Expert aerobics instructor

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 14, 2 September 1986, Page 9

Expert aerobics instructor

Mary van Huysen, a qualified aerobics teacher from Wellington, is visiting Ohakune for the school holidays and running classes at the Ruapehu College gymnasium. Mary is in hersecond year at Wellington Teachers'College where she is specialising in physical education, and has been teaching aerobics for three years. She trained as an aerobics instructor at the YMCA in Wellington where she still works part-time. "They give you a thorough and sophisticated

training and 1 also go to aerobics workshops from time to time to learn more routines." she said. Aerobics instructors are trained to note how each participant is doing and make sure they are not over doing it. They are also trained in cardiopulmonary rescuscitation, though Mary says she has never needed it. As teachers' college students are no longer paid a salary but only the standard tertiary bursary Mary has been running aerobics classes three or four nights a week as well as cleaning an office in the weekends, to keep herself going financially.

Mary says that aerobics classes are not just for the young but for all ages and for both men and women. "We have a careful warmup and check your pulse rate - all levels of fitness can take part because you can set your own pace,"she said. The classes are held in the Ruapehu College gymnasium on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 5.30 to 6.30pm, and Mondays 5.00 to 6.00pm. The cost is $2 per person. After the holidays college physical education teacher Leon Hawea will continue his fitness classes on T uesdays and Thursdays.