Advice needed: should I talk to Barre3 studio owner about instructors?

[TinierTina]

Originally Posted by bubbles76

Oh I see Bettina. Problem with me is that I'm either passive or aggressive. Rarely both at the same time. People at work say I need to work on my "finesse". I'm a bit too direct . I'm sure there's a book or class for that I need to take.

No, you cannot be serious. I get your joke. But on a serious note nobody wants to be passive-aggressive in today's New Age of Nice (not totally being facetious here ...) ...

[Taiga]

Originally Posted by Nuggie's Auntie

I think this thread is interesting--how uncomfortable women are expressing their displeasure! I suspect a man would say, 'hey I don't like this' and a male owner would respond, 'great, thanks for letting me know' and it would all be over.

I have no difficulty in expressing my displeasure and yet I would still provide a friendly, constructive criticism via anonymous letter. This is because exercise is my escape. I understand when Neatski says "I love working out there". I exercise to brush off the dust of my day and I want not even the slightest risk that drama, mental baggage or anything but "100% feel good" will join me. Neatski's post is kind and clearly she glows when it comes to her studio.That will show in a letter. I also think that the simple act of a warm, genuine "thank you" during a correction will encourage more corrections. I bet instructors sometimes worry about hurting feelings/making someone feel singled out too much.

So if I want to express my displeasure, I'm more than happy to do it with my mechanic, the DMV counter or my boss. I'm happy to be "open and refreshing" in my day-to-day and when I'm out in the rest of the world. But given that a surprising amount of drama can pop up in the modern world, my oasis from it all is off limits to anything but simple on the spot positive feedback ("thank you" ). And sometimes I'm even too far in my happy place to float out and give that Just another perspective.

[Stephanie_B]

Originally Posted by susan p

I have finally learned to just BE OPEN with people and I find it is very refreshing and so much easier in the long haul (even if intimidating in the moment) to just talk to people. Directly. Avoid the middle man, avoid being "anonymous" -- just talk! There is very little that cannot be addressed in a friendly but direct tone. And it makes life so much less frustrating and so much less complicated.

My husband helped me too and my dad when I was an adult. My mom was/is huge on guilting people and using emotions against you, so it's a huge learning curve. LOL Nuggie, I also cried over grades.

[slysam]

Originally Posted by neatski

The studio owner is absolutely lovely and asks for feedback regularly. I haven't said anything because I don't want to be *that* client. But maybe I should say something? What do you guys think?

I personally think you should tactfully give them feedback on this. I have taken a lot of dance, yoga and swimming technique classes for adults (and a little Martial arts). In some of the dance classes the same thing happens. I have heard from instructors I know that offering technique corrections to adults doing a fitness or recreational activity is touchy. Some students apparently get upset and do not return, so a lot of instructors do not correct unless asked. I think this is a little unfortunate since people get the most out of any activity if they practice with good form and it is hard to correct ourselves. And sometimes correction is essential to prevent injury.

For me, if I go to a barre class it is pretty much for a form checkup since I have access to many workouts at home and have followed enough I can make up my own (and sometimes do if I just want to play music and not mess with workout media). I think at the least, you might get correction if you raise the issue and the studio will be aware that some want it. I have been in classes where the instructor told the class to let her know if you want form correction as some get upset by it and some welcome it. I find it puzzling that adults who pay for a class do not want correction or instruction, but apparently many do not. Of course it all depends how the correction is done.

[slysam]

Originally Posted by Nuggie's Auntie

I agree. And as for people having particular issues making positions difficult for them, a good instructor should be able to help people modify. It's normal for people to have 'off' form from time to time. That's why we need instructors to help us!

Really, everyone needs form correction. No matter how strong, fit or experienced you are. Corrections are especially important when you have your head down for a move and can't see yourself in the mirrors, or at the end of the set when you're fatigued. It sounds like it's just not a huge priority at barre3, which is too bad.

The instructor I sometimes take classes at the local barre3 does provide modifications for people with various issues so they are doing an exercise with good form. At the start of class she usually says something about letting her know if an exercise doesn't agree with your body and she will give you a modification. I've seen a lot of individual modifications for pregnancy, injury, posture issues, fitness level, etc. Though I guess they need to know that is the reason for the form issue. She also seems to automatically verbally offer the class modifications for "if this hurts your knees", "if you have lower back concerns", or other common issues that can effect form.

Edited to add: If your goal is to get your money's worth (and form correction) for yourself, I really would not go the anonymous route. I don't know the issue at the studio discussed, but often it is sincerely not wanting to single sensitive students out and upset them or drive them away. It may help to have a reminder that some students want form correction and for them to know you are one.

