There's nothing like one of your biggest group fitness pet peeves to really slow down your cycling, droop your downward dog or kill your Zumba rhythm.
We asked our readers on Healthy Living's Facebook and Twitter pages to tell us what annoys them most in their classes. Here are their top five biggest group fitness pet peeves.
Tardiness
When it comes to group classes, being late is a big no-no to our readers. If you do arrive late, it's best to make sure you disrupt the class as little as possible. But, according to our readers, disrupting the class after your tardy arrival is even worse than the actual act of being late.
"[My] biggest pet peeve is people who show up late. Even a minute late is rude, but when someone shows up 15 minutes in... really?!" --@BEDinNYC
"When I arrive 30 minutes early to secure the perfect hot yoga spot, good view in the mirror and some yahoo flies in at the last minute and sets up right in front of me!" --Kimberly Phelps
"Late arrivals that want to ask the instructor questions when they arrive late!!" --Anne Marie Cahill
Straying Outside Of Your Skill Level
There are beginner, intermediate and advanced classes for a reason. Sauntering into a beginner yoga class for the sole purpose of showing off your scorpion handstand is just plain intimidating. Alternatively, slowing down an advanced dance class because you're still learning your pliés is equally uncool.
"When people who are really good at yoga sit up front and [their] minions gather at the back trying to see what's going on." --@lorifascilla
"The person who should be in an advanced class, but chooses a beginner one, and makes everyone else feel like s***." --Laura Buchanan
Invading Personal Space
In our daily lives, most of us prefer that strangers refrain from walking or talking too closely. Fitness classes are no different. Bursting through someone's personal bubble is one of our readers' biggest group fitness pet peeves.
"I take a lot of dance fitness classes, and honestly my biggest pet peeve is people who are not aware of their personal space." --Millie Olsen
"Biggest fitness pet peeve is when the girl next to you does the moves full out, almost hitting you in the face! #personalspace" --@mama_bear102
"Space hog!!!!! Pick a spot, notice your neighbor, get away from her/him!" --@VBuentipo
"People not staggering their yoga mats. My butt in your face -- not that great, huh? I was here first." --Mariana Perez
Chitchatting In Class
The social aspect of group fitness is not an excuse to spend the class gabbing away. Talking to neighbors or on cell phones -- or other types of noisy distractions -- is a sure way to ruin the class for everyone else.
"We'll go with [the] 'talker'. Lady, we're trying to remember to breathe here (in the midst of trying not to die). Stop asking us questions!" --@BeautyfitGirls
"Ringing cell phones. It drives me crazy every single time." --@Fiona4343
"Loud grunting, loud drinking, talking in the sauna, slamming of equipment, asking many questions without listening to answers, complaining." --@healthy_intent
A Bad Instructor
Sometimes our biggest pet peeves have to do with the class itself -- or its instructor. Maybe it's the way they talk or their approach to teaching, but a bad instructor can be the fast track to a bad class for our readers.
"Instructors who sing their instructions along with the song as if it's an audition, not a fitness class they are instructing." --@JazzVBiancci
"An instructor who doesn't engage with the class. I've had instructors spend the entire session staring at their own movements in the mirror. Meanwhile, participants are practicing poor form and losing interest." --Francois Brown
Bonus: From The Teachers...
But it's not only participants that suffer from serious group fitness pet peeves. The instructors themselves have their own list of annoying habits in their classes:
"I'm a trainer, so mine is that it's harder to focus on correct form for everyone when it's not just one or two people to check on." --Gabrielle Tee
"As a fitness instructor, participants holding full conversations while the instructor makes announcements [and does] demonstrations. It's totally unfair for the class as a whole." --Francois Brown
Have some group fitness pet peeves of your own? Share in the comments below!
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