Is it just Zumba participants?

ninerbuff

So I instruct a cardio kickboxing class every Monday evening and right after is Zumba. Now I've not only taught kickboxing, but a lifting class and hip hop as well. Now I know as creatures of habit we tend to pic a spot in the studio where we're comfortable. But I swear Zumba people are more territorial. On several occasions I've seen participants basically kick new people out of their "space" claiming they always dance there. I'm sorry but NO SPACE has a name on it. And especially in a crowded room, one is bound to impede in someone's "space". I don't have that issue in any class I've taught, but I've seen on 3 occasions where women flat out argue about their space. Isit just Zumba?





A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

snowflake954

I'd ask niner if these were older women. As an older woman, yes, I've seen it amongst my group and I think it has to do with anxiety. I've noticed with myself that I tend to function on "habit" much more than before because it keeps me on track. I tend to use the same space in the locker room too, and if someone gets to it first, I tend to be disoriented. I never kick anyone out of "my" space, because it's not really mine and they are paying customers too. I work on elasticity, but it's an effort at 66. Just my observation--maybe someone else has a better idea. The instructor has to clear the air, in my opinion.

middlehaitch

I’m usually the shortest in any class so am quite territorial about a space I have found where I don’t have to be at the front, but can still see the instructor. This applies to all classes I take inc Zumba.

There was a yoga class I took for a couple of years where no one had a set spot. I found it very frustrating as in most classes I had no idea what was happening and eventually gave it up as I’d leave the class so tense and frustrated.
It was oddly territorial as in once someone had put their mat down there was no moving it to accommodate others in the class. It was a weird hodgepodge of people scattered every which way around the studio.

Thinking about it, I usually like ‘my spot’ to be with the instructor to my left. The exception being aqua fit- I’d drown if I was to the left of the instructor.

Cheers, h.

snowflake954

middlehaitch wrote: »

I’m usually the shortest in any class so am quite territorial about a space I have found where I don’t have to be at the front, but can still see the instructor. This applies to all classes I take inc Zumba.

There was a yoga class I took for a couple of years where no one had a set spot. I found it very frustrating as in most classes I had no idea what was happening and eventually gave it up as I’d leave the class so tense and frustrated.
It was oddly territorial as in once someone had put their mat down there was no moving it to accommodate others in the class. It was a weird hodgepodge of people scattered every which way around the studio.

Thinking about it, I usually like ‘my spot’ to be with the instructor to my left. The exception being aqua fit- I’d drown if I was to the left of the instructor.

Cheers, h.

Yes---this, except that I'm very tall. I have difficulty hearing the instructor in my yoga class, so need to be close enough, however, if he's got music too loud I can't hear the cues. Our yoga class is the same--mats all over and nobody moves an inch. I get there early.

Alinouveau2

People tend to set up cues or spotting places for dance based things. If I have to grapevine hippity hop to the right I might have a spot in the floor I know that I head toward.

I've done dance classes and learned choreography my entire life. You can drop me into the middle of a class and I'll figure out what's happening but not everyone has had this experience. They're trying and learning and I'd never judge them for being territorial. Dance based classes are light years different than a weight lifting based class. But as also said above perhaps it to see the instructor, maybe it's to be beside their friends. Good for them for taking the class and trying. Zumba combinations can be tough to learn if your brain isn't that way inclined

springlering62

I had a yoga instructor once who told us we should never become wedded to a spot. He said that changing your location gives you a new perspective, which is a tenet of yoga, and he’s right. Any time I find myself becoming “used” to a particular spot, I change it up. It’s amazing how such a small change can affect your practice.

There are, however, students that regulars know always prefer a certain spot, and we try to respect that.

My studio is wonderful for people making room, as well as acknowledging people’s habits. I actually like the duct tape they put down to indicate COVID spacing. It’s made things a lot more orderly and spacing is more comfortable.

Having said all that, it’s an eight minute walk to the studio and I tend to shave it pretty close, so I usually show up a minute or two before class starts and wind up front and center- the spot no one else wanted, lol.

Tai Chi? Man I had to have the same spot every time or else everything I learned would flee my head and I’d be standing there gaping like an idiot or Keystone Cop’ing into someone else’s little square.

