97: 5 Interesting Things Only Group X People Understand

Group X has its own culture. It has its own language, traditions, and inside jokes that make absolutely zero sense to people who don't live it. In this fun, lighthearted episode of Group X Appeal, Kimberly and Terry celebrate the wonderful, hilarious things that only devoted Group X instructors and participants truly understand.

Discover why people seem attached to seemingly invisible "ownership" of class spots, what "class psychics" are, why you can sweat beside someone for years without ever knowing their last name, and what happens in the parking lot post-class that sometimes lasts twice as long the actual workout.

Learn about the thin line between love and hate that exists in every group fitness class—and why "Kimberly Joon" can be either a term of endearment or humorous frustrated shout out, depending on the intensity level. 

Whether you're a hardcore group fitness addict, a curious newcomer, this episode is a love letter to the community, quirks and all.

Because sometimes, a workout isn't just about a workout - it's about family.

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Questions or topic ideas? Email us @ groupxappeal@gmail.com

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Stay Connected with Kimberly:
- @kimberlyspreenglick on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube
- email: kimberly@theinspiredlifeuniversity.com
- website: www.theinspiredlifeuniversity.com

Stay Connected with Terry:
- @terryshorter on Instagram & Facebook
- email: terry@rippedplanet.com
- website: www.rippedplanet.com

Transcript

Kimberly & Terry' (00:00)
You know you're a group X addict when you walk into a class and immediately head to your spot. Perhaps you secretly know every instructor's playlist or exercise sequence before class even starts. And yes, you've absolutely made good friends with people whose last names you don't even know. Yep. If you're smiling already, this episode is for you.

Kimberly & Terry' (00:23)
Hey, welcome to Group X Appeal. I'm Kimberly Spreen Glick here with Terry Shorter. Why did I say it like that? Terry Shorter.

Kimberly Springlick. So we're back. We're here.

All right. We we are thrilled to be with you and and apparently thrilled to be here together. Yeah. Laughing it up already. We're always laughing it up. And of course we are always talking about group X, also known as Group Fitness. Why is that? I I don't know. We just love it. Why are we talking about this? And you know, group fitness, it actually has its own culture. It does. It has its own language, its own traditions, its own inside jokes, of course, which is often why you find us laughing.

And if you've never taken a class, some of these things won't make any sense. No, but if you've been around long enough, you're gonna be laughing because you've probably lived every single one of them. Today what we're doing is we're celebrating the little things that make group X feel just like home. So true. How does that sound? It does sound amazing.

So what do you think? We should share maybe five things that only group X people understand? That's our number. High fives all around. Do you want to kick us off? Let's let's talk about these things. So one of the things that group X people know is the unofficial reserve spot. yeah. So where we teach at lifetime locally here in Laguna Nigel, California.

Luckily, what's great is everyone reserves their spots. There's numbered spots in each of one of the studios, way ahead of way ahead of time in an app that we have, right? and so people know what spots they're coming to. Yep. Right. And they go to the same ones every time. Absolutely. They do. And mind you, nobody actually owns the spot, but Yeah, they they don't like pay rent on it or anything. No, that's exactly. But

Everybody knows whose spot it is, even if those numbers didn't exist. So true. So before we went through this number system as pre-COVID, remember, there weren't any numbers. People would show up and It was a free for all. It was it was pretty much a free for all for all, except there are some people who might as well have had like a a brass plaque with their name engraved, you know, screwed into the floor in their spot.

Because everybody knew that that was their spot. And if you're one of those people, you know who you are. You know in certain classes you have a spot to go to. Right. So now we've got numbers, right? Everyone's got like a numbered spot. And it's it's kind of funny because I've heard people, I'd watch them on the Lifetime app, like right there in person, in the flesh, and they would look to see to remind themselves of what spot they actually had. Yep.

And or at the spot that they like to reserve, right? And they would get mad because my gosh, someone took my spot.

Yes. And I've actually also s have have witnessed fights. my gosh. Like like almost like fist fights. Almost yeah. Physical. y'all. Yeah, yeah. Sadly, right? Yeah. So let us know if you've ever seen that happen before. I've seen some I hope not. Yeah. Some some really altercations. Wow. Well, people have actually pushed each other. Yeah. That's my spot. Like, wow. We're gonna fight over

Your spot. man. It's group X people. We're here to have fun. Right. Wow. Right. So and it happens in Pilates classes too. It happens in cycle spin classes as well, right? Absolutely. So hopefully hopefully not often. That's crazy. And

Have you been in a class where you have the instructor's spot where you were supposed to be? Uh-huh. And people would be like, on your spot? yeah. And they're they're welcome to teach the class. Absolutely. I'll give them the mic all day. All day. All day. And have you ever confronted these people to say, hey, listen, this is actually the instructor spot, or did you just let them stand on that spot? you know, I actually worked around them. I did the same thing. Yeah. I'm like,

I don't want to. Like they want to be front and center like that? Because we tend to move around quite a bit anyway. So I'm like, yeah. Yeah, but at least to kind of kick off the class, you like to be Usually you know, visible to the entire It's helpful, I think. Yes. You just wanna give your instructor shirt to that person. You ever had someone so close to stereo that you have to like step over them to like change music? yeah. I've had that in yoga. Yeah. All their equipment and stuff. No.

