Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get annoyed at this fitness class?

55 replies

AntFarm · 07/08/2020 15:37

I've name changed as this is potentially identifying.

Each Tuesday evening I go to a pilates class at a fitness centre. I enjoy the class, and the teacher is nice and a good teacher, however there is one thing that really annoys me.

There is a woman who attends the class who basically takes over the whole class all the time. She talks in a loud voice, but in a very girly, squeaky baby voice, almost as if she puts on a voice. She talks the whole time throughout the class, and it's always just very childish, loud, sometimes rude and attention seeking comments. Such as if she needs a wee, she'll say it loudly and keep repeating it and giggling whilst she does moves about needing a wee and having to do a move. One week she had a sore toe and talked about it loudly throughout the whole lesson 'Ouchie! Poor toe'. That kind of thing.

She also makes rude comments about people. For example the instructor said to look at a lady at the front of the class who was doing a move perfectly and the rude woman said in her girly squeaky voice 'Noooo, it's wubbish' and then did the move herself.

She goes to lots of classes at the centre and is well known to the instructor. Sometimes midway through a class she will say she can't do a move properly and be all giggly and the teacher will spend 5 or 10 minutes out of the class helping her, wondering why she can't do it and fussing all over her, whilst the rest of us sit there. Basically, it all always has to be about her, and if it is not, then she makes sure it becomes about her.

Most people laugh politely at her behaviour but it's really starting to annoy me even more each week. It's £15 per class, which is not cheap. I have learnt, through listening to this woman's chatter, that she does a very capable, professional job, where she has to deal with people constantly, so I cannot imagine for the life of me that she would be able to behave like this in her job, therefore I get the feeling that she does the behaviour on purpose rather than it being something she cannot help but do.

I'd move to another gym to classes but I'm in quite a rural area and the next nearest pilates class is over 20 minutes drive away whilst this one is very local.

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 07/08/2020 15:40

That would drive me nuts. I'd be tempted to say something when she's messing around. "Excuse me, this lesson's costing me £15 - can you let me concentrate?"

FourDecades · 07/08/2020 15:41

I was going to suggest she had some learning difficulties until l read about her job.

Could you speak to the Centre Manager and explain that you're becoming frustrated at how much time the instructor dedicates to her?

How are other's reacting to her and especially when she commented on the movement?

AllPlayedOut · 07/08/2020 15:43

I admire your restraint. I'd have smothered her to death with a yoga mat by now. I don't know if it's actually possible to murder someone with a yoga mat, but I'd certainly enjoy trying.

Original poster
AntFarm · 07/08/2020 15:43

Most of the other class members seem to just politely laugh at her antics but I can tell that some of them are fed up with it. That is what happened when she commented on the movement, too.

She seems to rule the class in a way, I think as she is so dominant no one wants to upset the apple cart and upset her.

OP posts:
VinylDetective · 07/08/2020 15:43

I’d drive for an hour to avoid that. Just change classes.

ZoeTurtle · 07/08/2020 15:45

The instructor should be dealing with her - it's part of her job to manage the class so everybody is getting their money's worth. I would talk to the manager.

HollowTalk · 07/08/2020 15:46

Couldn't you speak to the instructor and say you're thinking of switching classes because of this? It's her job to pull that woman to one side and tell her to shut the fuck up.

AllPlayedOut · 07/08/2020 15:47

I would have words with the instructor or manager.

justoverthehorizon · 07/08/2020 15:49

I woukd speak to the instructor. ....it would annoy me to.

tectonicplates · 07/08/2020 15:50

Are you in the UK? I thought gyms had been closed for ages and only just reopened.

Thinkingg · 07/08/2020 15:51

@HollowTalk

Couldn't you speak to the instructor and say you're thinking of switching classes because of this? It's her job to pull that woman to one side and tell her to shut the fuck up.
This. You could also start replying "yes we know about your toe", "go for a wee then". But realistically is gonna be hard to stop if the instructor and the majority of the group are enabling it.
Original poster
AntFarm · 07/08/2020 15:52

@tectonicplates

Are you in the UK? I thought gyms had been closed for ages and only just reopened.
They have just reopened. It's been two weeks now and she's done it both weeks and she did it pre lockdown too.
OP posts:
Original poster
AntFarm · 07/08/2020 15:52

Thanks everyone, I will speak to the instructor.

OP posts:
HunterHearstHelmsley · 07/08/2020 15:53

Is it £15 per class or is there a membership? Just musing.. If the woman is a regular, and pays £15 each time, the instructor probably doesn't want to lose the custom so tolerates it.

OdaMaeBrown · 07/08/2020 15:54

A senior management account at my old job would constantly talk in a baby voice. It was bizarre.

AliceinBunnyland · 07/08/2020 15:55

I would either speak to the instructor at the start of the next class if you can or, if you can't do that or it doesn't help, contact the manager.

I would be annoyed too.

RainbowDash101 · 07/08/2020 16:00

There used to be a woman a bit like this in my Pilates class. She used to chatter inanely all through the class, about her plumber, her health issues. There was also another two women, who would join in too, moaning about this that and the other. But most of the women at my class were elderly and I think it was maybe the only time they saw people all week. I do think it’s up to the instructor to stop it. My teacher was a bit ineffective too. She was a good Pilates teacher but it was mainly regulars at the class over a number of years. My class hasn’t reopened sadly.

IndigoHexagon · 07/08/2020 16:11

Why don’t you ask the instructor if she does any other classes, locally that this woman doesn’t attend as you’d like to switch? And say it in front of some others to and make the instructor think she’s in danger of losing custom from the rest of the class. It might prompt her to have a woman with babywoman.

damnthatanxiety · 07/08/2020 16:14

Urgh, sounds unbearable. Sorry OP. No new advice - just speak with management

The80sweregreat · 07/08/2020 16:20

I think it's time to move on to another class.
Plus 15 is a lot : most classes running pre lockdown round here were only five pounds or so!
You could end up saving money and going somewhere where the people behave like adults!
She sounds a bit crazy and attention seeking and the instructor should pull her up on it really otherwise people will drift off to other places!

Xiaoxiong · 07/08/2020 16:25

Ugh what is it with babytalk!! When I was a post-grad at university, there was a bit of a fad for it among some of the first year undergrad women that I was doing an activity with - I ended up getting really cross and had a bit of a tirade about how foolish it made them sound one night at the pub Blush They did stop doing it around me though so I hope that continued in their later lives!

Ohtherewearethen · 07/08/2020 16:27

Does she talk over the instructor aswell? If she does, I would just say, 'Sorry, instructor, could you repeat that please, I couldn't hear it', every time, just to make a point to her. I'd also speak to the instructor/management. Of someone was behaving anti-socially in the gym or swimming pool, preventing you from accessing what you have paid for, they should do something about it, this isn't really any different. They could send notices out reminding people of the etiquette they expect during classes. She sounds insufferable, good luck.

Polyxena · 07/08/2020 16:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EmbarrassingAdmissions · 07/08/2020 16:47

YANBU to be irritated by this.

You need to speak to the instructor and inform her that you're considering moving classes as you find this attendee so distracting/disruptive but thought you ought to speak to her before taking such action. This would give the instructor an opportunity to respond appropriately.

Chottie · 07/08/2020 16:51

OP - YANBU

I shushed two women who would not stop talking in a yoga class once pre lockdown. It's so annoying when you just want that little space and time for yourself and want to concentrate on the class.