I had been taking group fitness classes at the local gym for several months before I considered getting a fitness job. To me, fitness jobs were never something that I would consider. I come from a very intellectual but not very athletic family. Basically, anything that had to do with scholastic enterprises was valued, whereas anything that had to do with sports was not. Taking fitness courses in college was something that caused a major fight between me and my parents. I was interested in keeping my body healthy and in learning a little bit about human physiology in the process, but my parents couldn't understand it. If I had become a doctor, they would have gotten it right away, but taking a fitness course was something that seemed like sheer fluff to them.
Because of this attitude, I was well on my way to a job as a banker before I realized that I didn't want it. I hated sitting at a desk all day, and I didn't really care about money or figures. I wanted to take some fitness courses and see what they took me. When I started taking the fitness courses, I had no particular plans for a career as a fitness instructor. I signed up for fitness instructor classes because I figured that was just the best way to know fitness training inside and out. However, before I knew it, I was halfway through the fitness courses and ready to seriously start thinking about my future. I got into a conversation about it with one of the fitness class instructors at the gym. I told him about my fitness courses and he told me about a job opening at that very place! I figured what the heck, got my resume together, and applied. I was hired for the job as a personal fitness instructor!
Now I lead my own fitness course about three times a week. I have made it my life's mission to encourage other people to get more involved in personal fitness. I think that there are so many unhealthy, unhappy people who would greatly benefit from a little bit of exercise. The key for people like me is to make the classes fun. A fitness courses should not be about grunting and sweating with no fun. It should be entertainment as well as exercise. That has been my philosophy all along, and now I have the chance to bring it to the classroom.
