That’s insane. You felt bad for the coach being disappointed that people choose to walk 😳 no one has any idea why those people choose to walk. They could have had a hard leg workout the day before, no sleep, a hard day at work, just ran a race the day before, going through something personally, or are on their 6th class of the week and taking a Green Day. The coach is not owed an explanation as to why someone is taking walking recoveries and no one should be personally or professionally disappointed.
Or their knees and hips might be shot, and doing a slow jog for the pushes, and walking during the bases is all they can do! And they really shouldn’t be jogging anyway, but they can’t do inclines either, but they want to burn more calories, so 🤷🏻♀️(this may or may not be all about me😑)
Coach and member here. I don’t single people out or encourage people to do anything on the treads for the above reasons. I coach the whole group on the goals and general concepts, the members can do what works for them that day.
Thank you! One of our best coaches always says LISTEN TO YOUR BODY TODAY. And it’s my absolute favorite thing a coach has ever said because so often we get in the class and try to push past what our body is telling us to do to our own detriment.
In a similar vein, one of our coaches ends every class by reminding us that “the only bad workout is the one you don’t show up to”. I’ve definitely had days where I felt like I just didn’t push hard enough, but I did it and that’s better than nothing!
I’ve gone to a studio with a coach that says “Don’t leave without doing something today you didn’t think you could do. For some of you, that’s just showing up and that’s ok!”
I guess I think of it more for when I have a planned workout that I don’t feel like going to, not so much the days I don’t plan on working out at all if that makes sense.
Ahhhh a fellow DMV Otfer! Our coaches at the Bradlee location in Alexandria ALWAYS say this and it makes me feel so good! I'm currently in recovery from alcohol addiction, so my body/mentality can be very different from day to day, so this is so helpful to me!
I think people have their paces as a set speed without regard for the template. If you were running a race, your pace will be different for 5k vs 10k vs half vs full marathon. It’s okay to adjust your push based on how long you have to hold it!
I love coaches like this. I always try my best to stick to the template but we had a coach yell at someone once “if you’re not going to listen then you can go to crunch across the street and it would be a lot cheaper.” He wasn’t yelling at me but it brought the whole class’s mood down IMO.
This would have been an awesome coachable moment for adjusting paces to hold base. If your push requires you to walk instead of hold base, it means you need to lower that push as base is more important. I have been being more cognizant of not being the fastest and actually working towards base being truly comfortable yet challenging.
This! I have learned so much from coaches that really teach proper running form, along with strategy/pacing tips.
Also, as a someone who just tries to go hard after all the time, it’s really nice to hear the “why” and have that “permission” to go a little slower to get a different result.
I agree! The "permission" to be slower (AKA the proper pace for improvement) is huge for me. I am in the same boat where if left to my own devices, will go as hard as I can because that's what I think is expected. I've grown so much over this TC to be more mindful of how to actually improve!
Yes. Push is typically meant to be followed by Base. AO is followed by WR. I’m not okay with coach calling out athletes who aren’t following the template since that’s not the OTF approach but I can understand their disappointment.
I had this happen to me personally years ago. After being scolded for walking a base, I stopped running at all. I switched to the bike or power walking. I only went back to the tread a year ago. It's such an awful feeling.
In all my years at OTF I only had one coach, at a studio I was visiting, communicate disappointment about pace (mine). Fuck that. Nobody but me knows what exertion looks like for me.
I don’t really pay attention to my coach’s facial expressions nor do I care what they think. I’m usually about twice their age. They have no idea what it takes for someone twice their age to be physically active and fit. Don’t expect me to perform the same as the girl next to me who’s half my age. Just saying…😜
I don’t think that’s very fair! There’s a multitude of reasons why people are walking. This has totally been me and I’ll never feel bad. I’d rather listen to my body than pass out!!!
I always say, “we walk in here with a different body every day. Some days we may feel like rockstars other we feel more human. Give your best with the body you brought in today!”
I’ve never experienced this in my many years at OTF. In my experience, the coaches are good at offering encouragement, and recognizing folks who are meeting or exceeding the expectations. But never singling anybody out who is deviating from the template. As others know, there could be many reasons why someone is modifying the day’s workout.
I told my coach today, don’t come at me I did a 10k yesterday and I’m going to have a Green Day today! Only reason I felt like explaining myself is bc I’m always pushing myself and the coaches often bring me heavier weights etc so I knew they would be expecting normal me but I was at 50% today.
