09/06/2026
📱 I’m on my way to tell them what I think about instructors holding their phone while teaching class…
And before anyone comes for me… yes, there are valid reasons.
Maybe your class plan is on your phone.
Maybe you are adjusting the music.
Maybe you are checking the time.
But have you ever stopped to think about what the phone communicates to the room?
The moment a phone appears in our hand, it creates a subtle divide between us and our clients.
Even if we are not actively using it, people can feel it.
Psychologically, a visible phone signals that our attention may be elsewhere. It reduces presence, weakens connection, and can make people feel less important without us ever intending to.
As instructors, our greatest skill is not our exercise library.
It is our ability to see.
To notice the nervous client in the corner.
To catch the moment someone needs encouragement.
To offer a correction at exactly the right time.
To read the energy of the room and respond to what is actually happening in front of us.
A phone in our hand creates a barrier to that.
If your class plan is on your phone, consider leaving it somewhere discreet where you can quickly reference it as you walk past.
If unlocking and scrolling becomes obvious, an old fashioned notebook often works better. Open the page and glance when needed. No fluffing around.
If you are adjusting music throughout class, think about other options.
A smartwatch can make volume changes seamless. Shorts with pockets can keep your phone out of sight while still easily accessible. I am a big fan of using music to create energy and atmosphere, but the phone does not need to live in your hand to do that.
Because every moment your hand is holding a phone is a moment it cannot be offering support, guidance, reassurance, or connection.
And connection is everything.
What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree? 👇
