Today is 11/11/11. Don't know why I feel I need to make note of that, but I do. Very cool.

Anyway, here's my newest "crisis": an issue with one of the water aerobics instructors at my new gym. She's one of those drill instructor type bitches who wants no talking, no fun, and everyone to do everything exactly as she does it, no matter what their level of fitness or injury. I told her before my very first class with her that I was taking the class on a medical prescription due to my back injury and that I might have to modify some of my movements due to it. Her response? In the bitchiest tone possible, "I am an aerobics instructor, not a physical therapist. If you can't keep up with my class, then you shouldn't be here!" I was completely shocked, but managed to tell her "No problem. If I can't keep up, I will happily get out of the pool and leave." Since then, she has continually barked at me any time I modify any of her exercises, and every time, I tell her "I'm not allowed to do that." Finally, this past week, we were in a circle doing an exercise when she came right up to me and told me I was doing it wrong, to which, as always, I replied, "I'm not allowed to do it that way. I'm modifying it for my back." She then literally told me "Well, then, step back, because you're obstructing my class!" I was so pissed I couldn't even speak. I couldn't decide if I should just get up and walk out, go report her to a manager, tell her off myself, or what. I decided that none of those things would actually help the situation, because her bullying personality would only get worse if I did any of that. Instead, I just carried on with the class, though without looking at her at all. When the class was over, however, the incident was the talk of all the women in the class. They couldn't believe she would be allowed to speak to people like that. Then last night, pretty spontaneously, I decided to go speak to a manager about it before class (this one with a wonderful instructor). I basically just asked if an instructor was allowed to threaten to kick people out of class who were medically unable to do every exercise exactly as the instructor did them. I didn't even have to give her name...the manager knew exactly who I was talking about. And of course she said that no instructor could kick anyone out for ANY reason like that. They are told to allow encourage everyone to work at their own pace, modifying anything they need to. She then asked if any of the other instructors were not following that rule, and I told her no, that everyone else was wonderful. It was just the one instructor who was so inappropriate. And while I didn't really intend to give all the details of what she had said to me personally, I did. Though I also asked the manager NOT to speak to the instructor personally about it, because I knew that would only make her worse. I told her I just needed to know the policies of the gym, so that I would know how to handle the situation in the future. The manager said that was fine, but that she would keep a closer eye on the instructor (and maybe even come to the next class herself!). So while I do plan to go to the bitch's class tomorrow (and fully ignore anything she says to me), I am considering whether going to her classes are even worth it, since her attitude is so bad. I'm considering just doing the two other night classes (taught by others) and then going once a week on my own...and maybe even talking some of the other women into doing a little group session just in a swim lane or something, since so many of them have been turned off by that instructor as well. We'll see. One good thing: a new branch of this gym opens near my house in January, so hopefully I will be done with her completely then!