Catherine the Great

When it comes to dedicating time to physical conditioning I need a bit of help. Left completely on my own to execute an hour-long workout, it might go something like this: five minutes of stretching, twenty minutes of focused exercise, ten minutes of resting and thinking about the last twenty-five minutes of the workout, twenty minutes that resumes with enthusiasm but gradually tapers into lethargy, concluding with five more minutes of stretching.

This is where Catherine comes in. We’re fortunate at Boeing to have a Fitness Center with some very good group conditioning instructors, one of which happens to be her. She’s cruel and relentless but in a good way, as the group is constantly in cardio vascular pumping motion and often working a couple of different muscle groups at the same time. You may want to stop but you can’t. After all, who wants to be identified as the person in the room who is blatantly dogging their way through the hour? Not me.

At five-foot three and with about as much body fat as an Olympic swimmer, she certainly looks the part when it comes to her chosen profession. I started attending her three-a-week conditioning classes in October and haven’t looked back. Recently, I added her weekly spin (stationary bike) class to the mix to add to the exhaustion.

I haven’t known Catherine for very long, but long enough to know this: if I’m ever involved in a street fight I want her fighting with me and not against me.

Catherine: A Witness for Fitness


The other day she took time out from abdominal crunches, sumo squats, incline chest presses, and step aerobics to answer a few questions:

Bowling Joe: Are you originally from the Seattle area?

Catherine: I was born and raised in Lincolnshire, Illinois, about 20 miles north of Chicago. I moved to the San Juan Islands in 1986 (culture shock!) and then to the Seattle area in 1989.

BJ: What first got you excited about getting a job in the fitness industry?
C: I had been working out with weights for about seven years (a dreadful breakup gravitated me to the gym back in '97) and had trained for two years with a professional body builder, so was not afraid to lift heavy! I really liked the definition and sculpting I created with those heavier weights. I began noticing certain women at the gym, repeatedly working with the same pair of 5 lb. dumbbells, doing the same exercises, and sporting the same shape and size- minimal changes, if any. I knew without question that I could help them! Most women are afraid of heavy weights, fearing a bulky look. Won't happen unless you get into serious power-lifting. Thus began my schooling for my personal training cert. I was determined to share my knowledge and help others reach their goals.

BJ: How long have you been in this business?
C: I've been sculpting my own physique for over 10 years. I've been teaching others for almost 3.

BJ: Are you a personal trainer as well, and if so which do enjoy more, group or personal training?
C: I originally got certified as a personal trainer. I was a trainer for about a year at certain "chain" health clubs. I wasn't crazy about the sales pitch aspect of p.t. (I'm no good at pressuring people to buy a package of 64 sessions). One day I was asked to sub in for a group weight-lifting class when the instructor was ill, and I fell in love with it instantly. I now strictly offer group training. I believe part of my talent as a group instructor comes from my person training background. I am a stickler for good instruction, proper form, and modifying when you need to. And by GOD, I'll work you hard! Most of us are stronger than we realize.

BJ: What sports did you participate in as a youth and are you still active in any organized sports today?
C: Funny, I hated sports as a youth- probably because I was absolutely no good at any of them! I played field hockey (HATED it), basketball (DESPISED IT), volleyball (THIS I enjoyed, but I was dreadful at it), and track (SHEER DRUDGERY). I am not involved in sports today- I've accepted that it's not my area of talent. I am also the world's worst bowler. I am often invited to bowl with friends, sheerly for the comic relief I unwittingly offer.

BJ: I can relate to that. Lately, in my bowling league I’ve been serving up plenty of comic relief for my opponents. But enough about that! The trend in this country over the past thirty years has been that we're eating more poorly and not getting enough exercise. Are things getting better or worse when it comes to this?
C: It seems to me that things are getting worse- as indicated by the ever-increasing rate of obesity in this country. It's hard to stay slim when so much in our culture supports inactivity and encourages lousy nutrition. It's a real challenge for people to make time to exercise, but it's an absolute must. Equally important is a healthy diet. You can work out for hours a day, but if you are over-eating or choosing sugary, fat-laden foods (I have been guilty of this in the not-too-distant past), you will not see the results for which you are working so hard. 80% of visible fat loss depends on diet. Sorry to say it!

BJ: What fitness goals have your accomplished in the past and do you have any you'd like to meet in the future?
C: Even with my training and knowledge of proper eating, I struggled for years with those last 10 lbs I wanted to lose. I could NOT beat the sugar demon! But I did it, two years ago. I started focusing (some would call it meditating) every day on exactly how I wanted my body to look. I still do it- I visualize myself already having the trim, muscular physique I wanted. Then I take the steps necessary to make it reality. I cut out sweets, I eat fruits and veggies throughout the day, and I exercise regularly. I lost about a pound a week and reached my goal in 10 weeks, for the first time in my life. It was thrilling and it made me realize how powerful of a tool visualization is. I think it's the missing link when it comes to creating, well, ANYTHING we want in our lives!

BJ: I've heard you have at least one other job outside of your classes at Boeing Fitness. Take me through a typical week of yours.
C: Yes, I work at Sand Point Grill on weekends- it's about two miles north of Husky Stadium- great food and a killer Happy Hour! Right now, between the restaurant and group exercise, I don't have a single day off. I teach two classes per week Monday thru Thursday- different formats. (Cycling, Weights, Kickboxing) Thursday I teach Boot Camp at Gold's, one hour. Friday I teach one class at Boeing and then manage the restaurant in the evening. Saturday I'm at the restaurant, Sunday I teach Kickboxing in the afternoon and work the restaurant at night. (SOMEBODY shake me up a martini and rub my feet!) Ultimately, I am looking to get out of the restaurant work, although I really do enjoy it. I am also focusing on creating some exercise DVDs and getting a website going. You can do my workouts in your own home!
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Catherine and a "Sculpting" Class: Which Way to the Beach?

BJ: Ah, the perfect remedy for those of us who don't get enough of you during regular workout hours. When it comes to eating, any guilty pleasures?
.C: Sugar, sugar, sugar, sugar, SUGAR. In any form. I do my best to steer clear of it.

I also partake in a martini three nights a week- and a darn big one. I relish every sip, and have no intention of ever giving up this indulgence. Another dietary downfall for me- DIET COKE. Pure chemicals, artificial sweetener, horrible stuff. And I LOVE it. I allow myself one can a day. I've tried going off of it- it's a full-blown addiction!

BJ: What's the strangest thing you've ever seen in a gym?
C: I'm glad you didn't ask about the gym locker room! Let's see....one woman would do headstands in between sets of leg presses. After seeing this for weeks, I finally asked her why. She heard that if you do headstands in between leg exercises, the fat from your thighs will be drawn by gravity away from your legs. Words failed me. Where does the fat go?? If it's gravity at work, I assume it ends up in our heads. This would look terrible, in my opinion. I told her to let me know how that worked out for her.

BJ: Any final comments?
C: In closing, I will say this- I LOVE my job teaching Group Exercise! I get to be creative in designing class formats and routines; I am thrilled to help others improve their health, and I enjoy the challenge of making my group exercise classes effective and FUN. And I truly believe they are just that! RIGHT, JOE??......

BJ: Right, Catherine. And to say otherwise would just be asking for ten extra minutes of excruciatingly painful abdominal exercises.