So the spot. Yeah. The spot. The spot is is a I'm well aware of this one. Yeah. So here's one for you, ready? Yeah. The class psychic. Okay, what's that? Okay. So this is the person in class or the people in class that they know what's coming. Okay. They know what song's coming next. They maybe they they think they know, I should say. They think they know what song's coming next or what exercise is coming next in the sequence. huh.

This happens a lot in yoga. Yeah. Because we'll we'll play with like different sequencing and you'll you'll do one move that maybe the week before you did another pose after this one. So they'll just go right to the next pose and and we're just like, whoa. Hey, slow down, Turbo. Slow your roll. I haven't taught that part yet. And so I feel kind of bad, but do you know what I do sometimes? Well, I I need to hear this. This is a this is gonna be a great tip. Kimberly's tip. no, it's not a tip. it's a it's a confession. well let's hear it.

So when someone does that as far as like the exercises, when they move on to what they think I'm gonna do next, if it was what I was gonna do next, I change it.

That's jacked up. And you like little giggle. Little Japanese. But I feel like it's a valuable lesson to be able to provide for people. And be present. Yeah, stay present. Yeah, stay present. Don't try being a psychic. Like be in the present moment. Wait for the instruction and then go. Don't have to start doing what you think is next, cause you might be wrong. Yeah. So watch out now. Watch out.

That also happens in in cycle too. Uh-huh. Like they think let's say it during a sprint, right? So you're building up to the sprint and the music changes, but it hasn't changed yet. Right. You hear the build up and then the the beat hasn't dropped just yet, but someone just takes off. It's like, Hey, hey, hey, we're still back here. Slow down, turbo, slow you roll. So yeah. So just be present. Yeah.

Psychics. And if I've ever done that to anyone that's listening or watching, I am so sorry. Now you know. Now you know what she does. Sorry, not sorry. Be present, darn it. So what about the the class friend? The friend. Right? Do you ever have like a buddy that you see you see regularly in one of the classes? you can't wait to see that friend. You've known them for, I don't know, two, three, four, five years. You sweated next to them hundreds of times, but you still have

absolutely no idea what their last name is. Yeah. Absolutely. Right. Yep. If someone asks, wait, who are you talking about? It's always just, it's Karen. Why did I be Karen? What? No, there there are some lovely Karen's up there. So Karen's fine. Listen, no fist bumps though, okay? So so yeah. So they're described by

Maybe their hairstyle or hair color, their physique, maybe the their favorite brand of sportswear or athletic wear that they wear or shoes or something, but no last name. It's so true. I've even been out to like brunch, lunch, or out to get coffee tea with like groups of members. And I guarantee nobody knows each other's last name. Like we're out socially beyond the club, even and we should ask.

We should do a first name. We should do a poll. First name basis. that's so funny. We should quiz them. Right. Matt we could play a game where we match the last name with the first names in class and see how well they do. Let's do it. that's funny. But it's so true. And yet we d we actually create such a strong connection because of the shared experience. So that's actually a beautiful thing. Yeah. It really is a beautiful thing. So you're talking about the love-hate relationship. the love-hate relationship. So

It's so funny, I was just talking to a couple of members in class today and they you you have a class you you enjoy, you have an instructor that you really like, you like their personality, the way they cue, the the layout of the class and the experience they provide, and yet at certain points during the class experience, maybe you're not loving so much. In fact, they say there's a fin a thin a fin line. A fin line. There's a shark line.

Yes. There's a thin line between love and hate and I think that exists in Group X classes because I think that love turns to anger and hate like real fast. There's a an amazing group that that come to my cycle and in yoga and the CTR classes and and it's this kind of this Persian community. And June means deer. Yeah. So they often call me, you know, Kimberly June. So it's Kimberly June. And exactly. And sometimes in the middle of class I'll just hear this.

Kimberly June. Like a really evil sounding and they don't they it is not a term of endearment in that moment. And after class they were saying to like sometimes you're Kimberly June. Sometimes you're even Kimberly June, but sometimes you're Kimberly June. We don't like you very much. So it's so funny we we develop these love hate relationships. We just want to let you know that that's one sided.

Like on our side as the instructor, it is all love. Nothing but love for you, baby. Nothing but love. Heavy D said. Everything that we are asking of you, everything we challenge you with comes from a place of love. Always. Always, always, always. And so I wonder if there's any way. the last one, number five, is the post-class parking lot conversation, right? yeah. The workout ends, the conversation doesn't.

But sometimes the best part of class happens afterward. Right? Do you have those students that they just like they're still hanging out an hour, two hours, three hours near the parking lot? Yeah. Right. Just chatting away. They just can't not get enough, right? Mm-hmm. It's beautiful. So Yeah, I I I've participated in those conversations. Yeah, plenty of times. Right. Uh-huh. So those are our five top

you know, top things that we've experienced. We love to And that you really only know if you take group X. Yeah, yeah. Group X people definitely understand it. Mm-hmm. So it's funny how a workout can become a family. It always does when it comes to group X exercise. And it's those little moments that keep us coming back.