Meet Sue, one of our amazing group fitness instructor who has been with us for 6 years. She specialises in Pilates and Yoga and you can find her on the floor teaching group classes. HINT: She will also be teaching Reformer Pilates that is coming very soon!
Tell us about your role at C-life and what is your favourite part of your job?
At C-Life, I’m a group fitness instructor and I teach a number of programs including Body Pump, Body Attack, Pilates and Yoga. I’m also a Personal Trainer specialising in Pilates and Yoga.
My favourite part of the job is that I get to share my passion for fitness and help others achieve their fitness goals. It’s wonderful to connect with members and very rewarding to see their progress.
How did you get into the health and fitness industry?
I first started training at the gym whilst I was studying pharmacy at uni. I loved the feeling of getting fitter and stronger and continued to train once I finished uni. Over several years, my interest in fitness training grew until one day I decided to become a Fitness Instructor so I could learn more. I started out teaching freestyle classes and gradually added specialist programs such as Body Pump, Body Attack, Pilates, Pilates Reformer and Yoga to my teaching repertoire. As I was working full-time as a pharmacist, I could only teach a couple of classes a week.
A few years ago, I made the career transition into the fitness industry full-time, so now I get to teach all the programs I love.
What motivates you to be fit?
I like the feeling of vitality, energy and strength that comes from train – life flows better and you can enjoy life more fully. Being fit definitely helps me be a better instructor and trainer.
What advice can you give to people who are just starting their fitness journey?
Start gradually, set achievable goals and be consistent. Find programs that you enjoy and include cardiovascular training, strength training, mobility/flexibility training as well as recovery sessions so that you have a varied and balanced program. Your fitness journey is a life-long one, enjoy the ride!
What’s your biggest achievement in your career?
Turning a passion into a career and having the opportunity each day to make a positive contribution to the people’s lives.
On your days off, what do you like to do?
I enjoy being outdoors – walking, swimming, picnics or just sitting quietly in nature. You might see me roaming around the local neighbourhood on my daily walks. I also enjoy cooking up tasty dishes, seeing live music/concerts/shows and relaxing with my partner, family, and friends.
What’s your favourite post-workout meal?
At the moment I’m loving the Superfood Power Bowl at Bakehouse Cafe, it’s my go-to post workout meal.
What would you be doing if you didn’t become a fitness instructor?
I might have gone down a musical or culinary path…
What made you decide to be a Pilates instructor?
Many years ago, I fractured my foot in a freak accident which put me out of action for several months. Pilates was the ideal program to help me rehabilitate and strengthen my body. During those months of rehabilitation, I delved deeper into the practice and was amazed at the benefits I experienced. It was then I decided to become a Pilates instructor so that I could share the benefits with others.
Describe why you love Pilates in 3 words?
Total Body Conditioning
What’s so good about Pilates? Tell us what’s the hype about?
Pilates is a mind body strength-based program that is very different from other forms of strength training. Rather than the amount of weight lifted, Pilates focuses on the correct activation of the deep core muscles (our “Powerhouse”) to stabilise and control the body while performing an exercise. The exercises in Pilates are very specific and designed to strengthen the entire body from inside out, reaching all areas of the body to give an all over body workout. Pilates is for everyone as each exercise can be adapted to all fitness levels. With regular training, Pilates will increase core stability, strengthen all muscles, correct muscle imbalances, correct movement patterns, improve posture and increase flexibility.
A Pilates workout is varied, challenging and fun. In our Pilates Mat classes, you’ll find that we also use small apparatus such as the circle, foam roller, small ball, Swiss ball and TheraBand so no workout is ever the same.
Soon we will be seeing another exciting Pilates offering at C-Life – the Pilates Reformer! The Pilates Reformer is an incredibly versatile piece of equipment that will give you even more challenge and variety in your workouts, taking your training to the next level. I can’t wait to start teaching Pilates Reformer classes at C-Life, see you in class soon!
