Can teaching group fitness fit around your day job?

Think your schedule is too packed to add another commitment? These Instructors prove teaching group fitness can fit into real life. Read their stories to see how everyday fitness fans balance busy careers, personal passions and life outside the studio while helping others move, grow and feel stronger, and discover what might be possible for you.

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Sandra Eichner, The Hague, Netherlands
Day job: Program and Change Manager
Teaches: BODYPUMP™, BODYPUMP HEAVY™ and LES MILLS GRIT™ at Hardy’s in Greifenberg, Germany

"Sometimes your strongest chapter starts exactly when you think it's already too late."

I work in PR and event management, supporting artists, brands, and companies in building visibility, emotional connection, and presence. Over the years, I've worked with artists like Kontra K and Xatar, as well as festivals such as Rave On Snow and Taubertal Festival. Most of the time, I'm the person behind the scenes. However, at night, that role completely flips.

At work, I help others own the stage. In class, I have to own it myself. I have to bring the energy and truly lead the room. There's nowhere to hide behind strategy or concepts.

My goal in both worlds is the same: to help people feel stronger and more confident, whether that's helping a brand find its voice, or helping someone leave class feeling more empowered than when they arrived.

Before my 40s, I mainly trained on circuit machines, but I felt stuck physically and mentally, and I struggled with motivation and boredom. Then I discovered BODYPUMP. I suddenly experienced how motivating, structured, and empowering strength training could be. It completely changed my relationship with fitness, my energy levels, and my confidence.

Today, at almost 47-years-old, I'm in the best physical shape of my life.

What matters most to me now is encouraging women, especially those who may feel intimidated, to start strength training without fear or hesitation. I want to show that it's never too late to become stronger, healthier, and more confident.

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Sarah Hilton, Worksop, UK
Day job: Bait distribution
Teaches: BODYBALANCE™ at Killamarsh Active, Bannatyne Health Club Worksop, The Arc – Clowne

“The manager suggested I might make a good Instructor, which I didn’t believe at first.”

My day starts at 4am when I head to the stable to feed my two horses – Maisie and Bailey. Next, I’m on the road traveling to Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire. I look after around 20 lakes, fisheries, and shops that we supply with bait weekly – many of them long-standing customers for over 35 years, going back to when my dad started the family business.

I’d resisted joining for years, but in 2015, everything changed when my mom sadly passed away. As a family, we rallied together, and I stepped into the business as my dad moved toward retirement. Having never fished (apart from once on a family holiday), I had to learn quickly. And yes – maggots do come from flies laying eggs on meat… and if you’ve ever smelled a maggot farm, you won’t forget it!

During peak season, we can sell up to 750 gallons of maggots and 150kg of worms a week – the angling trade is actually the UK’s largest participation sport.
My day usually ends around 2pm, then it’s back home to ride and muck out the horses.

In 2013, I joined the admin team part-time at my local Bannatyne’s Health Club so I could balance work, family, and horses. The manager suggested I might make a good Instructor, which I didn’t believe at first, as I’m one of the quietest people I know.

After some persuasion, I trained in BODYBALANCE. I quickly fell in love with helping people achieve their health and fitness goals, and it helped build my own confidence too. BODYBALANCE has become something really special – members love how it makes them feel, and it’s a privilege to teach something so calming and powerful.

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Azaria Narine, Leeds, UK
Day job: Player Support Specialist for Boneloaf / Gang Beasts
Teaches: BODYCOMBAT™ at Morley Leisure Centre

“You never truly know what you’re capable of unless you try.”

I discovered Les Mills through Morley Leisure Centre when my mom and I were looking for new classes to try. We started with BODYCOMBAT, but after the first track, I wasn’t completely sold because I wasn’t instantly good at it.

After a few weeks, I moved from the back of the room to the middle, and I remember the Instructor, Steph, telling me I’d make a good Instructor one day. I didn’t believe her! I thought Instructors needed insane stamina and athleticism, which I didn’t feel I had. I also didn’t “look” like an Instructor; at 4’9”. I constantly compared myself to billboards and advertisements. What finally pushed me to go for it was shadowing an Instructor who ended up being off long-term. I qualified with BODYCOMBAT 100 and realized I didn’t need to be perfect immediately. Qualifying made me fall in love with BODYCOMBAT even more; now I stay up late waiting for new Masterclass releases!