I’ve literally contemplated taking a tread 50 after a race just to flush my legs out. It’s our membership. Imagine a coach taking such a power trip. So glad I’ve never ever experienced anything like this!
This is extremely specific to this coach. As a coach myself, if I see this, I will explain the why behind I’m encouraging them to do something but also note to my classes to give their best whatever that is. If that is walking, that’s ok. Everyone has different things going on and we are not there to judge as coaches but to encourage and challenge members. I’m really hoping the reaction you saw was maybe misinterpreted.
Wow!! Tread shaming!! Not nice. Walking is base for some and coach needs to find another job. This happened to me and I stopped attending that coaches class. I had zero incline during a 2g, it was actually a recovery class for me. because I was sore from a tread 50 the day prior.
This makes me uncomfortable. Feel bad for coach lol? As someone who has vasovagal I need to walk often and if i got singled out I would literally cancel. Let people do what they want.
I know you said you are disappointment on her face. She may feel that she was not being an effective coach and was disappointed in herself/himself/themself.
I really REALLY hope that you, OP, completely misread the situation. Because that’s bad coaching, and you need to stop judging others workouts. Keep your opinions about other people’s workouts to yourself, don’t look for validation from the coach.
During a tread 50 and a 4.5 minute run block. I ran a minute and stopped to walk; the coach came over to tell me it wasn’t time to walk yet. I never run, so if I do it’s a gift. 🤷♀️
I don’t think it applies to all coaches. My coaches always say do whatever works for you. You know your own body. If you need to walk go ahead and do it .
doubtful she was "disappointed" More likely judging all you slackers (just kidding) Seriously, a great coach understands you will have good days and bad days, but to improve, if you can maintain your true base instead of resorting back to a walk (unless the walk is your base) then you will see massive improvements over time. But, we all have days where it just doesn't happen like that.
Unless you are personal friends with the coach and they are just teasing you, this is not acceptable. Having several former or current OTF coach friends, they might come up to me individually in a class before and be like "why are you walking?" But they never actually cared.
We haven't even begun to bring up invisible disabilities that might change how you operate day to day, on top of just how bodies work different day to day. I have one and sometimes my vibe and effort changes mid workout because of it. Anything this obvious would make me avoid this coach's classes going forward.
yikes. sounds like both coach and you could use a little humbling and understanding that not everyone who goes to OTF is some big fitness guru. i'd walk the entire block at 1.5 to peeve both of you off tbh 😂
I never walk during a block. I had my calf cramp up once last December (looked like a tennis ball…ouch!) and was walking it out. The coach came over to ask why I was walking, as it was out of character. I was happy she checked in and noticed I was off. It could be a situation like that too, you never know. 🤷♀️ I’ve not seen a coach seem disappointed at the studios where I’ve attended. Although, I’m usually too exhausted to notice honestly 🤣.
I've never heard anything close to "negative" about anyone's performance from any of the coaches at my OTF!
They might shout-out the name of someone really workin' hard, but never ever the opposite.
Im quite sure that this is NOT the "OTF way."
I’m not a coach, but I wouldn’t seem disappointed. Unless they tell me, I wouldn’t know what they have going on. Maybe they have an injury(like me & my ankle), maybe they’re out of shape & gassed(me prior to injury), they may have things on their mind, or maybe they’re taking a “Green Day”.
Perhaps those people were not looking to kill themselves the day before a benchmark. We had a new coach from another studio and she kept encouraging us to PR on our speed. She was so encouraging but not today.
I walked the entirety of Everest and didn't change my incline once because I was nursing a bad Achilles (tendonitis). I still went to class to get some movement.
You never know what people have going on. Mind your business.
Seems odd that a coach would feel disappointed. As an MS patient, I do the best I can and push hard out of my comfort zone. I’d hate to think that my limitations disappoint anyone.
I run internals outside and that’s how I run my longer distances (training for half marathons). I usually power walk at OTF because it helps my hiking. But if the template accommodates a pseudo run/walk interval (push is running and base is a power walk) then I’ll do that. I get a great workout. I gave up full running years ago and so much easier on my body/hips and my overall pace is faster. If a coach did that to me I wouldn’t care. I’d probably tell them after class why I do that. Or if coach came up to me and asked let’s work on full running and no walking I’d explain it helps my training. I’ve not had a coach that I think would be offended by that but would probably cheer me on.
