Transcript: She Never Planned to Teach. Then the Room Filled Up and the Mirrors Fogged Over.

What's up you guys? Famous Ashley Grant here and welcome back to the More Movement Please podcast, the podcast where I hope to inspire you to move your body more. I am so genuinely excited about this episode and the next two episodes after this. We have a very special guest back with us and there's a very special reason that she is here. You guys have heard me talk about Rhonda Good before. She is my fitness instructor at the Telford YMCA in Richmond, Kentucky. And she is, quite frankly, one of the most no -nonsense, tell -it -like -it -is, deeply inspiring humans I have ever had the privilege of knowing. The first time I had her on this show, the response, it was incredible. And honestly, I adore her, so I really didn't need much of an excuse to bring her back. But here's the thing. These three episodes are part of something that are much, much bigger. More Movement, Please is so happy to be participating in the fourth edition of

Podcast Thon. It is a global initiative where thousands of podcasts all in the same week will shine a spotlight on a charity of their choice. And the charity I have the absolute pleasure of highlighting is the Humane Society Animal League for Life of Madison County, Kentucky. Now, here's the fun backstory of why Rhonda is tied to all of this. When I was trying to decide which charity to support to be part of Podcast Thon, I went to my community and I asked for recommendations. Rhonda was one of the first people to jump on the thread and she stepped up and she mentioned the Humane Society Animal League for Life of Madison County. I then put all of the recommendations that people sent in into a random number generator to make the final selection and hers was the one that was chosen.

So I kind of believe that the universe co -signed this whole thing, and I am so here for it. So you will find the links to both podcasts on in the Humane Society Animal League for Life of Madison County, Kentucky in the show notes. Please go and check them out. And if you feel called to donate, you can do that directly through the organization's website, which is also linked in the show notes. Now on to today's episode.

Rhonda and I sat down a little bit earlier this month, and we had one of the most interesting conversations I've ever recorded. Today, you're getting the origin story of how Rhonda Good became a fitness instructor. And she'll tell you herself, it was never the plan. But two Zoom instructors were quitting at the same time, with a packed room and no one to lead it, and a woman who absolutely refused to let that class go unled? Yeah, that's how legends are made. From a community ed class at EKU with literally two students, to packing out Berea College so hard that the mirrors fogged up, this is the story of how showing up for herself became showing up for thousands of others. So we'll just jump right in. So last time we talked, you shared how you walked into the gym in 2011 at 35 years old and just kept showing up. At some point, showing up for yourself turned into showing up for other people. And I want to go

a little bit deeper on that today. And so I want to ask you, when you first started working out, you said that becoming a fitness instructor was never the plan. Do you remember the exact moment or the person or conversation that planted the idea that it would be your thing? It wasn't a conversation. It was literally like just circumstances. So the facility I was at, there were a lot of instructors, most of which I did not care for because I didn't feel like they were killing me. So I thought it wasn't worth it. So there were only two that I thought could kill me. And those are the classes I went to. And simultaneously, both of them decided they were going to quit teaching. And I was like, well, this is not going to work for me at all. Because what am I going to do now? So they were both Zumba instructors.

One was also a yoga instructor. And so a couple of us actually from the facility went to get licensed in Zumba. And the other person didn't last very long. And I had already covered class. And just out of there was no other choice, probably two or three times for the main Zumba instructor whose classes ran 40, 50 people because she got caught in traffic or it was a last minute thing. And then we know what to teach. And the room was full. And I was like, oh, well, a couple of you all. I mean, like a front row, like we knew the choreo. So it was like, OK, who's got some music? Who's got this? Who's got that? We'll just wing it. And that's what we did. And so and then I thought, well, you know, I can do this sort of. But so that's how it started. And so I went and got licensed and I thought, I'll just ease into this. So I left that gym really fast and I was working at EKU at the time. So I went to community and said, hey, can I teach

a Zimba class? Can we, you know, oh, yeah, that'd be great. So knowing that it would be a smaller class and, you know, some EKU employees. Not a whole lot of pressure. And I thought, I'll just, I'll just glide into this like this. Okay. So that's what I chose to do. And so I thought I'll start with just a class because I'm not going to teach more than three or four a week. Anyway, I mean, I'm working and I'm not going to do that. And so then the other instructor who was also quitting that facility, but still staying at the college, not EKU, Berea College.

