Interview with Colleen Daly

I was able to chat with Colleen Daly, a fitness instructor with Campus Rec who teaches just about every class. I got the scoop on what it’s like to be an instructor, her tips for class newbies and everything in between.

• What classes do you instruct at UNC?
  • I instruct a whole host of formats including Zumba, Cardio and Pump, Cardio Interval, Muscle Cut, Butts Guts and Thighs, Core, Absolution – almost everything!
• What got you interested in becoming an instructor?
  • Hahaha, this is actually a pretty funny story.  My first week of classes at UNC, I was in an Intermediate Jogging class.  A girl that I had met at the Newman Center was talking to me and was telling me all about this Zumba class she had taken and loved.  As she was describing it, I kept thinking “this sounds absolutely ridiculous”, but as she invited me to go with her. In an effort to make friends and try new things, “Absolutely! That sounds like a blast!” came out of my mouth.  I fell in love the first class and decided to become an instructor in my second.
• What is the best part of being an instructor?
  • The people, the people, the people. I LOVE my students.  They laugh at me when I tell them, but each class I teach truly has a different character.  I love helping people reach their fitness goals.  I love helping people feel good about what their bodies are capable of and reach their potential regardless of their fitness level.  There’s something about the dynamics of group fitness that makes a hard workout more motivating and fun.
• What is the most challenging part of being an instructor?
  • I want so badly for people to recognize that fitness is about their health rather than improving physical appearance.  I have lots of students that put themselves and their bodies down rather than appreciating what it is capable of.
• What advice would you give to someone interested in taking a class but hasn’t before?
  • A lot of people are intimidated by the fast pace of many of the classes.  I would encourage people to understand that everyone struggles to catch on to everything in their first class.  Try out the classes and see what formats you enjoy and what instructors motivate you and make you feel comfortable.  There is no point in forcing yourself to go to a class that you hate.  There are way too many fitness classes for you not to find one that you love and one that helps you reach your fitness goals.
• What is your favorite class to attend?
  • I’ve recently fallen head over heels for cycle. The instructors here are wonderful and the classes are awesome workouts.
• What do you find is the most rewarding part of being an instructor?
  • I love when it “clicks” with people – when they come in the studio smiling and leave sweaty and still smiling. I love hearing people’s stories, finding out what motivates them and watching them reach their goals.
• What is your favorite workout?
  • I love running with my dad in the woods.  It’s so nice to spend that time together and enjoy the mountains of Western North Carolina.  My mom has a form of Muscular Dystrophy that prevents her from doing a lot of strenuous exercise, but she defies every expectation and walks a three mile loop up a mountain near our house in Asheville.  Walking that loop with her and seeing how strong she is, is such an inspiration.  I’m currently training for an Olympic Distance Triathlon and I’ve loved the training. I have an extremely short attention span, so getting to switch my workout around in order to train for the swim, bike and run components is AWESOME for me. I also get to develop muscle groups I might not have developed much before and test my endurance.  But, I’m always down for a good booty-shakin’ in Zumba…not gonna lie.