Outside the studio, I work as a Player Support Specialist for game developer Boneloaf and its game, Gang Beasts. A typical day involves speaking with players, resolving issues, gathering feedback, and creating social content. You need to adapt how you communicate depending on the player, whether that’s through social media, Discord, or email, and translate technical developer logs into something accessible.

That experience has helped tremendously with teaching classes. Finding your style takes practice and feedback, but learning how to cue moves, motivate participants, and adapt to different personalities came naturally through my work.

Some days are harder than others, especially during winter! Balancing work, hobbies, and life isn’t easy, and there’s no perfect formula. What matters is finding things that genuinely bring you joy and remembering to rest.

If you are thinking about becoming a Les Mills Instructor, don’t wait until you feel perfect – you never truly know what you’re capable of unless you try.

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Amreen Ismail, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Day job: IT / Assistant Manager
Teaches: BODYPUMP™, BODYPUMP HEAVY™, CEREMONY™, LES MILLS CORE™, LES MILLS PILATES™, LES MILLS SHAPES™ and LES MILLS TONE™ at GymNation

“I turned those limitations into my superpower.”

I start my mornings with prayer and gratitude before the chaos. After that, a good breakfast and coffee are completely non-negotiable – they fuel everything that comes next.

As an assistant manager, my role is all about people. Between tracking deliveries, resolving customer concerns, and aligning teams, it’s fast-paced and mentally intense. You have to think on your feet and communicate constantly.

But the second I step into the fitness studio, everything shifts.

My fitness journey didn’t start with confidence; it started with necessity. I was once obese, and walking into the club was simply a step toward reclaiming my health. Losing 30kg in six months completely changed my life.

Growing up, fitness wasn’t the norm for hijabi women, so the journey came with its own limitations. But I turned those limitations into my superpower. Today, I want to show women from similar backgrounds that you don’t have to choose between your identity and your strength – you can have both.

Becoming an Instructor was never the plan. I was introverted, shy, and terrified of being on stage. But as a participant, people encouraged me to step up. It transformed me into a confident communicator – a skill that now shapes both my classes and my corporate role.

Eight years later, I teach multiple LES MILLS programs. I was nominated for Les Mills Superstar 2025 and won two GymNation awards: Instructor of the Club and Best Overall Instructor in the UAE. While these milestones are incredible, the real reward is seeing my participants grow, step out of their shells, and believe in themselves.

Balancing a corporate career and teaching isn’t easy. There are days when I leave the office mentally drained! But the moment the music starts, the exhaustion vanishes – it’s where I feel most alive.

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Aaron Fleming MNZM, Queenstown, New Zealand
Day job: Regional Director – Department of Conservation. Cast – The Traitors New Zealand (Season 3)
Teaches: RPM™ and LES MILLS SPRINT™ at Alpine Health and Fitness

“As an extroverted larrikin, I love having fun at the front.”

When you live in New Zealand, surrounded by its grand and majestic landscapes, managing four million hectares is a dream job. I’m a Conservation Director, and I lead projects that help nature thrive, including managing cultural heritage sites for millions of annual visitors.

Leading a world-class team of 400 is an absolute privilege. I also get to work in untouched, remote places. Some islands are 800km offshore and can take two days to reach by boat. With a big, demanding day job, it can be all-consuming. Politics, media, and operations often throw my plans out the window. It’s reactive and fast-paced.

I also work in the entertainment industry as a professional speaker and I’m currently cast in the global TV phenomenon The Traitors (New Zealand). Tune in to watch!

Teaching LES MILLS classes allows me to switch off and connect with myself, with music, and our club community. It gives me space to be creative.

