After a long wait, I finally am certified to teach BodyPump at the gym I am working at. It was a long journey, but a pleasant one – the outcome was too perfect, far from what I had imagined! Thankful for my mom for supporting me, as in finance my certification fees and some of my travelling costs. Thank you for understanding my situation and acknowledging that I was willing to start again to boost my career and passion in the fitness industry. Also thankful for my mentors, Raven and Bobby – especially to Raven for giving me the chance when no one would, to build and practice as an instructor; and Bobby for sharing and giving me the space and time to develop myself to become a BodyPump instructor. It was a team effort or rather project with a mission, to have another BodyPump instructor at the gym. The gym personnels were helpful to allow me to practice prior to final assessment day; and the feedback and participation of the gym members that gave me the confidence and drive to become better after each of my practice sessions. So much love given and accepted!
I, at first, attended an audition some time in August last year presenting a track from GRIT Cardio release 35. It was track 2. I wanted to present Track 7 as well. But by the end of Track 2, we were all so exhausted and quickly went for feedback and brief interview about myself and my experience. I thought I did not make it because I did not receive the result email on the time that was promised; but so elated that the email actually came later saying I got it! It still made me smile reading our initial emails, Raven’s to myself regarding the audition. I began training for RPM and BodyPump in September as I was interested to get certified to teach these programs. I can’t remember when did I sign up for IMT, but it was for early December 2022. I was training for half marathons as well while consistently attending RPM and BodyPump classes twice a week. Boy, I was so exhausted all the time but I gradually became better to manage my recovery and training. It was not so bad too as I really enjoyed doing these classes at the gym. Then, the IMT was postponed due to lack of participants to a later date in April 2023. A bit of drama from the gym side, but that can’t be helped too. I was disappointed at first as I planned to make teaching there as my main source of income. I had to accept the reality, made peace with it and carried on looking for other opportunities to get more income; but continued to work on my instructing skills as it was my responsibility to become a good instructor to the gym members. Hopefully, I can be great one day.
I was given the confirmation email for IMT about less than 2 weeks prior to the training dates stating that I would be assessed to train with Track 3 (Chest Track) for release 124. The first week, I read all the resources, learnt the track and choreography notes line by line. Did not start on the coaching yet, just trying to remember the moves and transitions along with the music. The following week, Bobby and I started with practicing with the moves and scripting cues. First few attempts were so uncoordinated, but I was okay with that as I knew that I still would have the opportunities to learn scripting during the Day 1 & Day 2 IMT. My journey to KL from KK was quite packed, it was so generous of a friend who lives at the city centre to let me stay at her house while I was there attending IMT. I really just did shopping for snack just before departing to the airport with my mom. Like I really just went through the motion and did my best to stay fully present during training. It was fasting month, obviously I did not fast considering how tired I was from travelling the day before (last flight and arrived early morning same day with Day 1) and were going to jet home straight after IMT to be ready to teach on Monday morning! The short stay was awesome as I managed to catch up and break fast with old friends that I hadn’t met in years.
During Day 1, we started with doing the whole release 124 with our trainer, Kong Sei Key; and then, after first learning session, everyone took turn to present their allocated track on the stage while the rest follow as participants. Our trainer gave her feedback and we tried again with focus to apply what was recommended. The day felt long, when I got home at my friend’s I was struggling to stay awake but still had a great time with my friends catching up on our lives. Woke up on Day 2 not feeling the slightest muscle soreness, pretty amazed how my body adapted to the program training. For Day 2, I can’t remember if we did the whole release again, I think we did. Then, learning time (it is like a brief lecture class) before we proceed to the BodyPump challenge. The warmup for the challenge was familiar – the Burpee 2-minutes beep test! I had it before – it was the GRIT challenge during my GRIT IMT in 2018. Still felt like crazy but it felt easier after all those years of training. So we were divided into pairs for the challenge, and we had to motivate our partner when he or she was on the drills. We took turns doing all the exhaustive list of exercises. My partner, she is a seasoned Les Mills instructor and basically had the technique, endurance and great mindset to finish. At first I tried the motivational types to stay with the drill; after observing how she responded to it, I tried giving her positive affirmations that she looked great, how powerful she looked executing with great technique and stuff – she responded better. It was a great challenge not only on our physical endurance, but also in finding solutions and making quick decisions in seconds. I really value her for being such a sport during the challenge and her dedication inspired me. We ended the day with our final presentations, and home after getting our feedbacks to work on for the next 8 weeks prior to the final assessment, that is Day 3.
