Denise Howard

I am originally a farm girl from Missouri. I earned a B.A. in art and a B.S. in Math/Computer Science from Truman State University in 1982, and an M.S. in computer science from Ohio State University in 1991. I began leading group fitness classes in 1987 as a way to get my favorite mode of exercise for free, and because I needed the extra money. I soon discovered that the satisfaction of helping folks reach their fitness goals was much more rewarding than money, and that is what has kept me doing it for so many years. My "day job" has always been software engineer, so my "hobby job" is a perfect antidote to that. And since much of my fitness career has been in corporate fitness centers, I can relate well to the physical issues my fellow desk workers bring into the studio; I make an effort to incorporate exercises and stretches to counteract the effects of sitting at a desk all day, and help them forget about the office for a little while. My primary hobby for the past several years has been motorcycle racing. At first glance this may seem to have nothing to do with my work as a group fitness instructor, but it has made me keenly aware of the fitness issues folks encounter when they need to train for a specific sport.