At the risk of being alienated by my fellow LES MILLS instructor frens and also gym members, I feel i need to voice out a couple of things thats been in my mind for quite awhile. I know many of the BODYJAM, BODYSTEP, BODYBALANCE, BODYCOMBAT, BODYATTACK fanatics drop by my website occasionally, and thought that it would be good if they take a minute or two and listen to what I have to say also.
For those thats been attending G-X classes, u'll notice the vast difference in techniques between the new members and old ones. This is especially true for combat, step and bjam. maybe because attack is new and these three are the complicated ones.
My greatest concern is that more and more members are leaving these classes coz its too easy or too boring. They fail to realize the techniques and therefore do not appreciate the focus and objective of a particular release.These days instructors are focus in teaching the latest choreo or the latest releases but not the technique and overall focus and design of the releases. For example.
1. BSTEP. A side knee raise is suppose to focus no the thigh thats on the board. Members are not suppose to weight shift between legs. This is when u overwork your knee.
2. BSTEP. Arms lines are never foused upon anymore during the releases.
3. BSTEP. Squats are when u pushed ur butts behind and making sure the knee is behind the toes, these are safety measures and techniques.
4. BSTEP. we work our legs doing the jumps. which no one does anymore the correct way.
An instructors job is not just to tell the choreo, but most importantly making sure that the members understand HOW and WHY the moves are executed. Yes, its about working out, and sweating it out. But the discipline of the programmes are about techniques. Its not about performing on stage, its about letting the ones on the floor perform correctly.
1. Bodyjam. U hardly hear any instructors talking about weight shifting. Bending the knees and having the up and down motion anymore. Or even tell us on what body part we should be doing them.
2. Heres my personal feedback on Bodyjam on release 44.
2a. Warm Up - Its about pushing ur hips to the front, keeping chest facing front, up and down motion when twisting your body.
2b. 1st Block - Its about having fun to the music. Its about the heavy beat, lean back and shift ur weight from back to the front. During the sling shot. the motion is the same, up and down with weight shifts.The legs criss cross combo is abt being forceful and popping the knee n chest, keep body n head being still. During the knee lift, thats what it is... a knee lift, shifting ur weights up and folding ur body down with the arms leading the way.
2c. 2nd block focus on the stamina, the beat. Dont say swing your arms like beyonce. say.. swing it to the back to the back. Clear concise verbal execution of the technique is important. Each tap means shifting the entire weight from one leg to the other. Legs are hip width apart in beginnig. A tap is on the off beat and not behind the other leg. But the real challenge is to go jumping wide. sometimes it feels too repetitive coz the levels are not clearly explained. Challenge the members. the pivot turn is actually a 180 and jump back to the front(270degree turn) after being pushed(whole body weight infront).
The idea is to teach not perform... not just the choreo but the techniques as well. U'll know a good instructor when with one look, you see similar techniques being executed by the members in a class.
I guess, if i do become an instructor, thats something i would like to improve in the GX classes, but alas... think i've come to a point in knowing that i'll never be one, and thus by writting this entry, i'm hoping that my frens would take a step back and remind themselves to once again remember on how to TEACH a member to once again jump, to once again spin, to once again swing their arms.
For the few instructors thats been doing a good job in teaching me from day one. Stay focus in watever u doing. Thats why I keep coming back. :) Heres a pat on your back. Good job guys.