I would be petrified to try Zumba so I could totally see people wanting comfort spots.

cwolfman13

Spin classes can be like that too.

NorthCascades

I wanted to shove a guy over the edge of a cliff Sunday, but it was because of his Bluetooth speaker so I don't consider that territorialism so much as upholding community standards.

ninerbuff

Alinouveau2 wrote: »

People tend to set up cues or spotting places for dance based things. If I have to grapevine hippity hop to the right I might have a spot in the floor I know that I head toward.

I've done dance classes and learned choreography my entire life. You can drop me into the middle of a class and I'll figure out what's happening but not everyone has had this experience. They're trying and learning and I'd never judge them for being territorial. Dance based classes are light years different than a weight lifting based class. But as also said above perhaps it to see the instructor, maybe it's to be beside their friends. Good for them for taking the class and trying. Zumba combinations can be tough to learn if your brain isn't that way inclined

What I've noticed from this particular class though (not all Zumba classes teach exactly the same choreography) is that it's the same music and choreography each time. So the regulars KNOW all the moves and don't need cues. And yet they are still territorial against newbies just coming in. But hey, it's not my class. It's just something I've noticed.



A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

middlehaitch

Oh Niner, some of us are just not made to be good at choreography.

My belly dancing class was building to complete a whole 10 min dance over 8 weeks/classes. By the end of the 8 classes I was still going left when every one else was shimmying or belly undulating when I was supposed to be head wobbling. Choreography just doesn’t stick in my head and music doesn’t cue me to a move, I have to see and follow.

This applies to Zumba too. It can be the 1st or the 10th time we do a song, I still am surprised at the progression and get it wrong.
(My instructor almost cheers when she sees I am anticipating the next move it is such a rare occurrence)

Why do I do these things I am obviously never going to excel at?

They make me laugh, sometimes the rest of the class too, and they challenge me in so many ways.

(I was your age when I started doing these kind of things but I don’t think I would have been any better at 27.)

Makes me wonder if it is not, with me anyway, somehow related,in a subconscious level, to the word class. At both school and uni one stayed in the same seat/location for all classes. No seating at will- even in an art studio or science lab.

Cheers, h.

Alinouveau2

ninerbuff wrote: »

Alinouveau2 wrote: »

People tend to set up cues or spotting places for dance based things. If I have to grapevine hippity hop to the right I might have a spot in the floor I know that I head toward.

I've done dance classes and learned choreography my entire life. You can drop me into the middle of a class and I'll figure out what's happening but not everyone has had this experience. They're trying and learning and I'd never judge them for being territorial. Dance based classes are light years different than a weight lifting based class. But as also said above perhaps it to see the instructor, maybe it's to be beside their friends. Good for them for taking the class and trying. Zumba combinations can be tough to learn if your brain isn't that way inclined

What I've noticed from this particular class though (not all Zumba classes teach exactly the same choreography) is that it's the same music and choreography each time. So the regulars KNOW all the moves and don't need cues. And yet they are still territorial against newbies just coming in. But hey, it's not my class. It's just something I've noticed.



A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

They know the choreo because they have these cues!!!!! Been in learning choreo for 40 years and some people can do the same routine for a year and STILL need the prompts because they don't KNOW all the moves and rely on things like a spot on the wall or floor to perform these.

What comes easily to some doesn't to others. If these people want their spot it's their perrogative.

Alinouveau2

middlehaitch wrote: »

Oh Niner, some of us are just not made to be good at choreography.

My belly dancing class was building to complete a whole 10 min dance over 8 weeks/classes. By the end of the 8 classes I was still going left when every one else was shimmying or belly undulating when I was supposed to be head wobbling. Choreography just doesn’t stick in my head and music doesn’t cue me to a move, I have to see and follow.

This applies to Zumba too. It can be the 1st or the 10th time we do a song, I still am surprised at the progression and get it wrong.
(My instructor almost cheers when she sees I am anticipating the next move it is such a rare occurrence)

Why do I do these things I am obviously never going to excel at?

They make me laugh, sometimes the rest of the class too, and they challenge me in so many ways.

