MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW -- Available to active duty, retired military, their spouses and government workers, the low-impact aerobics class taught by health and fitness coordinator Tina Howard each Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. aboard base at the Semper Fitness Center is designed to benefit participants on a number of levels.
“My class is a mixture of low-impact aerobics, cardio kickboxing and strength training,” said the 40-year-old Barstow native who began instructing fitness classes aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow when she was 16.
“It is a one-hour class for all age groups because I teach at various fitness levels from beginner to advanced and everywhere in between,” she added.
Howard said that besides the physical benefits her class offers, such as weight loss, strength, flexibility and overall wellness, there are mental and emotional advantages as well.
“Some of the psychological advantages the low impact class provides are socialization, self-confidence, and most of all, fun,” she remarked. “My students walk out after class all the time telling me that their day started off bad, but they had a good time working out and that it was a great way to end their day.”
Because of Howard’s lively personality, experience and concern for her customers the popularity of the weekly low-impact workouts has gained and maintained a loyal following amongst members of the base community.
“I have been taking Tina’s class since she arrived here in 2009 and I love it,” said Rosa Brown, an accountant technician with the finance branch of Marine Corps Community Services. “She’s funny, she knows what she’s doing and she keeps you interested in the workout.”
“Her class is definitely worth waiting for each week and as a woman, I really feel comfortable recommending it to others,” added the Cali, Columbia, native, “because you sweat a lot and really feel the workout throughout your body.”
The bond of respect that Howard shares with her students makes her classes more than just an impersonal workout session and more like a weekly reunion, keeping them coming back for more.
“The majority of my students are repeat customers,” she said. “I try to make it a fun and interactive experience and reach out on a personal level to each of them. For me it’s very rewarding and for them it’s just what the doctor ordered.”
“I had never taken aerobics classes before I met Tina,” said Semper Fit recreation attendant Erika Gomez. “But she’s very motivational and helps you a lot. She’s really great.”
“Anytime I’m willing to get off of work, drive all the way home and then come back to the base and participate in her class, you know she must be great a what she does,” added the native of Guanica, Puerto Rico.
Ultimately, the two hours each week Howard is able to spend with her eager pupils leads them closer to the predetermined goal she has set for them.
“I want all of my students to walk away with a better awareness of what their minds and bodies can achieve,” she said. “I want to build their confidence and give them a better quality of life than when they began.”