From being told I would never be able to physically exert myself again after major lung surgery to completing 22 Ironman races, fitness has always been part of my DNA. It has helped me not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. As a triathlete, I was always attracted to cycle classes, and for five years now, I’ve been teaching RPM and LES MILLS SPRINT. As an extroverted larrikin, I love having fun at the front of the class and making each class memorable!

Having been through my own health battles, I feel like I can connect with members at all ends of the fitness spectrum – from those training for everyday life to those working toward a specific stretch goal.

My own rollercoaster journey really helps keep the “why” for our members at the center of my teaching.

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Ashleigh Lucas, Rockhampton, Australia
Day job: Civil Engineer
Teaches: LES MILLS PILATES™ at Ambitionz Health and Fitness Rockhampton

"I adore that it is a non-negotiable in my calendar!"

I work within a pretty small team, so the nature and scale of my day-to-day and week-to-week tasks are really varied. One minute I might be writing a two-page flood hazard report for someone's new carport, the next I might be preparing bulk earthworks design, traffic impact assessment, and stormwater network modeling for a 500-allotment subdivision.

My work is constant problem-solving, which is honestly why I love it! I feel that my work is often "invisible" but essential to everyday life.
I've always enjoyed going for a walk outside or training on the gym floor, but discovering group training fundamentally changed my perspective on exercise. Now, I understand how important the role of others can be when it comes to effort and mindset.

I'm lucky enough to go to a gym with group training Instructors who are absolute gems! Shoutout to Bridget, Renee, and Natalie. The joy all three of them show on stage is a big reason why I was inspired to give it a go myself.

It was daunting at first, squeezing something else into my already busy schedule, but honestly, I adore that it is a non-negotiable in my calendar. As a participant, it was so easy to think, "Maybe next time," on days when my head was spinning.

Now, I have no excuse to skip out!

The mental health boost is my favorite part, plus the core strength development has noticeably improved how I feel after sitting at a desk for eight hours.

If you're weighing up whether to become an Instructor, you're already halfway there. A passion for group training and a love for sharing that joy with others is the magic. Exercise ability is only part of it. Take the plunge!

Cezarina-Isabela Chirvase, PhD. Daventry, United Kingdom
Day job: Clinical Scientist
Teaches: BODYBALANCE™ and LES MILLS CORE™ at Trilogy Active

“Sometimes it feels as though I’m living two different lives. However, both roles share the same purpose: caring for people.”

I moved to the UK from Romania in 2013 to pursue a doctoral degree in physics. Starting a new life in a different country, away from my family and friends, was both exciting and stressful.

One day, I decided to join the university gym, where I discovered BODYBALANCE through an incredible Instructor. Those classes became an escape, a space to clear my mind, build friendships, and slowly regain confidence in myself. They helped me through one of the most challenging periods of my life. That experience eventually inspired me to become a Les Mills Instructor myself.

My day job is as a Clinical Scientist, a fancy term for Medical Physicist, in the Radiotherapy Department at Northampton General Hospital NHS. My role is to ensure radiation treatments for cancer patients are delivered safely, accurately, and effectively.

I am fortunate to have a gym within the hospital premises, so after finishing my workday, I cross the street to teach my classes. In the hospital, I am known as Cezarina. In the gym, I am known as Isabela. Here, I am in the spotlight, connecting directly with participants in a more personal and uplifting way.
Sometimes it feels as though I’m living two different lives. However, both roles share the same purpose: caring for people.

Teaching creates a lasting ripple effect. A single conversation, skill, or moment of encouragement can change how someone sees themselves long after the class ends. I've learned that teaching isn't about having all the answers. It's about helping people feel capable enough to keep going.

To anyone unsure if they fit as an Instructor: most great teachers don't start as polished experts. They start as people who care, listen well, and remember what it felt like to be learning something for the first time. If you're willing to show up with patience, curiosity, and honesty, you already belong.

Want even more inspiration? Learn more about the surprising lives of fitness Instructors. Find out how becoming an Instructor can make you better at your day job.

Think you might have what it takes to take to the stage? Check out 10 signs you’d make a great group fitness Instructor.

Find Les Mills Instructor Training near you.

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