Gold's Gym Walzem would like to recognize Laura in our Instructor Spotlight. Laura has a very loyal following here in many of her classes. She goes above and beyond to ensure our members are treated like family here at Gold's Gym. Her latest effort involved a community cookbook for our SilverSneakers patrons. We'd like to thank Laura for her dedication to our members, and for her role in changing people's lives one class at a time.
Began teaching in 1997 when my daughters were little. An instructor at the Omaha YMCA where I was taking kickboxing classes asked me if I would be interested in teaching. At first I thought, no way....but decided to give it a try and it has worked out very well. It's a great part-time job that has allowed me to stay fit and be a stay at home mom.
I started out teaching kickboxing then got into step, which has become the great love of my life. I also teach cycle, Pilates, conditioning and treadmill and stability ball classes. And I also particularly enjoy teaching SilverSneakers classes.
Why do I like teaching? Generally, I'm not a very creative person. But I can put together amazing step choreography and express myself through that medium. And the feedback is immediate....you never end a class wondering if you did a good job or not. But I especially like teaching SilverSneakers because that population can be somewhat limited in their movements. And when an individual notices improvement, they always tell me about it. It is so rewarding to know I'm helping people to feel better and live better.
When I'm not teaching or attending my girls' weekly volleyball tournaments, I enjoy quilting and anyone around me who is having a baby gets a hand-made crocheted baby blanket."