Let's get physical
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- ChardaeD
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by Chardaé Davis
What do you do with a master's degree in social work? Consulting? No. If you're Jackie Payne, you become a fitness instructor.
While working at Northwestern University's Undergraduate Leadership Program for eight years, Payne, 33, taught leadership to college students by day-- and whipped Chicagoans into shape at local gyms by night. She's now focused on teaching Turbo Kick, sculpting and spinning classes. And she's a personal coach. Payne's day-to-day schedule results in sometimes three showers a day. She also sports a new, shorter haircut to avoid styling.
Once upon a time, long long ago, Payne had trouble leading a class. She blanked out on choreography during her first session.
"In the middle of class, we were kind of just jumping around until I could figure out what we were supposed to do next," she says laughing. "I had a little cheat sheet in my pocket that I had to pull out."
No more cheat sheets. Payne moves effortlessly, always bursting with energy and confidence.
"Jackie's really excited to be here," says Cindy Stutzel, 53, after attending a Turbo Kick class at the YMCA in the Irving Park neighborhood. "It helps your energy level. Jackie makes me want to dance."
Payne says her leadership experience and lessons come back to her every day when in the studio leading classes.
"If I wasn't communicating well, if I wasn't giving short, quick commands, then the class wasn't following me," she says.
One of her Turbo Kick students, Aura Pocklington, inspired by Payne, is pursuing a fitness instructing position with a local YMCA.
"I like to work out, and sometimes I'm here for three hours anyway," says the former scientist.
Payne hopes mirror-lined dance studios will not be her last venue for teaching the value of healthy living.
"As much as I love teaching fitness, I also feel like it's important to really try to help create and shape [government] policy so that everyone can have opportunities to find a way to create a better health and fitness lifestyle for themselves," she says. "I think that obesity and problems with health care and health insurance today are huge.
With Payne's plans, it looks like her schooling will play an even bigger role in her future.
Check out Jackie Payne's Turbo Kick class at the Irving Park YMCA.
What do you do with a master's degree in social work? Consulting? No. If you're Jackie Payne, you become a fitness instructor.
While working at Northwestern University's Undergraduate Leadership Program for eight years, Payne, 33, taught leadership to college students by day-- and whipped Chicagoans into shape at local gyms by night. She's now focused on teaching Turbo Kick, sculpting and spinning classes. And she's a personal coach. Payne's day-to-day schedule results in sometimes three showers a day. She also sports a new, shorter haircut to avoid styling.
Once upon a time, long long ago, Payne had trouble leading a class. She blanked out on choreography during her first session.
"In the middle of class, we were kind of just jumping around until I could figure out what we were supposed to do next," she says laughing. "I had a little cheat sheet in my pocket that I had to pull out."
No more cheat sheets. Payne moves effortlessly, always bursting with energy and confidence.
"Jackie's really excited to be here," says Cindy Stutzel, 53, after attending a Turbo Kick class at the YMCA in the Irving Park neighborhood. "It helps your energy level. Jackie makes me want to dance."
Payne says her leadership experience and lessons come back to her every day when in the studio leading classes.
"If I wasn't communicating well, if I wasn't giving short, quick commands, then the class wasn't following me," she says.
One of her Turbo Kick students, Aura Pocklington, inspired by Payne, is pursuing a fitness instructing position with a local YMCA.
"I like to work out, and sometimes I'm here for three hours anyway," says the former scientist.
Payne hopes mirror-lined dance studios will not be her last venue for teaching the value of healthy living.
"As much as I love teaching fitness, I also feel like it's important to really try to help create and shape [government] policy so that everyone can have opportunities to find a way to create a better health and fitness lifestyle for themselves," she says. "I think that obesity and problems with health care and health insurance today are huge.
With Payne's plans, it looks like her schooling will play an even bigger role in her future.
Check out Jackie Payne's Turbo Kick class at the Irving Park YMCA.
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- groups:
- VC2 Top Contenders US
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- tags:
- VC2 Top Contenders US, Fitness, Chicago, Exercise, 4 more
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- credits:
- ChardaeD Producer/Editor
