The long road to Elite

The road to any goal is a long one. There are always those proverbial bumps in the road that only make you stronger.

When I finished my Advanced BodyPump training last October, I knew the road to potential Elite certification was going to be a long one. I was given a year to send in as many videos as I could. The second I left Boston last fall, that’s where the thought process went.

Earlier this spring, the taping process began. For any group exercise instructor, having a camera in the back of the room watching their every move can be a little nerve-wracking. But that’s where I try to tell myself, the camera is just another participant, sitting on a Tripod. It just so happens that he’s not doing any squats, clean and presses or push-ups.

In March, I thought I had a winner. My coaching and connecting were spot-on, and I walked out of the room with that high, thinking, wow, that was the class of my life. But in this age of technology, there are going to be hiccups. That, coupled with a 6’2 instructor standing on a tall stage turned out to be my downfall, as I found out my head was slightly cut out of the video, thus it could not be assessed and I had to re-submit.

I won’t lie if I was a little frustrated. It was similar to that moment that University of Maine hockey player Michael Schutte was controversially sent to the penalty box in the 2002 national championship game in Minnesota, against the Golden Gophers no less, costing the Black Bears a national title. It was one of those, “what do I have to do” moments.

But it’s adversity that makes you stronger, both mentally and physically, and I pressed on, and got myself a winner earlier in May that I’ll be sending in at the end of this week.

Elite certification does not guarantee that I’ll become a Les Mills trainer. Some wait years and years before they get that life-changing phone call that they’re on to a trainer summit. I know that. And that’s OK. But that’s not what this journey is about. This journey is about improving as an instructor and a person, and giving myself something to be proud of and work my ass off for. It’s where all the lifting sessions, days of teaching two BodyPumps in a day and suicides and push-up intervals pay off.

In the end, if the goal is not reached, yes, I’ll be a little disappointed. But, it won’t be the end of the world. I’m only 30 years old and have all the time in the world to get to where I want to go. If I can inspire a participant to want to be an instructor because of this, then that means more than any piece of paper, any week at a trainer summit or any trip to Auckland would.

If the video I’m about to send in isn’t good enough, that’s OK. October is five months away. That’s a long time, that’s a lot of classes, a lot of chances to get the job done, and a lot of time to absorb feedback. Short term focus is a big part of this journey. One class at a time, one workout at a time. You can’t get too ahead of yourself, or you’re setting yourself up for failure.

If this video isn’t a winner, we’re on to my club’s upcoming launch.

Ryan McLaughlin

About Ryan McLaughlin

BDN sports reporter Ryan McLaughlin grew up in Brewer and is a lifelong fan of the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins. In "The Boston Blitz" he'll be sharing his perspective with BDN readers about what's happening on the Boston professional sports scene.