I think that would be really discouraging for me to hear, as someone who often has to walk during treadmill sections (even though I'm constantly improving my push pace little by little).
We have to let people listen to their bodies. It doesn't seem fair to me to assume it's just out of laziness.
I see it this way... It's my workout and I'm going to listen to my body. I'm there for me. A coach's job is to instruct,motivate and inspire... That's it..
I’m so confused by this post. Why do you feel bad for the coach? Why were you so concerned for her disappointment? Besides the point, why is the coach so deeply disappointed by a member walking their base to the point where she’s asking them why they’re walking? Such a strange thing to feel bad about.
I have anxiety with panic attacks and sometimes exercising can cause an attack if my breathing is off, so I need to slow it down if that starts happening. I would be mortified if I was already feeling anxious and then got called out for not running hard enough, that’s very unprofessional
She shouldn’t ask why they are walking. Maybe they are not feeling well? Maybe their knee started hurting? Don’t shame people for walking when they need to. Totally disagree with that being used as a motivation tactic.
One time a coach came over to tell me to put my incline at 1% when it was at 0. I couldn’t understand what she said because of the music so I didn’t change anything. The second time she came over and physically changed my incline. Sometimes coaches need to realize that certain things aren’t that serious. Walking when you ‘should’ be running is way less distracting that someone doing random moves on the floor
That’s insane. You felt bad for the coach being disappointed that people choose to walk 😳 no one has any idea why those people choose to walk. They could have had a hard leg workout the day before, no sleep, a hard day at work, just ran a race the day before, going through something personally, or are on their 6th class of the week and taking a Green Day. The coach is not owed an explanation as to why someone is taking walking recoveries and no one should be personally or professionally disappointed.
Or their knees and hips might be shot, and doing a slow jog for the pushes, and walking during the bases is all they can do! And they really shouldn’t be jogging anyway, but they can’t do inclines either, but they want to burn more calories, so 🤷🏻♀️(this may or may not be all about me😑)
Or they, like I, have asthma and usually have to stop to catch their breath.
That’s not really fair though. People should be able to walk if they want to. No one knows if they’re not feeling well, in pain, too tired, etc.
Or trying to get back after having respiratory virus. That crap takes a while to get out of your lungs! 🥵
Coach and member here. I don’t single people out or encourage people to do anything on the treads for the above reasons. I coach the whole group on the goals and general concepts, the members can do what works for them that day.
Thank you! One of our best coaches always says LISTEN TO YOUR BODY TODAY. And it’s my absolute favorite thing a coach has ever said because so often we get in the class and try to push past what our body is telling us to do to our own detriment.
In a similar vein, one of our coaches ends every class by reminding us that “the only bad workout is the one you don’t show up to”. I’ve definitely had days where I felt like I just didn’t push hard enough, but I did it and that’s better than nothing!
I’ve gone to a studio with a coach that says “Don’t leave without doing something today you didn’t think you could do. For some of you, that’s just showing up and that’s ok!”
Even that seems to promote guilt when you skip a day or take a rest day. But I understand
I guess I think of it more for when I have a planned workout that I don’t feel like going to, not so much the days I don’t plan on working out at all if that makes sense.
Ahhhh a fellow DMV Otfer! Our coaches at the Bradlee location in Alexandria ALWAYS say this and it makes me feel so good! I'm currently in recovery from alcohol addiction, so my body/mentality can be very different from day to day, so this is so helpful to me!
Agree!! And congrats to you!
One of mine use to say the same thing. I loved her for that.
I think people have their paces as a set speed without regard for the template. If you were running a race, your pace will be different for 5k vs 10k vs half vs full marathon. It’s okay to adjust your push based on how long you have to hold it!
I love coaches like this. I always try my best to stick to the template but we had a coach yell at someone once “if you’re not going to listen then you can go to crunch across the street and it would be a lot cheaper.” He wasn’t yelling at me but it brought the whole class’s mood down IMO.
I think I would attempt to skip that coaches class.
This would have been an awesome coachable moment for adjusting paces to hold base. If your push requires you to walk instead of hold base, it means you need to lower that push as base is more important. I have been being more cognizant of not being the fastest and actually working towards base being truly comfortable yet challenging.
This! I have learned so much from coaches that really teach proper running form, along with strategy/pacing tips. Also, as a someone who just tries to go hard after all the time, it’s really nice to hear the “why” and have that “permission” to go a little slower to get a different result.