She was like, well, when I'm ready to leave, I'll let you, I'll suggest you as an instructor to them. I'll let you try to take my classes. I'm like, okay. And she acted as if it was going to be a year, you know, who knows? And I'm like, okay. Yeah. Okay. We'll see. Okay. And she called me, I got licensed in August. She called August of what? 2011? 12. Okay. Yeah. I think it was, it was 12. Okay. And she called me some night in September and said, I'm quitting. And I want you to go tonight and teach the class. I'll go and I'll stay in the back. But I want you to leave the class. I'm quitting as of next week.

Surprise. And I was like, OK, you know. So that's how it started. So I was there two nights a week and had the EKU class. And then I was. at another gym at that point because I'd left the first one. So then I started teaching there one night a week. So then I was up to like four classes a week and, um, Maria added another night because classes were, they weren't huge to begin with though. I mean, I was the new person and I didn't know what I was doing. I mean, you never know what you're doing when you start anything. I don't care what it is. So, um, I was not great.

I mean, I flew by the seat of my pants, but it was not great. And there also wasn't, I mean, you had big classes there. Well, she did. She had big classes, but they weren't huge classes. They were just a good size. And so after she left, which it was also at the end of a semester. So then you've got to start over in January with who comes back. And it's a college. So it's, you know, it's very different than a gym. And so in January, you know, not only am I the newbie, but you've had a semester change and all of that.

And so classes, I mean, they were low. They were really low. I mean, there were I had like two or three hard cores, kind of like what happens for you usually, you know. I mean, some people have family they can rig into coming to class to support them again or friends. I didn't have any of that. So I had like two girls and they were like. Rhonda, we love your class. We'll never miss. And they didn't. And sometimes it was like three or four people to start. I mean, it was not. Sometimes it was just one or two of them. That was it. Now, was it the college paying you or the college? The college. Yeah.

So I don't remember when it took off. I really don't. I don't remember when it took off, but it took a while. I mean, it took at least a semester, maybe a whole year. And then. I don't know what happened, but it just exploded there. And I was getting not only the college students, but people that lived in Berea, because you could join the facility even if you weren't a college student. So I was also getting community members as well.

And all the students are telling all their friends and all of that sort of thing. So then we went from 5 '6 to 15 to 20 to 60 to 65. I wasn't expecting that many. Oh, my goodness. Oh, yeah. It was packed. Absolutely packed. So I had most of the time I was like maybe six inches from the front mirror. I mean, it was absolutely crampacked. And we would at times fog up the mirrors. There were so many people in there. So the mirrors are completely covered in fog. Yeah. Oh, my goodness.

And so then so I added a third night after it. Not immediately, but after it took off, I had a third night. And I mean. There was never less than 45. Wow. 45 to 60. And so I'm not, as you know, I'm really not a people person and I'm definitely not a social person. So it's not that, well, I don't really have an anxiety issue necessarily, but I'm also not, I don't enjoy being the center of attention. I don't like being looked at. I don't like any of that stuff. So I would go to the bathroom when I got there because first of all, I had to carry all of my equipment up because up the stairs. After the elevator, you still had to go up stairs and then down the hall. And so I had like 66 pounds of equipment because they had a stacked stereo system in there with like two little speakers up on the walls. And it would overheat with bass. And I mean, I'm using hip hop and I'm like, this is not going

to work. I mean, so I had to go buy my own PA system. So I had to carry the mixer and the two speakers every single night. up and back to my car, every single class. And so I would go set up and there'd be like 10, 15 people in there because everybody wants their spot. So the early birds would be there and I would go to the bathroom and I would sit there and I would be like, when you go back, they're all going to be there. And I would open the door and I'd be like, I mean, but I mean, I got used to it, but it was like, I mean, it was very different. You know, so and of course, I haven't had classes that big since.

