Learning to improvise (and laugh a little too)

Do you get nightmares?  As a group fitness instructor, my nightmares are usually along the lines of showing up late for a class, not having the right equipment or music, or showing up without knowing what I'm going to do for a workout.  Well yesterday, one of those nightmares unfortunately came true!  As I was climbing up the four flights of steps to get to the group fitness room for my step aerobics class, I realized I left my iPod charging on my desk at work.  That desk is about a 15 minute walk from the gym, so going back and getting it was not an option.  

After about 5 seconds of panic, I thought there HAS to be some music with a constant beat somewhere in this building.  I called down to the group fitness director and she said she'd send some music up.  Great, crisis averted.  Or, so I thought.

The first fifteen minutes of class is for first time steppers, where I just go over some basic moves before the class gets going. We don't use music for this, so everything is good.  As everyone is arriving and setting up their benches, I couldn't get the CDs to play!  It wasn't that long ago when I made the switch from CDs to iPod, but I couldn't figure it out.  At this point, we're about two minutes into class, and everyone is just standing around.  My last resort?

Me:  "Does anyone have an iPod with music on it?"

Participant:  "Can we play Pandora?"

Me:  "Sure, fine, anything!"

I had to get these people MOVING!  So, we put on the pop station, and I start the warm-up.  Only the music is pretty slow.  Rihanna, I love your beats, but they're just not for my step class.  Good enough for the warm-up, but it wasn't going to cut it.  "Okay, what else do we have?"  A participant reluctantly volunteered her iPod with her running playlist.  She was afraid to be judged by her music - isn't it funny how personal our running playlists can be?  We got started, and the second song that came on was the perfect speed - Can't Hold Us, by Macklemore.  We're flying through the workout, my heart rate is climbing and I'm starting to sweat.  Step class has been saved!  I was planning on just playing Can't Hold Us on repeat - I didn't want to risk a slower song coming on, but the next song was Pump It, by Black Eyes Peas - even faster!  I'm now confident that the workout is going to be okay, and I started to relax.  We used those two songs for the rest of class (sorry to my class if you guys are now going to dream about them), and we managed to still get through three combos!  At the end of class, one of my regulars said, "I think that wound up being harder than a normal class!"  Mission accomplished?  I think so!  The joint was fizzlin' & we put our hands up!

Would I plan for a class to go this way?  Absolutely not!  But sometimes, you just have to improvise and "roll with the punches".  I'm so thankful that my participants were patient with me and were able to laugh with me about the mistake.  I apologize for forgetting my music, but please don't forget - we're human too!  Thank you steppers!  I'll be thinking of you as we stuff our faces with turkey next Thursday!  I'll see you in December.

Have you ever had a fitness nightmare come true?