THE ZOOM-BOOM

…Day 52 in lockdown.  And counting…I still can’t get my head around the fact that we`re living through what seems to be a horror film at times.  And for some reason, every time I find myself getting out of my car at a shopping centre, it feels as if I`m part of a ridiculous comedy – with everybody wearing masks and practising social distancing in a town with not one reported case of Covid-19, as far as we know.

Never in my wildest dreams did it cross my mind that we would find ourselves in this position on this 17^th day of May 2020.  At first, we have all welcomed the three-week lockdown, then reluctantly accepted the extended two-week lockdown period.  At the time I actually felt quite relieved about the idea of taking a break from the non-stop schedule of clients and classes.   But in the same breath, I was so optimistic about soon resuming our group classes – so much so that I only decided to keep my members and social media supporters occupied by posting a workout on our YouTube channel each day…

And then, lockdown continued…

Until about a month ago, I simply thought Zoom was a lens you attach to your camera, or a toddler tune from my kindergarten days: “Zoom said the bee, and gone was he” ☺.  If you would have told me a few weeks ago that I would teach virtual classes and that I would spend my days looking forward to see the familiar faces of my members on screen, I wouldn’t have believed you.  But, as Covid-19 has taught us, challenging times call for challenging measures.

This was my first week as a Zoom person, and to be honest?  It has been one of the most challenging weeks of my life.  Believe me, I had done as much research as I could before our first session, watched almost every YouTube video with guidelines to teaching Zoom workouts successfully, and still, our first session suck.  I’m absolutely certain that I have lost a few potential clients on that very first day of streaming classes, because it was horrific!   There were numerous technical hiccups, hurdles with sound, mic and music, internet connection problems, graphics, lighting, camera set-up and streaming dilemmas, etc, etc, etc.

But, as the famous American hotelier, Conrad Hilton used to say: “The more experience you gain, the more you learn, and the more you learn, the more successful you become.  Of course, you make mistakes, but you never quit.” 

By last Friday we had managed to complete a whole step routine with choreography and almost perfect streaming, as well as a Barreless routine that almost went by without a hitch.    

Yes, a Zoom class is NOT the same as in-person classes, but they aren’t different in a bad way – they’re just different.  I miss the jokes, the laughter, the cheers, the hoots and the energy of 50 members packed in our studio, but I love starting my Zoom room to see participants waiting to join the class.  That moment when I flip open my laptop and seeing everybody’s familiar names and faces popping up on the screen is just instant cheering.   

Yes, it breaks my heart knowing that my members and instructors are not allowed to physically come and go to this beautiful studio that we call our happy place, but sharing a Zoom session is still building a pretty great community.  We have had Zoom class attendees from Carnarvon in the Northern Cape, Johannesburg and even from Harare, Zimbabwe.

Yes, the sound quality is not the same as those in our crisp YouTube uploads, simply because Zoom tries to single out a voice in favour of the music, but with a few adjustments on your PC, you can definitely enhance your own audio experience. 

Yes, it feels damn awkward to shout instructions and encouragement at a screen in an empty studio, but with every session I sense that feeling of women being strong, accountable and resilient in a time that`s so difficult.

Yes, it often makes me kind of sad to see all those willing faces who view the studio as their precious little pocket of me-time, but at the same time, in all of them, I see a silent determination of not succumbing to a system that`s keeping us down.

Yes, it seldom feels as if I`m in the same room as my Zoom members, but we are all our full selves.  In fact, we are more than our full selves, with cats and dogs and children weaving their way into our classes.  One of the greatest advantages of a Zoom class is that you can decide how visible you want to be – you can modify any exercise to your liking, show up at the last minute and even attend the workout in your pyjamas.

 Being thrown into the deep Zoom-end is the best thing that has happened to me – it has taken me way out of my comfort zone.  In one week, I have learned more about technology than in a lifetime, I have managed to adapt my workouts, adjusted my teaching style as well as the way in which I interact with my clients.  I am looking forward to this new opportunity to encourage my members to reach their individual limits, and if all goes well, we might soon launch a Zoom Winter Challenge.   

…Yes, the past week has been emotional, but I know that in Zoom we have found a space to move our bodies, a space to be freaky, a space to feel unapologetic, a space to just breathe, a space to try out something new without being judged and a space to experience connection…

And you know what?  More than ever I have come to realize that a space isn’t a place…It`s a connection we create together and it starts with you logging in to move your body at the same time as other human beings. 

I have always believed that a shared experience is the best experience.  Zoom is where we live, meet and play now.  In the next few weeks, it will be my antidote to workout isolation, an opportunity to bring people together in these weird, lonely times.

If you would like to join the Zoom-Boom at Mirna’s, contact me.  I’m only a WhatsApp away.

Helen Keller said: “Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.”

May you remember these uplifting words in the weeks to come.  Not everything will be okay, but some things will be.

“Zoom said the bee and gone was he.  Zoom say I, on-screen we`ll fly.”

Yours in fitness

Mirna

082 779 0507