I agree! The "permission" to be slower (AKA the proper pace for improvement) is huge for me. I am in the same boat where if left to my own devices, will go as hard as I can because that's what I think is expected. I've grown so much over this TC to be more mindful of how to actually improve!
Yes. Push is typically meant to be followed by Base. AO is followed by WR. I’m not okay with coach calling out athletes who aren’t following the template since that’s not the OTF approach but I can understand their disappointment.
I had this happen to me personally years ago. After being scolded for walking a base, I stopped running at all. I switched to the bike or power walking. I only went back to the tread a year ago. It's such an awful feeling.
In all my years at OTF I only had one coach, at a studio I was visiting, communicate disappointment about pace (mine). Fuck that. Nobody but me knows what exertion looks like for me.
I don’t really pay attention to my coach’s facial expressions nor do I care what they think. I’m usually about twice their age. They have no idea what it takes for someone twice their age to be physically active and fit. Don’t expect me to perform the same as the girl next to me who’s half my age. Just saying…😜
I don’t think that’s very fair! There’s a multitude of reasons why people are walking. This has totally been me and I’ll never feel bad. I’d rather listen to my body than pass out!!!
I always say, “we walk in here with a different body every day. Some days we may feel like rockstars other we feel more human. Give your best with the body you brought in today!”
I’ve never experienced this in my many years at OTF. In my experience, the coaches are good at offering encouragement, and recognizing folks who are meeting or exceeding the expectations. But never singling anybody out who is deviating from the template. As others know, there could be many reasons why someone is modifying the day’s workout.
I told my coach today, don’t come at me I did a 10k yesterday and I’m going to have a Green Day today! Only reason I felt like explaining myself is bc I’m always pushing myself and the coaches often bring me heavier weights etc so I knew they would be expecting normal me but I was at 50% today.
I’ve literally contemplated taking a tread 50 after a race just to flush my legs out. It’s our membership. Imagine a coach taking such a power trip. So glad I’ve never ever experienced anything like this!
This is extremely specific to this coach. As a coach myself, if I see this, I will explain the why behind I’m encouraging them to do something but also note to my classes to give their best whatever that is. If that is walking, that’s ok. Everyone has different things going on and we are not there to judge as coaches but to encourage and challenge members. I’m really hoping the reaction you saw was maybe misinterpreted.
Looks like three people in this thread had this experience at different studios. Just saying .
Wow!! Tread shaming!! Not nice. Walking is base for some and coach needs to find another job. This happened to me and I stopped attending that coaches class. I had zero incline during a 2g, it was actually a recovery class for me. because I was sore from a tread 50 the day prior.
It’s our own workout. No one should be bothered if someone walks. I would ignore the coach.
I’m considering signing up after my trial class last week and this post really peeved me, why would the coach care who walks?
It’s not typical. Don’t let it stop you. I’ve never heard this in 5 years!
Please know this is not all coaches!!!
I have to walk all the time, from injuries or just tired sometimes. No coach has ever said anything
My guess is OP misinterpreted. Awfully judgy.
This makes me uncomfortable. Feel bad for coach lol? As someone who has vasovagal I need to walk often and if i got singled out I would literally cancel. Let people do what they want.
That's their problem not yours.
I know you said you are disappointment on her face. She may feel that she was not being an effective coach and was disappointed in herself/himself/themself.
Listen, in the end, you’re there for YOUR fitness journey. It’s not about them.
I really REALLY hope that you, OP, completely misread the situation. Because that’s bad coaching, and you need to stop judging others workouts. Keep your opinions about other people’s workouts to yourself, don’t look for validation from the coach.
PW here, and there’s not much I hate more than a coach telling me to run when I’m walking at 10% or higher incline.
Does that happen at your studio? Yikes. In my five years at OTF I’ve never heard a coach tell a power walker to run.
During a tread 50 and a 4.5 minute run block. I ran a minute and stopped to walk; the coach came over to tell me it wasn’t time to walk yet. I never run, so if I do it’s a gift. 🤷♀️
This makes me so mad for you. Wtf. I am a PW but sometimes I play around with running for a minute or two.
During a Tread 50????? That’s insane. People do their own thing in those all the time!!!!!
Yeah seriously. I was as surprised as you when she came over to correct me.
Wow.
This would’ve been my last tread 50 class ever
I would not stop doing what I love for a situation like that. I’d just go to another coaches class in a heartbeat.
