ALTERNATIVE CAREERS IN SPORTS: AEROBICS INSTRUCTOR

Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with a goal of improving all elements of fitness. Vivian Sekgabi is an aerobics instructor dealing with aerobics fitness, strength training and core exercises. This month she chats with The Village Mag to find out how she started her own fitness club from nothing and more.

Born and raised in the village of Marapyane, Mpumalanga, the energetic Vivian Sekgabi also known locally as Noroki has always loved sports since her primary school days and she has awards for constant participation in athletics and netball at primary school. Noroki completed her matric in the year 2009 at Khamane High School. She then moved to Johannesburg and joined the Protea Glen Aerobics team where she learned a lot of things like the High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which is the combination of brief, very high intensity bursts of cardio exercise followed by equal or longer periods of rest. “Think 30 seconds to a minute of sprinting, followed by a minute or two of walking or slow jogging. Repeat this cycle for just ten minutes and you would have completed the HIIT training” Noroki explains. She also spent a lot of time online to educate herself further.

Last year September she hosted a boot camp next to Marapyane police station whereby community members and local sponsors came in numbers to support the initiative. That is when she knew she had to grab the opportunity being presented and run with it until today.

Seeing that there is a huge wellness and health gap in our communities; is what inspired Noroki to start a wellness fitness club. “Lerato Molefe and Melba Ratlhagana were the first to join the club and we were very consistent that other people loved what we did and joined us” Noroki said.

Then she started posting videos, pictures after sessions and that is why today she has 36 members in her club and hopes the number will double before end of the year or just maybe hopes the other gender will join as the majority are women because she believes men are struggling with the rhythm and music they use. Men, especially in our villages are not exposed to dance classes and a room full of women, but hopefully that stigma will change soon.

The wellness fitness club hired a hall in Marapyane Complex whereby there are two training sessions one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Noroki believes the hardest part of her job includes handling different people’s attitudes as some think they know more than others, “but it comes with the job and I am enjoying it” she nodded. She prepares in time for her upcoming sessions and if the number she has prepared for does not show up then she has to be able to be flexible and change the routine to accommodate the present members, so flexibility is also key in a way.

Asked about why she joined the fitness club and the benefits seen thereof; Lerato Eunice Molefe remarked “at first I joined because I wanted to loose weight but as time went by, not only did I start losing weight but I also began to feel beautiful and more confident in my own skin, which made me to fall in love with aerobics offered by Noroki even more.”

Many people like her realized that the gym is a great platform to meet and socialize with like-minded people. The nicest thing about aerobics is that people are basically dancing and having fun whilst losing weight. The health benefits are immense; such as the lowering of blood pressure and reduction of blood sugar.

Since the start of the global coronavirus pandemic, harsh lockdowns have been imposed by governments globally spiking an interest in home workouts and exercising in small groups. Aerobics have gained popularity nationwide, in our region there are more than 10 aerobics clubs and the numbers are growing.

Like any other business, covid-19 has affected her personally and financially as recent as the past few weeks she had to close for two weeks and she does not have a permanent job so she depends on her member’s contribution.

Noroki believes every individual deserves an opportunity to be healthy mentally, socially, physically and emotionally and aerobics can help them to get there.