Like most fitness gurus, Sharon Brown-Horton is an aerobics instructor
who includes stretching in her warm-up exercises. But her body isn't
the only thing that Brown-Horton stretches -- she has also extended the boundaries
of fitness leadership as a career. While many instructors only do their job
part time, Brown-Horton works in the industry full time as the president of
a fitness consulting company.
She also designs and develops fitness programs for other health clubs.
"I develop programs for clients who are looking to round out their existing
services. I've worked for the Hycroft Wellness Center, for instance,
designing programs focused to female clientele, creating a non-intimidating
class format," she explains.
When she isn't consulting, Brown-Horton spends her time instructing
aerobics classes.
Brown-Horton, who was formerly a professional dancer, says she enjoys instructing
because it lets her do what she enjoys the most -- dancing.
"Aerobics lets me use my choreographic capabilities and I get to perform
a little bit." As a matter of fact, she attributes her success in aerobics
to her background in dance.
"Choreography has always come easily to me. I don't think that I would
be able to pick up on new formats [aerobics moves] so quickly without dance.
I only need a very short time to learn a new format. I see a new movement
and I know it. I understand movement and music."
While she likes being in the spotlight, Brown-Horton says that her clients
are really the ones who deserve attention. "The most difficult part of teaching
classes is giving the attention that each and every individual needs. I make
a point of connecting with every person in my class during the hour. I try
my best to address each individual's needs," she says.
Professional aerobics instructors like Brown-Horton are exactly that --
professionals. With her history of dance and her education in kinesiology,
Brown-Horton comes to aerobics from a solid background of education and experience.
But back in 1982, when Gary Johnson got involved in aerobics, things were
a little different. "You only needed to be able to do jumping jacks and get
other people to follow you," remembers Johnson.
A former professional soccer player from England, Johnson got his start
as an instructor when he was taking a class one day in 1982. "I was in Palm
Springs and it was too hot to train outside. I decided to take an aerobics
class at a health club. It just happened that the instructor who was teaching
the class was the only male instructor they had, and he was leaving. When
I finished the class, the club's owner came up to me and said, 'You
can stay with the beat. Do you want a job?'"
Things have changed, however. Johnson now includes a lot more than jumping
jacks in his aerobics classes.
"My favorite class is called adventure training. It's an athletic
interval type of class where we prepare people for adventure activities. We
have an in-class triathlon where they bike, run and swim for 20 minutes each.
Then we tally up how far and how fast they went. It's a great way to
get ready for climbing and hiking."
While adventure training may not seem like an aerobics class at all, Johnson
insists that it's an aerobics class and more. He says that it is just
a little more practical than your standard body sculpting class. "Fitness
is a great way to get in shape and look good, but sometimes you have to go
ahead and let your body work in the great outdoors."
Perhaps his background in soccer is one reason that Johnson is so interested
in the practical side of fitness. Whatever the reason, his interest in applying
aerobic fitness to sports seems to rub off on his clients.
"I think the most enjoyable thing about my job is when I help people realize
all that they can be. Participants will often come in without knowing what
they want out of fitness. I used to teach this aerobics class at 5:45 in the
morning for housewives. It was the only time in the day when they could take
a class. Now several of them are going to run a marathon. I also took a group
of them to climb Mount Hood -- a 11,250-foot mountain."
Like many instructors, Johnson can only teach so many classes a week. That's
why he started up his own company that manufactures various types of athletic
equipment.
Yet the manufacturing side of the industry isn't where Johnson likes
to spend all of his time. Whenever he gets the chance, he leaves the office
to practice his true love -- instructing.
"It's more than just standing up at the front of the room and having
people follow your lead. When you're instructing you see that spark in
people's eyes, and that spark tells you who is going to succeed. Aerobics
is really something you do because you love doing it. You end
up touching people's lives."