I mean, you have just a very different I mean, there wasn't anything else for them to do. I mean, they're college students and they were looking to have fun and dance. And, you know, so there weren't a lot of options either. I mean, not saying I'm not good, but there weren't a lot of options either. So and they had a blast, you know, so you had the front row divas and then you have people that want to stay in the back. But I mean, I had every single type of person you could possibly imagine in class. And at some point, so I'm teaching. I'm teaching at another gym. So then I'm up to like six classes a week. And then the Y calls me to sub there because they have two instructors that are pregnant at the same time. This is the Y Richmond. Okay.

And I was like, oh, yeah, sure. Because I'm just looking for gigs. And because, you know, you never know how long anything is going to last. I was like, OK, yeah, sure. And it's subbing. It's not every day. It's subbing. I'm like, OK, OK. So I started subbing. And person who was ever good fitness at the time, she would you know, she was like, well, are you interested in doing other things besides Zumba? And I said, well, I don't I don't really know a lot. I mean, I was only licensed in that at the time. And.

I said, so let's just see how it goes. But I mean, I was younger and I was like, I was looking to make money and I'm like, I'll try, you know, I'll try. But I was thinking that it would be classes that were kind of easy to make up and do as you, you know, look at some YouTube videos and things. And she would call me like the morning of and be like, hey, can you cover bootcamp? And I'm like, what? Uh, okay. I mean, so it was feet to the fire again because it was nonstop.

It was like somebody was always falling in. Somebody was always something always. So before you know it, I was covering and subbing every format. And then at the time we had a suggestion box up front that was three CEOs ago. So it was a little wooden box with a little slot in it. So all these people started putting suggestions in there. More Rhonda, more Rhonda, more Rhonda. And I'm like, I get that on this podcast all the time. And let's see. So I went to the Y in June of 2015. And they had some aqua classes there and people weren't happy with them and the instructors. And so same lady was like, hey, would you be interested in teaching? We'd really like to see, you know, I'm like, OK, no, but OK. Again, before COVID and all that. So this was 2016. OK. At that point, I've been there maybe a year. So we started aqua classes like one night a week, maybe two nights a week. And then that took off. Of course it did. So then

I was teaching land and the pool, which was never, ever on my radar, ever, you know, and those classes exploded. I mean, it's just everything ebbs and flows. It never picked back up after COVID. So now I don't teach it at all. But at that point, classes were 25 to 35 in the pool. Wow. And, you know, at one point the CEO was like, you may need to get certified as a lifeguard. Because we can only have 25 in the pool total with the lap lanes in your class. And I, you know, instead of me hiring another guard to be on duty. And I was like, no. I mean, I was like, okay, Rhonda will do a lot. But there are some things I'm not doing. It was like, no. So we would run sometimes 30, 32 people. And I'd just be like, do you want to tell them they have to go home? I mean, that's what I would say. You know, I'd be like, you want to deal with it or you want to tell them they have to go? Because I'm not telling them

they have to go. Yeah. And so it just blossomed, you know, and of course, since I never, ever canceled or never called in and never got a sub, it just kind of went like. And then at some point, COVID dropped Berea from my schedule. And then at some point I dropped the other things because I was always at the Y. That was there all the time. And I was like, well, this isn't going to work because now I'm here way too many hours a week with my day job. So, yeah. So that's how it happened. It really just was kind of thrown in my lap, like much like all my jobs were. And it was the same thing there, actually. It was like, you know, whatever I was given. Oh, do I get trained for that? Nope. Figure it out.

Yep. OK. Yeah. You're bringing me back to 2014 when I became a ghostwriter. I never intended to be a ghostwriter. And it just kind of happened. Yeah. Well, walk me through the process of actually becoming certified in Zumba. Is that the only thing you're certified in or are you certified in anything else? I got certified just a general group fitness certification, silver sneakers. And then for a while I did some other certifications, but it's not necessary. So you have to pay for those usually. Monthly, annually, whatever the case may be. As you start teaching things, you find out that a group fitness certification is just what you really want to do if you're going to do other things. So. So. Was it intimidating?

