessons mailed to me every other month... but there is no way I could justify $740 / year just to teach. I had gone back to teaching 1 class per week at the Y. I called Beachbody several times only to get shuffled around not having an answer to my question. I was willing to stay current in one format but not both. The other option is to completely retake the training every year. The most local training to me is in Syracuse , NY a good 3.5 hrs away.... to go for an 8 hour training in a format I have been familiar with for 7 years! And then a 3.5 hour drive home for $250. Fitness instructors get about $12/ hr... so teaching 1 class per week= $12/ week. I can't justify the costs! But again... you are almost forced into this because the pre-made choreography saves you time... a lot of time!
So this week... I contacted Beachbody a 2nd time to discuss my options... and once again, I was shuffled to 5 different agents for a total of 38 minutes with no resolve. So here I sit, super disgusted with what this has come to... a company I was so incredibly proud to be a part of, to a huge frustration, headache and expense to continue doing what I love. I hope more instructors will come forward to share their stories.
I was told by another instructor that I should teach independently and charge my own rates.... little do they know that I have been there and done that, and it is difficult to do in our demographic area where a) people already have gym memberships that include unlimited classes
b) we have impoverished areas
c) we have very rural areas
Please, please, please continue to share your stories about the changes in the fitness industry... I hate that it has become a big DOLLAR SIGN... when I know for sure they would still continue to profit if they did not force monthly fees on people... and to buy lessons as needed.
Sincerely,
A frustrated instructor
