To say becoming a studio instructor has given IT manager Kate a new lease of life would be putting things mildly.

“Oh my god, I’m so much more driven, confident and focused as a person since becoming qualified. I have finally found something I love doing and I am honestly good at. I am in a really, really exciting time in my life right now.”

Kate, who by day works as an IT systems analyst, has been a gym junkie since her 20s. She regularly attends group exercise classes, at least once if not twice a day. It was when the Step instructor at her local health club went on ‘mat leave’ earlier this year that Kate felt inspired to take her place.

“I decided there and then that I would get qualified as a fitness instructor. The other regulars in the class, who I had got to know really well, thought I was joking. But I had no doubt.”

Kate researched the courses available and of interest to her, and decided to go for the YMCAfit Exercise to Music (ETM) course.

“I made the decision based on the reasonable price of the course and YMCAfit’s strength of reputation. I had met people who had done their training courses, including teachers of some of the classes I regularly took and found them all to be great at what they did.”

Kate trained on the blended learning YMCAfit ETM course, taking her practicals in Leicester. Her training comprised two intensive weekends, plus a weekend assessment.

Within a couple of months of successfully completing her course, Kate is teaching Step and Legs, Bums & Tums classes at a local gym just outside her home town in Leeds. She’s also about to start teaching at Bradford University.

“I'd highly recommend the Exercise to Music course with YMCAfit – in fact I did that just this week to a lovely lady who came to my Step class. But I would tell people considering it that they have to be serious about it. It’s hard work, highly demanding and you have to practice, practice and then practice some more.”

Qualifying has only served to intensify Kate’s enthusiasm for group exercise – both doing, and teaching classes.

“I’ve never been more into exercising as I am now. I’m looking at doing various CPD courses, including Spin and Cardio Kick. I’m focused on learning as much as possible and my aim is to be able to teach as big a variety of classes as is possible!”