Like, was it intimidating? No. No. You just. Yeah. Signed up and did it. Yeah. Okay. I could see you doing that. Yeah. Did you ever doubt yourself whenever you first got started? Absolutely. Every day. Do you still? No. Okay. And. All right. This is a weird one, but did you feel like an imposter in the beginning? No. No. Just. Just did it. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Well, teaching that very first class, was it terrifying? Like, do you remember what it was like to take over that very first class? Oh, yeah. It's terrifying.

Yeah. And back then, Zumba was the thing. It was the thing. So everyone taught it. And it was everywhere. And there was pressure. Really, it was kind of odd. But all of your instructors wore Zumba clothes. All of them. Oh, my God. And then when you became an instructor, it was like, I mean, it wasn't a requirement, but it was like, well, I mean, yeah, you need to wear clothes. And then you would have to pay for those in addition to your licensing. And they were, they're still not, they were really expensive.

Oh, I blame it. So, you know, here I am ordering shirts and pants. And because at the beginning, oh, yeah, I did the whole thing, the shoes, everything, because it was like, that's what you did. And that very first photo should have you wearing the Zumba shirt. Yeah, I mean, that's what you did. Yeah. And when I was doing it and before I went to the Y, when I was at another facility, I was doing a lot of charity stuff because they did. And so I was all over the place with two or three instructors from there. And so everybody else was in Zumba wear. So you felt like you had to because otherwise you would have stand out like, well, who are you thinking you're teaching?

You know, I mean, it was really. cliquish and weird i mean really so thank goodness all that passed period but yeah yeah i can't even oh gosh that sounds expensive yeah it was really expensive yeah i think the pants back then were like 60 dollars lord have mercy and that was in 2012 did you even make sure even for all that start make no no not even close no the shirts were like 30 and 35 dollars And of course, too, I mean, it's different now, which I think I haven't ordered Zumba wear in a long time. But I remember because it was like the biggest joke ever because people would order an extra large tank top. Yeah.

And it would come in and you were like, you'd hold it up and like, this is a size small in women's wear. But in Zumba, it's an extra large. And they got so much flack because if you were bigger, there were no clothes for you. Oh, period. You couldn't sit in any of it. Oh, wow. So they got a whole lot of flack from that. And then they changed their sizing and stuff. Well, I mean, you kind of have to. Yeah. So you've been at this for 14 years now. Is that right? Mm -hmm.

So you teach an almost unbelievable number of hours every single week. At what point did it stop feeling like something you did and start feeling like something you are? Or did it even ever feel that way? Oh, yeah. It started feeling that way when I was teaching probably, you know, 12 hours a week. And now it's what, like 19? Yeah. But for a long time, it was 23 and 25 for a long time. So, yeah, when I hit about 12, then I went to 15 and then I went to 20. And, yeah, when I was teaching at the Y and at the time, I didn't cancel my EKU class, community ed class until. And I was like, I can't do this anymore.

I mean, I didn't do it until the last minute. So I was still teaching at EKU with the Y and Berea. And the only thing that took out Berea was COVID. So, yeah, I was teaching 23 hours a week a lot for a long time. And then I would sometimes also get called sub, you know. I mean, that's got to be hell on the body, though. Yeah, that's not fun. That's not fun. OK, well, student inspired question came in. One of your students actually reached out to me before this interview and asked something that I think gets to the heart of who you are as an instructor. She said, when a brand new person walks into your class for the very first time and sees what your regulars can do, do you feel a responsibility to reach out and really grab them from day one and be like, it's OK, you got this? I try to. I mean, sometimes people just don't look approachable, to be honest, and I don't really look approachable

a lot. So I get that. So it just kind of depends on what vibe I get from them. I mean, I've been doing this long enough that you kind of know who is and who isn't. But I pretty much, for the most part, introduce myself before we start. And I always walk up to me people and I'll say, you're new. And they're like, oh, yeah, like I don't notice, you know, and I'm like, I know everyone here. Yeah. You stand out. I mean, so, but, but I, I always tell them to do what they can. Yeah. You know, and especially like in the cardio class, cause you know, you walk in there and if you're younger and you see people in their sixties and seventies, you're like, Oh, this is, this is not going to be a workout to me.