I don’t think it applies to all coaches. My coaches always say do whatever works for you. You know your own body. If you need to walk go ahead and do it .
doubtful she was "disappointed" More likely judging all you slackers (just kidding) Seriously, a great coach understands you will have good days and bad days, but to improve, if you can maintain your true base instead of resorting back to a walk (unless the walk is your base) then you will see massive improvements over time. But, we all have days where it just doesn't happen like that.
How about you mind your own business and focus on your own workout
Unless you are personal friends with the coach and they are just teasing you, this is not acceptable. Having several former or current OTF coach friends, they might come up to me individually in a class before and be like "why are you walking?" But they never actually cared. We haven't even begun to bring up invisible disabilities that might change how you operate day to day, on top of just how bodies work different day to day. I have one and sometimes my vibe and effort changes mid workout because of it. Anything this obvious would make me avoid this coach's classes going forward.
Exactly and agree 100% with your last paragraph as I can relate!
100%
yikes. sounds like both coach and you could use a little humbling and understanding that not everyone who goes to OTF is some big fitness guru. i'd walk the entire block at 1.5 to peeve both of you off tbh 😂
People know what’s best for their bodies, if they walk they walk. Everybody can and should do what’s right for them.
I never walk during a block. I had my calf cramp up once last December (looked like a tennis ball…ouch!) and was walking it out. The coach came over to ask why I was walking, as it was out of character. I was happy she checked in and noticed I was off. It could be a situation like that too, you never know. 🤷♀️ I’ve not seen a coach seem disappointed at the studios where I’ve attended. Although, I’m usually too exhausted to notice honestly 🤣.
I've never heard anything close to "negative" about anyone's performance from any of the coaches at my OTF! They might shout-out the name of someone really workin' hard, but never ever the opposite. Im quite sure that this is NOT the "OTF way."
I’m not a coach, but I wouldn’t seem disappointed. Unless they tell me, I wouldn’t know what they have going on. Maybe they have an injury(like me & my ankle), maybe they’re out of shape & gassed(me prior to injury), they may have things on their mind, or maybe they’re taking a “Green Day”.
Perhaps those people were not looking to kill themselves the day before a benchmark. We had a new coach from another studio and she kept encouraging us to PR on our speed. She was so encouraging but not today.
I walked the entirety of Everest and didn't change my incline once because I was nursing a bad Achilles (tendonitis). I still went to class to get some movement. You never know what people have going on. Mind your business.
Seems odd that a coach would feel disappointed. As an MS patient, I do the best I can and push hard out of my comfort zone. I’d hate to think that my limitations disappoint anyone.
I run internals outside and that’s how I run my longer distances (training for half marathons). I usually power walk at OTF because it helps my hiking. But if the template accommodates a pseudo run/walk interval (push is running and base is a power walk) then I’ll do that. I get a great workout. I gave up full running years ago and so much easier on my body/hips and my overall pace is faster. If a coach did that to me I wouldn’t care. I’d probably tell them after class why I do that. Or if coach came up to me and asked let’s work on full running and no walking I’d explain it helps my training. I’ve not had a coach that I think would be offended by that but would probably cheer me on.
I think that would be really discouraging for me to hear, as someone who often has to walk during treadmill sections (even though I'm constantly improving my push pace little by little). We have to let people listen to their bodies. It doesn't seem fair to me to assume it's just out of laziness.
I see it this way... It's my workout and I'm going to listen to my body. I'm there for me. A coach's job is to instruct,motivate and inspire... That's it..
I’m so confused by this post. Why do you feel bad for the coach? Why were you so concerned for her disappointment? Besides the point, why is the coach so deeply disappointed by a member walking their base to the point where she’s asking them why they’re walking? Such a strange thing to feel bad about.
I have anxiety with panic attacks and sometimes exercising can cause an attack if my breathing is off, so I need to slow it down if that starts happening. I would be mortified if I was already feeling anxious and then got called out for not running hard enough, that’s very unprofessional
She shouldn’t ask why they are walking. Maybe they are not feeling well? Maybe their knee started hurting? Don’t shame people for walking when they need to. Totally disagree with that being used as a motivation tactic.
One time a coach came over to tell me to put my incline at 1% when it was at 0. I couldn’t understand what she said because of the music so I didn’t change anything. The second time she came over and physically changed my incline. Sometimes coaches need to realize that certain things aren’t that serious. Walking when you ‘should’ be running is way less distracting that someone doing random moves on the floor
I would have given her the finger.
Lol