Getting my groove back

In non-political news, it seems I'm finally finding my footing again in the world of spinning. It had been puzzling me for weeks because I felt as if I was in a funk following the loss of my hard drive and spinning music collection (rendering me temporarily unable to create new rides) and the Christmas/New Year's holidays (rendering me without my usually Mon/Tue night classes two weeks in a row). I spent that time taking classes elsewhere, reminding myself what it is like to be a student in a class and, quite frankly, trying to steal ideas I can bring back to my classes.

To no avail.

My first several classes back in the saddle were disappointing. For me. My classes didn't complain and they were all just in that New Year's "burning off the damage" mindset. Indeed, I had dozens of new students, who required various amounts of coddling and hand holding, as well as adjustments to my usual rides. Maybe that threw me off too.

But it continued. Was my confidence shaken from my performance review? Perhaps. I was more irritated than disappointed that it was obvious that my fitness director didn't know she was seeing a Madd Dogg ride as opposed to 80s high hair aerobics on a bike. The fact that I wasn't doing sprints (unsafe) or jumps (unsafe) or using faster music (on a slow hill climb?) really seemed to nag at her. But I couldn't convince myself that I still knew better. I'm a 4.0 student in every other aspect of life, this was really getting under my skin.

So, I did what any other desperate woman would do and I wrote to the woman who inspired me to do teach to begin with. I hadn't talked to her in a while and wasn't sure she'd remember me. When I told her what I was up against, she wrote me a lengthy missive back, and in short said "Stay true to yourself, you know the right thing, and if you give them that, they will come...it will come." But also, she got me a gig subbing classes where she teaches now.

And so I have subbed there twice. Both times I subbed, I presented rides I had done before. Both times I knocked it out of the park. They were a phenomenal group to teach, which is just amazing to me given that I'd never met them before; usually it takes time to build a rapport to the point where it is emotionally inspiring. But I walked in confidently, presented my ride the best I knew how, and had them in the palm of my hand faster than you can say "that was your warmup".

And with those rides at a club that is totally unknown to me, I was reborn. I know I still have it and I can deliver it and I can have people leaving with that happy glow. For me, that's what it's all about, sharing with them what made me love this spinning thing to begin with.