Anu Ruutu: from dance to coaching and back

Anu Ruutu’s story begins with sport, the stage and movement, rather than a straightforward career plan. This profile introduces a trainer who has tried basketball, circus, dance, aerobics and gym training, eventually finding her place in teaching others.

Anu Ruutu: active since childhood

I’ve been involved in various sports since childhood. My first serious commitment was basketball, which I started in second grade. After three years of playing, it became pretty clear: I wasn’t tall enough or aggressive enough. Honestly, it wasn’t the end of the world. Sometimes a sport simply shows you that your body and personality are better suited to something else.

Next came children’s circus. I joined classes with Estonian yogi Enn Loo, who spent the next four years tying us in knots and teaching us all sorts of other tricks you can do with very flexible children. That might sound funny from the outside, but it taught me a great deal about my body. Flexibility, balance, body awareness and patience don’t develop in a day.

To this day, I can still do the splits from any position, and I’ve retained plenty of yoga knowledge and exercises from that time. They’re more than just fun party tricks. As a trainer, body awareness is a very practical skill: before you can correct someone else’s movement, you need to understand what’s happening in your own body.

How did Anu Ruutu get into dance?

In seventh grade, I started dancing with “Mainori tantsutüdrukud”, a dance troupe that was very popular at the time. It was led by Ester Hellerma and Kadi Ruutu. This is where everyone notices that Kadi and I share a surname and raises an eyebrow. Yes, she’s my sister. I have four sisters in total.

Dance stayed with me, both as a skill and as a way of life. So I kept dancing, and I’ll probably love it for the rest of my life. I still dance whenever I get the chance. I’ve also spent decades performing on stage, both on ships and in the Viru cabaret. That kind of experience brings something to coaching that you can’t learn from a book alone: a sense of rhythm, the confidence to stand in front of people and the ability to command a room.

What actually happens when you’ve spent years on stage? You learn to notice things. Who moves freely, who holds their breath, who’s afraid of making a mistake, who needs a little encouragement. That’s very important in a group workout, because you’re doing more than teaching an exercise. You’re teaching people.

Anu Ruutu’s coaching career and education

After high school, I went to university. I studied business, economics and marketing at EBS, and throughout that time I always worked out and led workouts for others. Later, I earned qualifications as an aerobics instructor and gym instructor through the Fitness Academy of Finland to become a more professional trainer. We didn’t have the opportunities available today, but those courses were solid.

Educators such as Gert Koovit, Tarmo Tiits, Tiina-Mai Ott, Kaisa Marran and others deserve a deep bow of respect. A good educator gives you more than a list of exercises. They teach you to think about why a movement works, who it suits and when you need to take a different approach.

I’ve worked as a trainer alongside another job for a long time. At the moment, it’s my main job, because difficult economic circumstances sometimes reshape our everyday lives. After staying home with my second child, I no longer had a job to return to. Luckily, I had another profession to fall back on: training.

Now I’m what you might call a full-time aerobics instructor. I rarely make it to the gym, even though I really enjoy it. It’s a very human contradiction: you teach movement every day, but you still have to make a conscious effort to set aside time for your own training.

What can you learn from Anu Ruutu’s experience?

Here’s a simple truth: a qualification alone doesn’t make a good trainer. Qualifications matter, but experience is just as important. Anu’s story includes basketball, children’s circus, yoga, dance, the stage, aerobics, the gym and education. All these experiences give a trainer a broader perspective.

I’ve also taught a number of girls at the Semolen dance and fashion studio. They’ve since become accomplished dancers, models and university students. As a trainer, that’s one of the greatest joys: seeing someone grow, find their confidence and follow their own path.

So, in a nutshell, Anu is a dance fanatic who leads workouts and raises children and dogs. She’s currently broadening her horizons by studying for a master’s degree in art studies at university, and she’s happy that her path has crossed with such wonderful, knowledgeable people, who have always had something to teach her.

A background like this brings authenticity to coaching. Someone who has explored different activities is better able to understand people who are still trying to find their rhythm. Not everyone will become a dancer, a gym enthusiast or a performer. But everyone can find a way of moving that truly suits them.

FAQ: Anu Ruutu

What does Anu Ruutu do as a trainer?

Anu Ruutu has described herself as a full-time aerobics instructor. Her background also includes gym training, dance, yoga and stage performance.

How does dance influence her coaching?

Dance develops a sense of rhythm, posture, confidence in performing and the ability to read a group. These are very practical skills in group training.

What can a beginner take away from her story?

A sport doesn’t have to suit you forever. Sometimes giving up basketball leads you to circus, dance or coaching. What matters is to keep moving and learning.

Author: Fitness.ee

Source:Turg.Fitness.ee

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