I am not a leader. I am much more comfortable sitting in the background and following other people’s directions. I cannot imagine assuming the role of an exercise instructor in front of a class of both familiar and unfamiliar faces and guiding them through difficult workouts, all while remaining the focal point of the class. But some people are just naturally leaders. Or is there more to becoming a leader than a natural proclivity to taking charge?
When I entered a spin class taught by Bailey Hughes, senior digital media communications major, I was nervous. I had no clue what to expect. The room used for spin class was cramped and white. There were a few windows along the wall facing the open gym, and windows even further peered out over a packed parking lot and college students ambling to and from class. I wanted to be out there; after all, I knew how to run a mile or two without challenging myself mentally, but I had no clue what spin class involved. Inside the workout room, six bikes were arranged facing one bike specifically for the spin class. No one was there, so I tucked my hoodie and laptop in a corner.
Once Hughes was there, she set up the speaker for loud, energetic music, and arranged for it to flash neon lights that would add to the exercise-friendly vibe I always struggled to achieve on my own. She showed me how to set the bike up and then began to explain what the exercises would look like. Hughes was an encouraging and informative leader as she guided me and one other attendee, Reese Owens, through the exercises. I took note of the easy banter Owens and Hughes maintained as I fought to stay on the bike and not just collapse on the floor in a puddle of sweat. I later learned that Hughes and Owens have been volleyball teammates for three years and have lived together for four, which explains how effortlessly they completed the exercises and their familiarity. Even as Hughes guided us through sprints, coordination exercises on the bike and intense hill climbs made possible through gradually raised resistance, Hughes maintained a steady voice and guided the class as though she’d had years of practice as a leader.
“For me, it was hard adjusting. It’s one thing to sit in a bike and do the class, it’s another thing to be talking the entire class,” said Hughes. “I think that’s also part of the challenge seeing what I’m capable of and I’ve discovered that I’m capable of a lot.”
Hughes had past experience as a student in spin classes, so she was familiar with what they looked like. However, she had no experience leading those classes. I couldn’t imagine being this comfortable in front of a class — no matter the size — much less leading it.
Had Hughes always felt called to lead?
“There’s always someone that wants to be a leader, and that person never was me,” Hughes said.
After the class, I was soaked in sweat and smelled like it. My legs were jelly, or at least close to it. Once we’d stretched and the equipment had been wiped down, Hughes sat down with me for a quick interview, both of us on exercise mats with faint music still playing in the background. I was curious about her history as a leader, since I wondered how much leadership could be learned in volleyball as a team sport with a coach to lead the players, and how that affected her adjustment to being a spin instructor.
She had not always felt confident as a leader. Hughes told the story of her first class and the emotions evoked from being placed in an unfamiliar position as the leader of the spin class. She had sat in the parking lot in her car, panicking, and she admitted she had not been prepared. She was not used to leading, so this had been new territory. Laughing, Hughes confessed to me that she prepared to lead the class by watching YouTube videos on how to lead a spin class. Before the first class, she had sat in her car with a knot in her stomach and prayed to the Lord for the ability to lead the class.
Owens added to that story with a second perspective over that first class. She talked about how, though Hughes was nervous, she had had to shift into the mindset that she was now the leader and had to step up, and how teammates and friends had attended the class in order to support her.
“She was able to get into a different mindset almost and just forget that they were watching her,” Owens said, a senior digital media communications major.
I could tell throughout the class and even later that Hughes has a passion for leading spin class.
“I think that more people need to know about this because it’s a great workout and it’s fun and it’s a great way to socialize,” Hughes said.
Hughes has lived an active lifestyle, from swim class as a kid, to college volleyball, then spin class combined with occasional runs. I was exhausted just from listening to this list; two workouts in one week are impressive for me. In contrast, Hughes enjoys an active lifestyle with plenty exercise in many different sports.
Owens also seemed to enjoy the class and spending time with her former volleyball teammate. Later, during an interview over the phone I discovered that Owens had joined spin class to support Hughes and had been attending most classes since her first lesson. Though the two are retired from volleyball, they still find time to connect through exercise.
“It’s an opportunity for me to support her in a different way because this is something that she’s passionate about,” Owens said.
Though I was tired and sore after the spin class, that was a rewarding experience. Instead of being focused on the burn most effective workouts produce, I was focused on the instructor and the music. Time flew by. Hughes led the class like a natural leader, confidently and with helpful instructions. Despite her initial adjustment to the unfamiliar role, once she found her pace, she discovered joy in the exercise and the community the group exercise encourages.
“She has really come into her own as an instructor because I think she finds joy in it and it’s been really fun to watch her grow into that role,” Owens said.
