Atharva Shastri ’27: “The Approaches Are Widely Different”

The Corps of Cadets holds a high standard of discipline and endurance. As a chemical engineering major and studio art minor, Atharva Shastri ’27 brings the standards of the Corps of Cadets into the fitness studio where he teaches Zumba, Latin dance, and kickboxing.

 “The Corps looks very hardcore on the surface, and the approaches are widely different,” Shastri said. “The Corps would teach you much faster, because you’re doing everything in a very strict environment. But ultimately, I think you would have the same competencies over a long period of time. The destination is the same.”

Those lessons in persistence and professionalism help him lead classes, but group fitness also demands creativity. Shastri spends late nights choreographing routines, listening to music, and testing steps — an outlet that lets him show a side of himself he doesn’t often share in the Corps. As one of the few male dance instructors, he also takes pride in helping participants feel comfortable and breaking stereotypes.

“I think as a male, I’m able to bring a different viewpoint and different creativity to the program,” Shastri said. “That also helps cater to the needs of more male participants, and they feel more comfortable.”

Tatum Parker ’27: “I Finally Found My Voice”

For Tatum Parker ’27, fitness began with a setback.

“In high school, I suffered an injury, which caused me to have to be in the gym a lot and work hard to get back,” Parker said. “And I’d always felt like a leader for others.”

Recovery and her newfound focus on fitness led her to seek out a Yogalates class at the Rec, where she learned about Fitness Instructor Training. Confident in her leadership and passion for movement, she knew becoming an instructor was the right path. Once she was teaching, she leaned into Pilates by pursuing a Movement Principles course and working towards a Pilates Reformer certification which helped her grow as an instructor.

“I finally found my voice – the type of teacher I wanted to be,” Parker said. “I became more passionate about [Pilates], and I started reading more and doing more.

Jenny Kim ’26: “They Have My Back”

Jenny Kim ’26 never pictured herself as a yoga instructor, but encouragement from other instructors gave her the push to try instructor training. That support carried her into her very first solo class—sunrise yoga at the campus gardens, where she was met with a full crowd of students at 6:30am.

“My first ever class, I taught at the gardens on campus,” she said. “It was memorable, watching the sunrise, hearing the birds chirp, and just teaching yoga. It was very packed for a 6:30am class, and everyone was so sweet.”

What surprised her most wasn’t just that a crowd showed up so early in the morning, it was that they kept coming back. Participants became regulars, and co-workers proved just as reliable, ready to back her up whenever she needed it.

“What I love the most is how flexible all the instructors are,” Kim said. “I know they have my back, and things happen, and I know I have their back. I have such good co-workers and people that I can rely on. It’s a really good community.”

Alina Hambrick ’27: “Getting Through the Hurdle”

Unlike the veterans of Group RecXercise, Alina Hambrick ’27 is a novice fitness instructor. Having recently completed Fitness Instructor Training in the spring, she currently teaches Human Reformer, Step & Sculpt, and Body Blaster classes at the Rec. Her journey into fitness was shaped less by structure and more by growth.

“I was a little new to fitness,” she said. “I had taken a Pilates class for a life science credit at PEAP, and I really loved it. Then I started attending classes here, and I just really loved all the different things they offer and how fun it was.”

From there, it was an uphill climb into the role of instructor – drafting class plans, learning when to push, when to pace, and how to keep the energy alive.

“My classes are very cardio- or endurance-based,” Hambrick said. “I was not in good shape for either, so getting through the hurdle of being in the shape where I can teach properly, made it a lot easier. It’s just knowing when to pull back on yourself so that you can keep up the energy.”

Pranesh Rajesh ’27: “This is Who I Am’”

Pranesh Rajesh ’27 arrived from India with more than a decade of yoga experience and a 200-hour teacher training certification. But even with that expertise, teaching in a new country meant learning a new language of instruction.

“English was kind of hard when I came here,” Rajesh said. “That was one of the reasons why I chose to do  [Fitness Instructor Training]. To learn how to cue, [and] be closer to how the instructors over here talk about yoga and teach yoga.”

Adapting didn’t stop at language. Rajesh also adjusted his style to fit a Western approach to yoga, blending traditional asanas, or poses, with a class flow designed for college students of varying abilities. 

“Yoga is more westernized,” he said. “I feel like mine has a flow. I just start with some breathing, then go for some sun salutation, [and] complete with some asanas. Most of the asanas I do,  covers every part of the body and every system. I just have to make sure it is easy throughout the year so that everyone can do that, and because each and everything has a purpose. I’m just gonna stick with that and just get better on that. This is who I am.”

Emily Hull ’26: “It’s Given Me Practical Knowledge”

For a kinesiology major, fitness instruction is a way to bridge academic knowledge and hands-on experience. With a history of personal training, Emily Hull ’26 used Group RecXercise to practice what she already knew – only this time, in front of a large group of people. 

“It was hard teaching a bigger group,” she said. “I’m so used to one-on-one attention with people, so I think having confidence to speak to a big group was something I really had to build over time. It’s given me practical knowledge, especially with Roll and Recover, I’m able to apply what I’m learning and pull that into my classes, which is fun.”

For Hull, teaching at the Rec is more than leading workouts – it’s daily practice for a future in fitness training, giving her the chance to apply her studies, refine her skills, and understand how to help people move and recover safely. 

“With my major, I like to explain why things are happening, especially with specific muscles in your body, what’s being worked,” Hull said. “I enjoy seeing people achieve something that they didn’t think they would – just getting to encourage people and celebrate with them.”

Ready to share your own story? Fitness & Wellness is offering Fitness Instructor Training every Thursday from Sept. 25 to Oct. 16, with auditions on Sunday, Oct. 19. Registration closes at 5pm on Sept. 25.

Not sure yet? Stop by an informational session Sept. 16 or Sept. 17 at 6pm in Room 2225 of the Student Rec Center.

Visit the Fitness & Wellness website to learn more and start your path toward becoming a group fitness instructor.

Written by: Angeline Nappoly and Claire Frazier