Nikki, from Taunton, tells us what she loves best about her career with FLexercise.
A career in the fitness industry – could I do it? Could I stand up and do what the Teacher was doing in front of the class? Would I manage? Could I retrain and still do all the other family stuff? Would my new career be a success? These were all these sorts of questions running through my mind while I considered a new career path for myself.
As a child, I was expected to take up ballet and tap classes. This was because my mother was a ballet teacher and once I hit my teens I was doing the cha cha cha in Latin American classes. Although I occasionally felt forced into a given dance activity, I am now so grateful for it as exercise and dance is now my career. It’s my great love and passion besides, of course, my husband and our four boys!
Before I had my children I worked in primary schools and often held the responsibility for the PE and music aspects of the Curriculum. It was my role to organise Sport’s Day and to produce the Christmas Play. I also trained the choir, taught recorder and coached the Country Dance Squad. I enjoyed doing all of this as it was so much easier and much more fun than the academic side of school!
It was when I joined a health club that I was fortunate enough to meet Charlotte Bly teaching her FLexercise class which I thoroughly enjoyed. I had been attending FLexercises for a number of years to help lose some of the baby weight that I had gained and to give me some ‘me time’. It was then that Charlotte asked me whether I would consider training to be a Teacher.
Training for a new career
Charlotte took me to a FLexercise Taster session and from there on I was hooked! After investigating the training process I discovered it would fit in really easily around my family commitments and as it would lead to a Level 3 recognised qualification it was really worthwhile. I trained through 2013 and opened my first class in Taunton on Friday, January 17th, 2014. Currently, I have three classes and we recently celebrated the start of my first class four years ago with a glass of Prosecco! I can honestly say I enjoyed the training, the tutors were approachable, supportive and encouraging and even better – my fellow students and I are still in touch and it’s great to catch up at training (CPD – Continuous Professional Development) events.
Becoming an FLexercise Teacher is one of the best career steps I’ve taken. There are opportunities to continue learning and developing with CPD courses taking place up and down the country and it’s great to meet other teachers and share ideas with them. The greatest joy I have derived from running my classes is that it has been so good for me! I am proud of my achievements as a businesswoman but also the enjoyment of helping class members stay fit and healthy. Would I recommend training to become a teacher? Most definitely!
Find out more about the possibilities for your own new career by clicking here.