- It's okay to start small and build your confidence.
- Focus on coaching, not just choreography.
- Don't be afraid to ask for feedback.
- Prep takes time, but it gets easier.
That First Class Feeling
I got my Schwinn certification in 2021 while working a demanding finance job. I had taught group fitness since I was a chubby fourteen-year-old, but getting on a bike in front of adults in San Francisco was a totally different beast. I was genuinely terrified.
My legs were shaking before the music even started. I had spent hours on the train mapping out every single beat drop on a crumpled note card. You prep so hard because you think the riders are going to judge every pause or missed cue.
Look, the reality is they just want a good workout. I was so focused on being perfect that I forgot to breathe.
What I Learned on the Podium
If I am being blunt, instructors overestimate how much riders notice. We obsess over the exact second a heavy climb hits and agonize over the playlist.
Most riders come in for 40 minutes to sweat, and they happily forget all of it the second they walk out. Giving them a clear plan and a hard push matters way more than a flawless transition.
I also learned that the industry completely undervalues our time. Gyms expect great classes but do not pay for prep. I was spending my entire Sunday listening to songs on repeat just to find the intervals.
That burnout is actually why I built On the Beat. I needed a way to get my prep time back so I could actually enjoy the room and the people in it.
Mistakes I Made (So You Don't Have To)
- Skipping the names. I teach so many classes that I often forget to ask who is new. It quietly costs you rapport, and it is a bad habit I still fight today.
- Forgetting the small wins. I am a push coach, and I want heavy climbs and max sprints. But I used to forget that for some people, just showing up is a massive win. You have to celebrate that.
- Overcomplicating the drills. I tried to do too much early on. Now I stick to three or four simple drills per class, like pace work and isolations, mapped strictly to the music. Everything moves to the beat, and no one gets left behind.
Your first year is going to be messy, and that is completely fine. Give yourself some grace, keep your drills simple, and remember that the people in the room are the whole point.