And I know that's what they're thinking. Yeah. And so I always grab those folks and I'm like, do what you can. We don't jump, but we move real fast in here. So. Yeah, yeah, definitely. You said in our last interview series that you're not for everyone and that your style isn't for everyone. Now that you're on the other side as an instructor, looking back at yourself as a student, what kind of instructor do you think you needed when you first started? And did you ever find her or him? I found them in the two that I was going to the classes of their classes.

They held me accountable. If I wasn't there, it was like. Where are you at? Because I would never miss class. And they did everything in the class. They didn't stop. So that's what I liked. That's what I wanted. And when I became an instructor myself, that was always in the back of my mind. Because I had instructors that would just stop, especially not even in just Zumba. I mean, there was an instructor in town, very, very popular. But, you know, stop and flip their hair and do all this stuff. And I was just like, if you're not if you're not killing yourself with me, then. I want to be here. So. So, you know, you said they were mainly your Zumba instructors, but you said that you also were looking for people that could kill you. So explain that to me. I'm confused. Oh, well, they taught some other things, but just their Zumba classes alone. I mean, you know, like my Zumba classes. You remember, right?

You thought you were going to die? Yeah. 15 minutes in and I had to walk out of the room. That's right. I mean, like that. I mean, that, you know, their classes were intense. I mean, it wasn't. Yeah. It wasn't as intense as like mine are now, but intense. Yeah. Yeah. Because, you know, I started hitting the floor in Zumba and doing floor stuff at Berea at the college because I'm doing hip hop and I'm thinking and I would just throw stuff in to make them, you know, you know, you still do that. Yeah. I just couldn't believe it, you know. And then, of course. I mean, it cracks me up now, but you know, and my classes are not a strict Zumba format. I mean, nobody's for the most part, not here. They're definitely not. Yeah. But you know, then Zumba came out with this Zumba strong and I'm like, I've been doing this for years. Yeah. Long before y 'all.

And now it's Zumba and lift. And I'm like, you know, you know, I got people to start lifting weights. I forced them at the end of every class to do an entire weight song when we were done with Zumba. Yeah. So I started. And that's how low impact cardio started, right? Well, I changed that from a silver sneakers class to that because our seniors were way too fit for a silver sneakers format. Okay. So that's how that's got changed.

But those people that were doing Zumba, that's how I kind of talked them into doing something else. It's like, you know, so, and some of them at the end of the class, I'm like, grab your weights. I'm like. So, but that's really how I got most of them started and just lifting a dumbbell. I didn't give them a choice. Yeah. And you said yourself that you never thought I would lift one. And that, my friends, is Rhonda Good. A room so packed, the mirrors fogged up.

That is not just a fitness class. That is a movement. But before I let you go, remember that this episode is part one of three of Podcast Thon. And I want to encourage you to visit podcastthon .org. where you can discover so many other incredible charities being highlighted by amazing podcasters from all over the world this week. It is such a cool initiative, and I am so proud to be a part of it. And of course, please don't forget to visit the show notes for the direct link to the Humane Society Animal League for Life of Madison County, Kentucky. If their mission speaks to you, I would absolutely love it for you to consider making a donation or simply spreading the word. Every little bit helps. Episode two is going to drop on Wednesday, March 18th, and we are diving into what Rhonda thinks about the state of the fitness industry, what separates the instructors who build real loyalty from the ones who don't and

the ones who don't last, and what she sees when she scans the room every single class. Trust me, I think this one's eye -opening as well. Onwards and upwards, my friends. Have you worked out today?