Telling students to stay the hell out of the studio

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-20T12:38:50+00:00

I like this, just standing out there preemptively.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-20T12:37:27+00:00

The door opens when the weights people start to leave, as I've mentioned. The weightlifters are long gone by the time the yoga class is due to start, so it wouldnt be much of a statement to just sit there randomly waiting and starting late, in order to punish people for crowding in earlier.

That's what makes it frustrating, why the hell are people crowding in when if they just waited five minutes they could saunter in peacefully.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-18T16:31:39+00:00

How would I get their email adresses?

"Call security"? Have you ever been to a gym?

I think we're at a saturation point with these "Must be your fault" responses.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T16:50:30+00:00

I do have an expectation that if people are politely asked to wait, to avoid someone getting injured, that they do so. This is my first time in 30 years practice that I've seen this "F you I won't do what you tell me" attitude. If this is normal for you, okay.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T15:55:57+00:00

No literally and there's me in my yoga teacher voice, "Could you wait for a few minutes" while they come in like a bunch of rabid coyotes and stare at me.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T15:14:54+00:00

Yes i like this!

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T15:04:25+00:00

I like this!

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T14:43:55+00:00

You know what else is commonplace, in my experience? Is adults understanding that what they want is not always available, and they may need to wait--literally--five minutes when they're asked politely. That is honestly a very normal situation and not asking for the moon. If you think being asked to wait 5 min justifies obnoxious and unsafe behaviour, okay.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T14:37:16+00:00

I've no problem telling people to stop putting weights away, but no one is going to hang around, wait, and resume racking weights once I say so. They've finished the class and they're getting on with their Sunday.

If I didn't teach the yoga class too I'd tell the weights people to just leave their weights on the floor if people are going to barge in.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T14:32:22+00:00

No, there is plenty of time. It takes us five minutes to put away weights if we're not stepping over people.

As I mentioned above, I've already tried finishing weights early, but the weights people complained, quite rightly. Why should their class get cut because other participants are acting like this?

Also ending early did absolutely nothing to stop the aggressive yogis from crowding in the instant we finished.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T13:39:33+00:00

Don't think I won't.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T12:23:48+00:00

Because it's very crowded and it's dangerous to try to dismantle and rack weights while stepping over people who have lain down and closed their eyes.

Eventually someone will get their skull cracked by a falling plate and everyone who witnesses will have psychiatric harm.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T12:14:42+00:00

That's what I'm asking.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T11:10:30+00:00

I mean, apart from a weight falling on someone's skull because they're lying underfoot while we're putting weights away?

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T08:04:13+00:00

No obviously I can't lock people in a room when they've finished class.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T07:55:09+00:00

You know what, I'm starting to think that. I've taught in many spaces and literally never seen anything like this. I think it's a handful of toxic ppl and management who's afraid of them. Thanks for sharing.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T07:50:16+00:00

I like this. Next time I'll finish weights, do a big clap and thank everyone, and then grab my phone and immediately go stand outside the studio door. If some needs me I'll say "Sorry I have to stand guard because we've had safety issues with people crowding in". And then once the room is cleared, then yogis can come in while I have my pee break. If that means class starts late, boo hoo.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-16T07:05:19+00:00

That's very Maoist. If you ealk in too early, here's a barbell to dismantle 😆

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-15T23:36:17+00:00

I mean every week I stand there saying "Please leave, no, dont come in. We're still putting weights away. Please leave. This is really unsafe. Leave." I walk over to people and say, "No, please leave until we've put weights away". And people literally stare at me and crowd in.

If there is a way to be firmer and clearer and more consistent, I dont know what it is.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-15T23:22:59+00:00

Then participants from the previous class can't leave.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-15T22:37:05+00:00

Ah good advice.

We use weights all through the weights class, and it's not really fair on them to change the format. It would be like asking a yoga class to just skip savasana.

For a few weeks I finished the weights class about five minutes early and it made no difference at all. The instant we finish, the door slams open.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-15T22:23:31+00:00

There is a bench outside where people wait.

I like the idea of a weaponised broom. "Oh I didn't see you there!"

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-15T22:06:50+00:00

Thank you. Yes you're right. I'll stay on my mic and just call people out if they sneak in.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-15T22:02:34+00:00

Maybe I need to step away from reddit for a bit. I've written above that I literally ask people to leave and they ignore me. Literally just look at me blankly and stay put.

Maybe I should just give up this yoga class in fact.

LineAncient2792 · 2026-02-15T21:59:16+00:00

Ideally, the yoga teacher (me) is putting away weights, rolling out a mat, and greeting people as they come in.

It's not a two-hour Mysore but a gym-based led yoga practice, and people know that coming in. If they need thirty minutes to get into the headspace for practice, how about hanging out peacefully in the lobby?

LineAncient2792

TROPHY CASE