[neatski]

So update! Believe it or not, I got a link to an online satisfaction survey from the local Barre3 studio the day after I posted this (fate?!). Having read through all the opinions on here (THANK YOU for this wonderful and spirited discussion), I decided to submit the following. I decided not to be anonymous.

[Studio owner], I've been trying to figure out for a while whether or how to bring this to your attention, but I care so much about the studio and believe so much in Barre3 as a method that I felt it was important. I just didn't want to be *THAT* client.

Let me start by saying that I LOVE LOVE LOVE coming to class (although my schedule only allows me to do that once a week), and I have been doing Barre3 almost daily for the past year, and multiple times a week for a year before that. I'm a member of a large online exercise forum and have referred tons of people to Barre3 online and/or their local studios with my rave reviews and results. I also talk about it to everyone I know, pretty much! Previously, I had also done a bunch of other types of barre classes in other locations, and Barre3 is by far my favorite method and atmosphere.

BUT, one of the things I like most about live classes is that the instructors are there to help me get deeper into my postures and perfect/hone my form in a way that I can't do at home. At pretty much every other class I've attended- yoga, barre, pilates, etc.- the instructors walk around the room correcting form, encouraging students individually and helping them optimize their workouts. The big exception is Barre3 ([Studio location] is the only Barre3 studio I've attended). There are one or two Barre3 instructors who do that, but I've taken classes with almost all of the instructors, and most of them stay at the bar working out with the class and do not walk around helping students. I really try to not pay attention to what others are doing but I can't help but notice terrible form by newcomers or even more experienced exercisers that goes unnoticed and uncorrected by most of the instructors. I don't mean layers or modifications, I mean fundamental and necessary parts of the postures, like keeping the spine in neutral, or keeping the chest open, or not dipping into the lower back. It makes me wince, and the instructors ignore it, which makes me wonder what errors of mine they're not correcting either! I totally get working at your own level (I had to modify heavily during and after pregnancy and I embrace that!), and I love Barre3's motto of "Make it your own," but considering how much Sadie and the other instructors in Barre3 online emphasize form, I think the same should be true in live classes.

Barre3 is one of my true loves, and I try to live the Barre3 lifestyle in every way I can. I've just been disappointed about this for a while, to the extent that I've considered switching to the Bar Method or Pure Barre just to have access to better instruction. I didn't want to offend anyone or make waves, but I think as a studio owner, you probably want to hear this feedback because if a Barre3 fangirl like me would consider going elsewhere because of this issue, there are probably others who would do so. I love the studio and still refer every single person I know to it, but I really hope this is something that can be improved. Thank you again for creating such a beautiful, welcoming space for both me and [DD], and I look forward to many more classes.

I will keep you all posted!

[susan p]

1) I totally missed it in the OP that the owner is ASKING for feedback! Gosh, that makes it easy! Just give it!

2) My aversion to anonymous communication is that it has bitten me in the butt. I was in a situation (I won't go into any specifics even here on VF which feels safe, because I know it's still public even though nobody involved would EVER find the story here!) wherein someone complained over someone else's head anonymously. The person complained about thought *I* was the one who went over her head! I was not. I knew who did, and it was a friend of mine, and only he and I knew that he was the one who went over her head. I was not going to tattle on him. . .

But this person was in a position of power over me and took it out on me in very distressing ways over time, because she was convinced that I was the anonymous tattler. Which I wasn't. And I told her it wasn't me, but I felt like I couldn't honorably extricate myself by giving away who it was (because she was in the same position over him.)

SO, when you do something anonymously, the person receiving the communication can get very paranoid, if they are prone to that, and in their paranoia they may set their suspicions on someone ELSE, convince themselves that it was someone else, and take it out on that someone else.

So that is my story. Really, it does not apply here because an instructor is not someone who has any authority or power over you or anyone else in the class. The worst that would happen, were they a spiteful sort, is that maybe someone would get cold-shouldered unjustly.

(I tell this story just to explain why I am so anti-anonymous; I am not the most impartial person, so it may be that advice from others is more impartial than mine.)

[cherimac]

Awesome job, Neatski. That sounds like a perfect response to the survey.

[Nuggie's Auntie]

Oh great, so glad you had the survey to express your thoughts. Well done on your response!

As for anonymous letters... I was thinking about it and am curious how one would even go about making anonymous comments, if the survey had not been an option. A letter with no return address? Leaving a note on the desk when no one is looking??

[Stephanie_B]

I am glad you sent your thoughts in.

Susan, I totally get that. On the flip side, a studio where I taught, the owner wouldn't read anonymous stuff regarding her classes (dance and for kids) as she felt if they couldn't tell her as a grown up she wasn't going to take time to read them.