Overcoming Objections in Cycling Class
This is part 2 of our “Overcoming Objections” series. You can find Part 1 here. Thanks to the ICA members who weighed in with a few ideas for this installment!
“But another instructor does it that way…”
An ICA member left a comment on the first installment of this series and wanted to know what to do when a student objects to a correction on a contraindication by saying, “Jane has us do this in her class.” It’s hard to “keep it real” when your participants are pedaling backwards, riding with hands behind their back, or doing push-ups on the bike because “another instructor does it.” How do you deal with this situation without denigrating your colleague?
Your first responsibility is to keep your riders safe, and it’s your best line of defense in this situation. As always, the “risk/benefit equation” applies here. Simply stating that it’s an unsafe movement (with a brief description of why) should be sufficient. “The reason why I don’t do XYZ is because I’ve learned that (insert explanation). It’s far more efficient and safe to do (insert correct technique).” Never say it’s “stupid” or the other instructor is “stupid for doing it”. If the participant infers that the other instructor is doing something unsafe, then you’ve done your job. (Note, for reasons why certain moves are considered unsafe or ineffective, read this article by Cori Parks. There are many links at the bottom for additional resources to back up your claims.)