Cambridge Yoga and Fitness

Liz Smith, Dip.RSA

Freelance Yoga and Exercise Instructor and YMCA Marketing, Communications and Curriculum Developer

In 1994, I took the basic qualification of RSA/YMCA Exercise to Music Instructor. I began with just four group aerobic and toning classes a week, working for the local county authority. Over subsequent years, I continued to develop my skills in advanced instruction, personal training, teacher training and assessment for the Cambridge YMCA, Yoga instruction and most recently, Yoga therapy.

Now, as a freelance instructor, I currently teach around 16 classes a week in Viniyoga, Hi/Lo Aerobics, Dance Aerobics, Body Conditioning and Studio Resistance Training. I teach mainly in local gyms and fitness clubs.

An exciting new venture in 2009, was 1-2-1 Yoga lessons for therapy and fitness. Please see the 1-2-1 page for more details about a personalised practice for you.

I am course designer, tutor, assessor and internal verifier for the YMCA in Cambridge. My job involves delivering Level 2 and advanced Level 3 qualifications in gym, studio instruction and personal training, as well as developing new CPD courses such as ‘Y Kick-bo' and ‘Y Studio Weights'.

I am the YMCA Cambridge & Peterborough website developer and designer. I was responsible for developing the YMCA online course programme, new in 2007, and continue with this work as online administrator and tutor.

Qualifications

2008 Advanced Studio Instructor, CYQ Syllabus Support
2008 Internal Verifier, OCR Level 4
2008 Pump-fx, Fitness-fx
2008 Groove-fx, Fitness-fx
2007-2009  Viniyoga Practitioner and Yoga Therapist, cYs
2006 Viniyoga Foundation Course, cYs
2005 Viniyoga Introductory Course, cYs
2004 Boxercise Instructor, Boxercise 
2003 Professional Trainer Certificate, CIEH 
2003 Pathway to Yoga, Body Mind Studio 
2003 Core Conditioning, Body Mind Studio
2003 Assessor D33, City and Guilds  
2003 Assessor D32, City and Guilds
2002 Power Chi Yoga Presenter, Redmays Training
2001 Power Chi Yoga Instructor, Redmays Training 
2000 Studio Co-ordination, FitPro 
2000 Personal Training: Client Retention and Motivation, FitPro 
2000 Personal Training: Building a Business, FitPro 
2000 Khai-bo Instructor, KO International  
2000 Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation, FitPro 
2000 Exercise Prescription for Fitness and Fat Loss, FitPro 
2000 Business Development and Taxation, FitPro 
1999 Presenter Course, Athletes in Action
1999 Nutrition and Weight Management, FitPro
1999 Muscles, Movement and More (Kinesiology), FitPro
1999 Fitness Assessment, FitPro
1998 Fitness (Gym) Instructor Certificate, Impact Direct 
1998 Body Max Instructor, Pure Energy
1998 Advanced Resistance Training, FitPro
1998 Advanced Hi/Lo Teaching Skills, FitPro 
1996 Exercise for Older People, YMCA
1994 Exercise to Music, YMCA, RSA

With thanks to all my teachers and, in particular, very special thanks to my very first CYQ Exercise to Music tutor, Jean-Ann Marnoch, formerly Executive Director of CYQ and now Registrar of REPs; Paul Harvey, my most inspirational and respected Yoga tutor; and my personal Yoga teachers Anne See Yeoh, MMedSci, BA(Hons) and Joan Andrews, cYs Yoga Teaching and Yoga Therapist Practitioner.

Membership

Register of Exercise Professionals, Advanced Instructor Level 3
British Wheel of Yoga
Fitness Professionals (FitPro)
YMCAfit Graduate Association