Photo By Staff Sgt. Andrea Merritt | Soldiers, civilians, and Airmen who reside on Camp Taji, Iraq, enjoy a step aerobics...... read more read more
By Spc. Andrea Merritt
1st Sustainment Brigade
CAMP TAJI – About 15 minutes before class starts, people begin to trickle through the gym doors. Some take time to stretch, and others use those few moments to vent about the day they just had.
As soon as the clock strikes 7:00 p.m., the troubles of the day fade away behind the dance music, which has a steady, pulsating rhythm.
"Alright, we're going to march it out right here; and four ... three ... two ... and one," says one of the instructors as she counts down, signaling that the workout has just begun.
Five nights a week, Monday through Friday, Soldiers, civilians and Airmen who reside on Camp Taji challenge themselves during the one-hour step aerobics class at the Durable Gym.
"I first heard about step aerobics through friends that were already involved in the program. It sounded like a lot of fun, like a stress reliever, and for the ones going on a regular basis, they were seeing results," said Sgt. Jasmine Burks, a Junction City, Kan., native and medic with the 1st Sust. Bde.
When the 15th Sustainment Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, redeployed from Iraq, they entrusted Spc. Tia Leas, a unit supply specialist with the 1st Sustainment Brigade, to keep the class going.
"1st Cav. was doing it, and when they left, they asked me to take it over for them," recalled Leas, a Peoria, Ill., native. "It was difficult trying to measure up to the instructors before me. A couple of weeks prior to them leaving, they put me in the front to teach. I was so focused on not messing up and doing it exactly how they did, I would mess up. Once I did it a few times after they left, I did just fine."
Word about step aerobics spread, and people continued to show up to see what the class was all about. "When I first started, class maybe topped 20 people; now, we get up to 50," said Leas.
Although step aerobics may not sound like a tough workout to those who have never tried it, the evidence of its taxing physical demand can be seen in the sweat that drips from the skin of its participants.
Even if newcomers had their doubts at first, they often returned for another round of step aerobics.
"Spc. Leas asked me to come out and told me it was a good thing to help me with my physical training test. At first I was like, 'No, this is not for guys,' but I decided to try it out and I enjoyed it, so I continued to go," said Sgt. Danny Williams, a human resources non-commissioned officer with the 1st Sustainment Brigade.
Williams enjoyed step aerobics so much that when Leas had to leave for a few months, he took over teaching the class.
"Spc. Leas had to leave for a little while so I told her I would keep it going, and it just turned into an everyday thing. With doing step aerobics, I lost 90 to 100 pounds," said Williams, a Dallas native.
Since the 1st Sust. Bde. instructors took over step aerobics nine months ago, the class has had an estimated combined weight-loss of 1550 pounds.
"I have been going (to step aerobics) for about two months now. I have lost about ten pounds since I started," said Spc. Keya Mason, an Augusta, Ga., native, and unit supply specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 1st Sust. Bde.
"The thing that keeps me going back is that I feel really good afterwards and losing the extra pounds helps also," said Mason with a laugh.
Although weight loss is the primary reason people attend step aerobics, some people have seen other benefits of the workout.
"I cut about 30 to 40 seconds off my run time," said 1st Lt. Percy Williams, a New Orleans native and the assistant logistics officer for the 165th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.
"I'm bringing sexy back. I wasn't in the best of shape since I had just had surgery on my Achilles six months ago, so I wanted to get back in shape. Aerobics was the best way to do it," added 1st Lt. Williams.
During the workout, the class stays motivated. The class can often be heard outside the doors of the aerobics room in the gym. To make step aerobics even more of a total body workout, the instructors do strengthening exercises at the end of the session.
"We don't just do the aerobics part of it. We also work the arms at the end, legs and abs, so it's an all around good workout," Leas said.
"Abs is something we do for the PT Test, and push-ups are something we do for the PT test. So along with the cardio that you do with the actual step aerobics, you get help with the push-ups and sit-ups," added Williams.
Since step aerobics has become such a popular workout, a class is offered Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6:00 a.m. at the Durable Gym. The morning class, which also lasts one hour, is led by Spc. April Hannah, a Millport, Ala., native and unit supply specialist, with the 1st Sust. Bde.
Hannah also began teaching step aerobics during Leas' leave of absence. "When I first started teaching, I was scared out of my mind. I was thinking I was going to mess up and then everybody was depending on me, and if I messed up everybody messed up," Hannah said.
"I decided I would do aerobics in the morning because I love teaching. Once I finally got into it, I loved it and I didn't want to stop teaching," Hannah added.
The love the instructors have for teaching the class keeps people coming back, and people coming back is what motivates the instructors to keep teaching. In the process, everyone is seeing results.
"We put a lot of work into it. We do it five nights a week. We don't get paid anything extra. We do it for the fun of it and to help people out," said Leas.
"I could be asleep, but it's something that's good for me and it kind of helps the time go by faster out here because I have something to look forward to everyday out of the week. I know from 1900 to 2000 I'm going to get a good workout," added Williams.
"It's really [exciting] and feels really good to know what you're doing up there is the reason why people are losing weight," Hannah concluded.
| Date Taken: | 07.14.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 07.14.2008 13:14 |
| Story ID: | 21469 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 247 |
| Downloads: | 218 |
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