Vancouver : Kitsilano

Alejandra Aguirre

Kitsilano Community Centre

www.fitnessali.com

Recently while going through my very large over-flowing “fitness’ file, which contains over twenty three years of certificates, handouts, fitness information, etc, I came across an old faded print-out titled “Functional Fitness Appraisal” dated March 1, 1988. It was a comprehensive fitness appraisal and body composition testing I had done almost 20 years ago! Wow, I don’t think you ever get used to throwing around numbers like that, I still feel like I am nineteen. So I’ve decided to go and have this appraisal done again, the 20 year anniversary edition, to see just how far I have come. And when I’m done I will post the results.

It is so clear when you’re around small children how natural and necessary it is for us to get physical activity. As every parent knows, if kids don’t get to run around, they literally start bouncing off the walls. I remember once when I volunteered in my son’s Kindergarten class: it was gym time; the class walked down the hall in a neat line, as we got closer to the gym, the children could hardly contain their energy. As soon as the teacher opened the door, they spilled into the room and ran and ran and ran screaming with excitement. The freedom they had to let loose and let their energy out struck me. But more so it struck me how we lose that as adults.

Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.

~Joseph Pilates~

So the next time you’re feeling down, frustrated, stressed, angry, uninspired, lost, broken-hearted or confused, find your inner child and go for a workout. Trust me; you will feel 100% better and you will have a new perspective on life. Or better yet, do it when you’re feeling happy and content and see where it takes you!

Exercise is therapy. It’s great for your body and it’s great for your mind.

I began teaching fitness classes in 1984 in the midst of the 80s fitness craze (remember the Jane Fonda Workout?). The classes were huge and the energy was high. My gym came fully equipped with a disco ball, leg warmers and, eventually, the thong (thank goodness that fad passed!). Through the years that followed I taught almost every kind of fitness class imaginable. Now I love teaching Pilates, Stretch and a class of my own creation - The Bermuda Triangle™ which I developed based on the regular question from my participants, “What can I do about my waist?”, the question was so frequent that I thought it’s like a mystery for people, how they can change the shape of their body, therefore, “The Bermuda Triangle” was born. I imagined a triangle, the top point starting at your chin and the bottom ending at your knees. In the class we work everything within the triangle and it really does work!

Alejandra is what a friend affectionately called a “triple threat” as she enjoys her career in Fitness as well as a Photographer and recently took a leap of faith to pursue acting (so keep an eye out next time you’re watching a commercial).

http://www.photoali.com