Sweat pours from her forehead as the back of one hand reaches up and quickly wipes it away. She sets up again ready to start the next squat track. With the class facing her, she gives an encouraging smile to all the sweaty, red faces and leads her class towards a healthier lifestyle.

                Anatomy and physiology teacher Melissa Howle has been teaching group exercise classes for four years. She currently teaches body combat, body pump and “cxworx” at the Amarillo South YMCA. While body combat consists of mixed martial arts, body pump is strength straining in general and cxworx works core strengthening and conditioning. Howle teaches every day except Saturdays and Tuesdays and welcomes students to come exercise.

                “[My favorite] is body combat,” Howle said. “It is physically and mentally challenging.”

                Howle said in order to become a class teacher she had to attend a three day intensive training including rigorous video appraisal based on knowledge, ability, terminology and fitness level specific to each program.

                “[The hardest part] is the initial program training,” Howle said. “[My favorite part] is launching a new release including new music, new moves and new combinations.”

                Howle said she plans to teach group exercise classes as long as she can and anyone is welcome to join. There are many benefits that can be taken from a group exercise, Howle said, including a great workout, having fun, and sweating a ton.

                “[Anyone thinking about attending should] come as soon as possible, but plan to attend a particular program at least three times,” Howle said. “ The first time to say you did it, the second to figure out what to do, and the third to determine if it’s for you.”