(I was your age when I started doing these kind of things but I don’t think I would have been any better at 27.)

Makes me wonder if it is not, with me anyway, somehow related,in a subconscious level, to the word class. At both school and uni one stayed in the same seat/location for all classes. No seating at will- even in an art studio or science lab.

Cheers, h.

Exactly what you said but you said it better.

My brain is good with choreography and you could plop be down anywhere and I'd get it...my brain converts choreography to sequences I think this is just learned behaviour because growing up I would learn a couple of programs on ice a year, not to mention dance sequences we'd learn too off the ice. However, people I have skated with can't remember steps from one week to the next.

Zoomie402

I don’t do Zumba, but I do go to Pound and Mixed Fit, and I do tend to go to the same spot. I’m not territorial though. If someone else is there, I’ll just go elsewhere. However, with my work shifts, I can’t go to these class every week. Sometimes I miss 3-4 weeks. I prefer to stand towards the back so I don’t trip other people up in case I miss something new. I also prefer the back because I tend to follow the people ahead of me more so than the instructor because they’re just as good and know the moves well.

middlehaitch

@Alinouveau2, my DiL is the same. She did dance all the way through school and, until she had my grandson, professionally musical theatre.
She doesn’t do dance classes at the moment but started doing a number of at home workout classes and I was amazed how fast she picked up the routine while I was still stumbling around. She put it down to a lifetime of dance and choreography- it’s just ingrained.

One of my favourite Chinese sayings is
‘Through inaction all things happen’

That is exactly what you and she have with regards to choreography.

(You have it so ingrained you don’t have to think about it, it comes naturally)

Cheers, h.

ninerbuff

I guess for me is just some of the aggressiveness of how territorial some are. An new person comes in and they shun them away quickly.

Lol, in my classes, I actually walk to the back an instruct part of the time. With mirrors on every wall, it makes it easy to move around.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Speakeasy76

I don't really know if it's just Zumba, but maybe there is something to being able to do choreography when you stay in the same spot. I know for me, as a person who has danced as a hobby for several years now and learns choreography pretty easily--I STILL have a bit of trouble if I'm made to face the other direction. Just the other week, the women and I in the "adult performing company" (totally voluntary, BTW) were learning a totally new dance, but we all went back to our same exact spots that we had for our previous dance! I think it's just what we were used to and comfortable with.

That being said, I would never be territorial about a spot! Those people just sound bitter and unaccommodating! Now that I think about it, though, when I used to do Zumba I do remember certain ladies who did seem to be a bit territorial with their spots (one in particular who thought she was hot *kitten, which she actually was a really good dancer). I'm sure if someone "took" their spots, they wouldn't have been too happy about it.

snowflake954

All I know is that as you get older it takes a little longer for your brain to pick up the cue and then move your body. I've been doing acquagym for 25 yrs with various instructors. They are all different and have us do different things. I like it because the cues make your brain work. My class this morning was short bursts of movement and quick changing in the water. I know it's good for me to try to follow and do my best. I'm also always on the same spot on the very end, near the ladder, so I can leave 10 min early and the showers are completely free ( don't have to wait for one), so I can get out faster. Reasons, reasons,........

springlering62

@middlehaitch nailed it. Tai Chi is the same thing over and over, ad naseum. Miss a week and I’d fall apart.

I cannot line dance to save my life and that’s about as simple as it gets. We did a cruise with our Neighbor-In-Laws (our kids got married). She loves to dance and was heckling me to dance with her. OMG. My idea of Hell. I’ll watch from over here, thank you, no you have fun, no no no I will not get in the middle of all those people, dammit leave me the **** alone.

I’m always privately entertained when new folks come to Universal Yoga classes and grab spots in the back.

The look of absolute horror when they take their first 180 degree turn and realize they are now the front is always fun.

The great thing about yoga is, though, someone’s always calling instructions.

Which reminds me, several weeks of square dancing was mandatory in PE back in my day. I did love that. But, again, callers.

tiptoethruthetulips

People quickly establish their preferred spots for all sorts of things: cafes, church, pubs, exercise classes, choir, work lunch room, meeting rooms, dining room table at home and even their favourite seat in the lounge room, etc.