When the teacher becomes the student

Nicol Sha Lin Pang
Jul 20, 2017 · 4 min read

I am so tanned now my abs blend into the darkness

Recently, I started training to become a fitness instructor. While I consider myself to be decently good at the workout, teaching is a whole different story.


Student vs. Teacher Dichotomy

As a student, I try my best in class & push myself to my limits. Easy peasy. I’m the person to strives to be the best in class. I lift the heaviest, go the slowest (slow is the name of the game in our classes), & push the hardest.

As a teacher, I have to challenge all my students to their limits. Teaching the class in front of me, consists of students who have different goals, needs, motivations & skills levels.


Learning to modify by coaching style for different clients to fully push them

When I first started (not long ago at all, still a noob), I taught assuming all students were motivated the same way as me.

I pushed them HARD; I didn’t let them rest; I ramped up all the way up to crazy.

At the end of the first class, someone told me I was cruel to make all the newbies push to the highest level. But I am crazy! I don’t want them to chill in class or coast their way. I want them to leave feeling accomplished & ready to kill the rest of their day.

BUT in doing so, I now realize I wasn’t being kind, patient, or encouraging.

That is more important than making everyone die in class.

One of my friends who is a personal trainer told me:

“Nicol, you should go easy on them at first so you can fucking murder them in the future.” 😂🙌🏼 #fitnessinstructorgoals #wordstoliveby

And how true that is.

I told my mom how I instructed my first few classes, & she straight up told me she would have walked out of class immediately 😳 oops.


As a group fitness instructor I have 2 main goals:

  1. Whip my students into shape in the shortest possible time, by creating efficient effective workouts & pushing them to their limits while staying injury-free
  2. Make them want to keep returning for more, get them hooked by encouraging them when they do well, making them to want to push harder each time, convincing them they want it for themselves. But most importantly because it takes time to see changes in your body, get stronger & feel better!

If I fail at one or both, I fail as an instructor.


I’ve always been more of a tough love kinda person. I say things as I see it, I don’t sugarcoat.

Maybe that’s why for me, encouraging is hard. I want to make sure they have proper form, that they are truly pushing themselves the furthest they can, without giving empty compliments. I want them to take the challenges I give, or at least to try them.

I want them to do one more rep when they feel like stopping & then push to give me another rep, & then one more.

It’s hard because I also compare them to myself. I can do all these exercises. I can stay in all those holds. It’s not easy, but I can and so I want so much for them to do it too!

Some of my friends were mad at me after class. I’ve learned that pushing them too hard can push them away. At the end of the day, making sure you know how hard you can push someone, what makes them tick while giving them positive reinforcement is what I need to do. I’m still learning, a lot.


Being a fitness instructor is really like being a mentor at work

You help spot their mistakes, cheer them on when they fix it, cheer them on harder when they succeed…then give them more challenges & new goals to reach for so they can continue to grow.


At the end of the day; when push comes to shove, I sincerely hope I’ll be able to be a better instructor each & every day. I will try my best to be a positive & encouraging instructor for all of them. I am grateful for the opportunity to grow & work on my patience; to avoiding comparing; & fully embrace the beauty of all our differences.

I can only hope that my clients & friends can be patient with me too, & continue to provide candid feedback so I can improve on this journey.


After all, life is a never-ending learning experience, isn’t it.


Till the next time lovelies. Stay beautiful & positive, & keep learning,

Nicol 💋xx

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Nicol Sha Lin Pang

Written by

Live the life you love-if not now, then when?! Follow me as I discover new workouts, reflect on life, & eat my way to a happier, healthier, more wholesome self!

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