[AnitaPita]

Hi Everyone!

My name is Anita, I just recently finished Pump and Attack training! Yay! I am new to group fitness instruction, I have never taught before. Learning the choreography and technique come easy to me but I am having a hard time with BA cues. It's like I know what to say but it's more like getting the cue out there at the right time. ](*,) I am getting ready to team teach my first BA class and I feel like my cueing is not up to par.

Was this challenging for any of you? Has anyone else here taught BA as their first group fitness class ever? I would appreciate any tips or tricks you might have with BA cues.

Thanks so much!

[Placebo]

Hi Anita,

I think that "KISS" applies for all instructors just starting out. Try not to say too much, just concentrate on 'cuing' the first round and maybe a little bit of move "safety" as well. Like for example - Shuffles "Now shuffle"..."heels into the ground"..."hips to the front" type of thing.

You've got to exercise technique to a high standard as well as talk, so don't go overboard with explanations.

The most important thing I learned when I started, was to 'cue' basic moves/safety stuff when I was learning my chorey. Talking it out helps with timing of cuing, and making a 'superhighway' of Attack cues for your brain to draw on quickly.

HTH

[jaffa]

I don't teach attack, but you sound exactly like me 6 months ago when I started team-teaching!!!

Practice, practice, practice is all I can say. Remember your pre-cueing.

I'm a big visual learner... what really helped me to develop a broader range of cues was to get a blank notebook. In the front half, I wrote the names of common moves, starting with initial cues and then follow-up cues down the bottom. Motivational cues I turned the book around and wrote them down under feelings or different things I wanted to achieve on each page. My biggest problem was actually learning what the best cues were, because to be honest, whenever I partipated in classes I don't think I ever heard anything that was said, I was always busy watching what was going on. I used to use this book all the time, but it doesn't take long to really develop a whole new vocabulary and things just start to fly out of your mouth - believe me, you might think it will never happen now, but it will!


The other thing I had issues with when I started teaching was cueing too late... I fixed this pretty easily by completely changing the way I learn the chorrey... you really need to know what's coming up next, rather than what's about to happen... for me, it was a completely different way of looking at things - even though everyone said that if I knew my chorrey back to front, it would happen. I did, I just wasn't learning it the right way.

[AnitaPita]

Wow you guys have no idea how much this is helping me. Thanks for your responses! I worked with one of the other Attack instructors tonight and she was a big help...she told me how she counts down to the last 2 seconds then gives the cue... Right now I'm just trying to make it through so people know what they are doing. I'm sure I'll really need to fine tune my initial and follow up cues for my video...

What about previewing moves? Is that required for the video?

[Placebo]

Anita,

Previewing can be the most helpful tool to use, esp in Attack where you are in high cardio mode and have to talk as well :shock:

For example, I've been teaching "Brazil" from Attack 54. It has a Superman to the right and back, then 8 jump-jacks at the end. It then moves into 8 double jumps. I preview the double jumps at the 7th jump-jack (if I've remembered correctly ). I usually say something along the lines of "Next move". I therefore let the 'visual' tell the story with very little 'blah blah' (heck, you need any energy conservation out there to get you through teaching Attack!).

When I videoed for certification, I used a range of things to get the point across, previewing was definately a part of that. With each track I learn, I listen for when I can preview a new move. Some you can't, some you can. Then I practice, practice, practice - and talk it out loud.

I know that everyone 'bangs on' about videoing etc, etc, but my advice is to put that to the back of your mind at present, and concentrate on enjoying the experience and getting the most out of every one of your classes. Learn as much as you can from your mentor instructor and most importantly, put it into practice. Then start to video.

This is a great time for you. You don't have permanent classes, so it's all learning and applying (things become harder when you add programs, because it can be difficult, and sometimes near on impossible to 'shadow' around your permanent classes).

Enjoy

[Mel]

Placebo, on Jul 24 2009, 11:44 AM, said:

I know that everyone 'bangs on' about videoing etc, etc, but my advice is to put that to the back of your mind at present, and concentrate on enjoying the experience and getting the most out of every one of your classes. Learn as much as you can from your mentor instructor and most importantly, put it into practice. Then start to video.

I agree with that. I think it's better to focus on being a great instructor than to focus on "what to put in my video". Being a great instructor will show through and it doesn't really matter what you do. If you focus just on what to do in the video, those things could get forgotten later, which kinda defeats the whole point of doing the video

The only thing I really was anal about in my videos was making sure I had 100% correct chorrey.........that is something that you can do something about

[lhmatth]

Hey Anita!

Attack was my first group fitness certification. I sent in my video mid-June and get my certification notice about 5 weeks after that.

As for cuing, I cannot agree more with the above sentiment that less is more and to work to keep cues simple. And even though I think that's bang up advice, it's the hardest advice for me to follow! ](*,)

As far as previewing goes, if the music and moves allow, I always try to preview by replacing the last rep L and R with a preview of the new move. Sometimes the music allows it; sometimes it doesn't. As was mentioned above, I usually pair that preview with "next move" or "coming up" or "eyes up here." If I can, I sometimes name the move as I preview, e.g. "Supers next" or "drop squat, join me."

Lastly, and most importantly, practice practice practice. I play Attack music ALL.THE.TIME. when I'm trying to learn new material and what I need to say with it. I've got a commute, so I frequently crank up the Attack tunes and call a class in my car on the way to work and back. I may - strike that - do look silly, but who cares? Also, my iPod is essential for me as I'm learning new stuff. I do the baby-est of baby versions of a class (extremely extremely modified movements) and practice putting together what I say and what I do. The moment I miss something or my preview and precue timing is off or goes by without me doing what I need to do, I start the track over.

Hope that helps! I know that I was always walking the fine line between being thoroughly overwhelmed and bouncing off the walls excited when I made it back from my training and started team teaching. Revel in the excitement! Enjoy the fact that you're actually doing this! And don't forget to congratulate yourself for all the hard work you've already put into the endeavor!

Lauren

[Gazzeruk]

I agree I've been teaching Attack nearly 4 years now and still find it hard at times to get precues in and have to work at it alot more than combat (where it just seems to slot into place). But keep it simple and repeat and look at the class, modify wording or actions if you see the rabbit in the headlights look from them. Also learn from the previous class if they did not get a move why not run through it and break it down before you start the next or with things like squares spin around and do it with them to avoid them mirroring your square pattern.

[AnitaPita]

Thank you Lauren!
I feel like I've gotten so much better with previewing and cueing the last few weeks! It was so difficult at first but each time I teach a class it gets easier. I also have a great friend who practices with me and I can tell right away when I'm not cueing early enough...because she is late going into the movement or looks like she doesn't know what to do next. I've been listening to the music constantly and now I feel like I know 65 in and out! Time to start on 66! And to the comment about previewing, I agree some are so much easier than others. For some reason I still have a problem previewing on the first set of drop squats in track #3 of 65. When I practice I can hit it fine but then in the class I always miss my chance! But no problem previewing the drop squat/shuffle combo later on in the same track. Weird. I also have no problems previewing in the plyo track either. Thanks again everyone!

[lhmatth]

Way to go! =D^ It was a nice feeling knowing that you've got your video chorey down pat! When are you planning to film and submit? Are you getting the opportunity to team teach lots?