Going back in KK, Bobby and I were all like straight into the drills of training. I started with team-teaching 1 to 3 tracks with him, with him giving me feedback. I also initiated a practice class when there was free slot for me to film myself and practice teaching the full release. The morning ladies that I usually teach were so sweet by volunteering to join my class. It was good for them too to practice getting back their strength and endurance for BodyPump class. Basically, if there were no class cancellations or public holidays, I would be teaching up to 4 classes of BodyPump each week. Initially, I wanted to run for Borneo Marathon 2023, but I did not want to risk my training and my physique prior to Day 3; seeing that I was almost exhausted everyday just from gym training and other commitments. First few classes were really scary and I could not imagine myself teaching the class by myself. Bobby said my body will get used to it, just keep practicing – and thank God it did! It was the willingness and openness of everyone towards instructors making mistakes that allowed me to learn, be confident in teaching and finally be brave enough to express my own flair in teaching.
My travels to Day 3 were pretty smooth and relaxing. I stayed at my sister’s and a pleasant quick catch up with a friend from Kuching who I could not meet for her wedding, who happened to be there as well after she found out from Instagram stories that I was around. I planned to just sleep in on the day before Day 3, but she was nearby, so my sister and I went out to where she was. On Day 3, I woke up early and just gambled through travelling from Putrajaya to Ampang via MRT after quick research. Public transport in Malaysia is mostly inefficient and not punctual which gives me anxiety on travelling on one. Turned out it was very convenient and cheap, given that I placed ample travelling time and buffer for delay – took me less than 40 minutes. Again, I prayed that we wrap up early so that I have time to travel to the airport via public transport again after that. We finished earlier, about 4.30pm. I was so relieved and proceeded to take MRT to Putrajaya Sentral, and then took the KLIA Transit train to airport from Putrajaya. It took me almost 1 hour which was quicker than what I had expected and costed only RM13 in total of ticket fares combined, more or less.
Back to the Day 3 training, we began with doing the whole release 124 again. Everyone was given 3 tracks the present on the spot. So, I got track 1,3 & 4, which was a huge relief as these are the tracks that I felt I had most confidence in presenting. Thank God it’s neither squat or lunge track! We took turns to present 1 track after another. When all of us were done, we were all rounded up together for feedback and areas to work on for the next presentation. Before the final presentation, our trainer asked us to instill the performance and connection elements in our presentation; encouraging us to chill and just be ourselves. Everyone was tired, but I believed we all did out best. I was the last presenter on that day. I was really tired already but knowing that it will be the last track, I focused on hyping everyone up that it was almost over. I was okay and contented with how I did. This was unusual because I tend to overthink and expect for the worse and how it could be better (trauma, yes!). It must have been because of all the practice I did back home. And then, the most anticipated (and dreaded) moment arrived where the trainer gave us our results and feedbacks. She did it so discreetly and respectfully by calling group by group that she thought had similar areas to work on. So when it was my turn, I was called with 2 other instructors as a group – apparently our performance were above average and that we could go far in teaching according to her! I did not expect this, but welcomed the feedback so much.
It was a tremendous morale boost and validation for me after experiencing my first IMT for GRIT. I admit I was horrible during that time as I lack the fitness and my energy did not match my performance during presentation, even during the first few classes that I tried teaching last time. It really was quite a process and life-changing experience. I obviously did not envision myself becoming a pretty fit and strong person from being obese years ago, what more becoming a Les Mills instructor. I truly believe in consistency and good work ethics now. When I spread the news to my mentors and gym members, they were so happy! I have started teaching my own class last Monday. Now I am certified (with flying colours!), my goal now is to maintain and teach with excellence for each class. It really is the highlight of my year so far!