Am I being entitled or is she?

[Katrinawaves]

There is a reformer Pilates studio near to where I work which offers beginner, intermediate/advanced and open access classes. There is a maximum of 6 places per session and the classes cost £40 each. Participants are asked not to book an intermediate/advanced class unless they are experienced in reformer Pilates.

I have been doing reformer Pilates for quite some time and I always book the intermediate/advanced class because I enjoy the challenge and am trying to progress my fitness.

This evening there were just two of us in the class. The other woman had never done reformer Pilates before and also had a serious neck injury. The instructor had to spend quite some time explaining the exercises to her and helping her which meant that we only did about 2/3 of what would be done in a normal class and less advanced exercises than normal.

At the end of the class the instructor told the other woman that she needed to do several more beginner classes before she signed up for another intermediate/advanced class. The woman argued with her on the basis that this day of the week and time works well for her.

I expressed the view to the woman that she was being unfair to other participants as the classes are expensive and we were booking them because we did not want to do beginner level classes and if she attends they need to be modified considerably. She argued that the class today wasn’t modified but the instructor told her it had to be and all classes would need to be modified if she attends before she has enough experience because of the risk she will injure herself (particularly given her neck injury). The woman was however having none of it and wants to keep coming to this class.

AIBU or is this the height of entitlement? There are at least as many beginners classes as intermediate/advanced. Should I expect the studio to enforce the rule more strictly that people need to have a baseline level of experience before they join the class or be asked to leave if it’s clear they don’t have it rather than potentially making up to 5 other members do a class at a level they don’t want?

If it makes a difference the other woman was aged about 22 and I’m significantly older! More than 30 years older…

She is the epitome of entitlement.

Wow. Hopefully the studio set her straight. Id be asking for a discount on your class

Yes she is being entitled. The instructor was dealing with it though, I don't think it was appropriate for you to get involved in the discussion.

Why did you get involved the instructor was dealing with it. It really wasn't appropriate for you to get your 2p in.

Why would the instructor modify the class rather than just asking her to leave. Maybe the first time, modifications would be reasonable but future bookings should be accepted.

The instructor should ask her to leave rather than suggesting the class will be modified if she attends.

Because the woman was arguing forcefully with the instructor that she didn’t mind that the class was too difficult for her and that she would soon get the hang of it and didn’t seem to have any appreciation that what she was doing impacted me. New members are charged an introductory price of £25 for their first 3 classes and honestly I was pissed off that I paid £40 tonight for a class which due to this woman wasn’t what I’d intended, and there was a chance that this could happen regularly going forward. I wanted her to understand she was being a total CF!

YANBU and if I were you, I would very politely raise this with the instructor, as it's very poor that you paid £40 for this class after what happened. I think they should give you your next session at half price. I know it wasn't their fault, but the instructor chose to modify the class for her, so they should be modifying your fee.

I think in this case the op was perfectly entitled to get involved, she was paying for the classes so it affects her also and not just the instructor. CFs like this person get away with it because people are too polite to challenge them.

Instructor needs to not allow her in that class. If she does, and if the lessons consist of easier exercises than you might expect at your level, then your only option is to vote with your feet by leaving, and hope that the instructor/gym/whatever it is gets the message.

Ask (politely) for a partial refund. That will cause them to realise they cannot allow her to attend that class as it will cost them money