Carl has been a member of Cal Fit and LFF for about four years. Group
Fitness Instructor Andy Christian inspired Carl to obtain his spinning certification. The fact that LFF had many cycle classes gave him the opportunity to get a lot of practice in before he was hired as a Group
Fitness Instructor. Many good Instructors gave Carl very helpful tips before he taught his own classes.
The Group
Fitness Managers inspired Carl to take BodyPump training, but the support system of the newly trained Group
Fitness Instructors was super while working toward his certification. It was hard, and often times overwhelming, but the
Fitness Managers and some other Instructors offered assistance, encouragement, and guidance. Carl believes that BodyPump has helped him get into the best shape of his life. It also has offered him the opportunity to develop his coaching skills as he gets more and more comfortable with the Les Mills programs. Most of all, it has given Carl an opportunity to work more closely with LFF members who seek help to improve themselves. This gives him the most satisfaction.
The following interview with Carl Schaaf was featured in the Columbus Dispatch:
Becoming a teacher spun him around
Carl Schaaf needed a spark.
After 30 years of working out in gyms, jogging, and weightlifting, he was losing interest in his
Fitness routine.
Then his Spinning, or group cycling, instructor encouraged him to become certified to teach the class himself.
“At first I thought it would be way beyond anything I would be capable of,” said Schaaf, of Dublin.
Almost two years later, the certified
Fitness instructor, 57, is teaching five classes a week in group cycling and BodyPump - or barbell lifting choreographed to music.
He credits a 4-H project from his youth with getting him interested in
Health and
Fitness.
Q: What was the point of the 4-H program?
A: It required us to work to improve our personal
Health, that of our family and the community as well.
I even tried to get my mom to eat wheat germ on her cereal - which lasted three days.
I was selected the winner for the boys division in Richland County.
Q: Have you always been healthy?
A: Yes. Ever since my teen years, I’ve always been in decent shape.
Q: Why do you think your
Fitness regimen stopped working for you?
A: Boredom and not always seeing the results I wanted. I had certain expectations that, if I worked out so many days a week, I would have a body type like I had in mind.
Q: How did you train for your Spinning certification?
A: I had been taking group cycling classes as a participant, and I went to as many classes as possible to get in shape.
Q: Was the process difficult?
There were a lot of hoops to jump through. I had tests to take online and had to go to Cleveland to take the final certification class.
Q: Which is harder for you - Spinning or BodyPump?
A: BodyPump. That certification was really difficult. I didn’t have the rhythm and balance that it required.
Q: How did you overcome that?
A: With tons of patience, every day. It’s like any sport, continued practice can get your body moving the way it’s supposed to be working.
Q: How has becoming a
Fitness instructor changed you?
A: Self-confidence. I didn’t think it was anything I could do, especially at my age. But once I became certified, it was amazing the confidence it gave me.
Q: You work full time as a project director at a medical laboratory, so how do you fit in your pursuit of
Fitness?
A: Because I enjoy it so much, I look at it as a hobby and as a way to help other people. You get a lot of joy and satisfaction out of that.
By Jeffrey Sheban
The Columbus Dispatch
Through this occasional feature, Life & Arts shares the success stories of central Ohioans who have met
Health and
Fitness goals.