Behind one of the REC’s fitness instructors

Cindy Burnside is a Body Pump fitness instructor in the Cal Poly Recreation Center. When she was in college, she says she didn’t get much experience with strength training. 

“I mean it had nothing to do with fitness at that time, and I had no idea what a bicep was, it’s sad,” Burnside said.  

Once she started learning how to strength train, she fell in love with exercising. 

“I love music, and I love exercise,” Burnside said. “You have to love exercise, trust me, to be in this job.”

Burnside says that she strives to keep students motivated to get stronger. 

“I try to look at people, and I try to think, cause I have been in your place, I’ve been there, for years, I was taking classes,” Burnside said. “So I want you to feel like you are valued, I want everyone to just feel like okay, she saw me, whenever I say your name or not, but at least you know that I saw you.” 

Communication studies sophomore Camille Tucker recently discovered Body Pump and says she is motivated to keep going. 

“It’s my second time coming and I love it, I think I am going to come back every week,” Tucker said. “The instructor is super nice, and it is such a great community of people.”

Marine science sophomore Lilli Chau has been an avid and driven attendee since the spring quarter of her freshman year. She says she attends many of Burnside’s classes. 

“I feel like it is a good way to get weight training in and it is fun, to do it with your friends, and it is fun music, and you don’t have to go to machines to do stuff,” Chau said. “So it is definitely very beginner-friendly, but if you are advanced, it is very useful too.”

Along with Body Pump, Burnside also teaches Breakaway Spin, HIIT and Aqua Fitness classes at the REC. 

Burnside says she can’t decide which class is her favorite to teach. 

“I wish I could say, I can’t say, I love them all in different ways,” Burnside said. 

To learn more about the Cal Poly Recreation fitness classes offered to students, visit asi.calpoly.edu.