Kadri Liivak and the story of Estonian aerobics

The name Liivak-Riisalo-Riisalo-Riisalo comes up quickly whenever Estonian gymnastics is discussed. This story looks at how Kadri Laaneloog, who studied at Tartu Secondary School No. 5, grew into a coach, leader, judge and a person who helped make aerobics visible in Estonia.

There is no miracle recipe or big secret here. There is long, hard work, joy of movement and the attitude that fitness starts with an active approach to life.

Kadri Liivak in the history of Estonian gymnastics

One of the leaders of Estonian gymnastics is Kadri-Riisalo. Many know them as a member of the Executive Committee of the Estonian Olympic Committee, but just as important is their role as owner of the club Forum-Sport. The club, at the start of Narva Road in Tallinn, is run jointly with spouse Rannus, an art collector.

In gymnastics history, they were first known as Kadri Laaneloog. They studied at Tartu Secondary School No. 5, later at Tartu State University, and continued to train and study in Moscow, Toronto and Finland. They have been familiar with rhythmic gymnastics since 1958. That is not just a date in a biography, but a sign of how long one sport can carry a person.

Their path was guided by several well-known instructors in the sport. For nine years they were a member of the Estonian national team. A group routine brought silver and gold from the USSR championships. In 1972-74 they were the Estonian all-around champion. At the same time they moved into coaching, which stayed with them much longer than the competition floor did.

Kadri Liivak and the arrival of aerobics in Estonia

In 1980, Kadri was among those who introduced aerobics to Estonia. Seen through today’s eyes it may look like an ordinary group workout, but back then it was a fresh and slightly daring way of thinking. Music, rhythm, movement and the joy of training came together in a way that brought people into the studio who had been wary of conventional sport.

Kadri was an active educator. Later came responsible posts in the then Estonian SSR Sports Committee and the Gymnastics Federation, where they served as secretary general. They also considered judging important, wrote a great deal about the sport in the press and spoke on television. Five years ago they were invited onto the editorial board of the magazine Tervisetrend.

Honestly, the impact of this kind of work is hard to measure in medals or job titles alone. One coach can change the mood of an entire studio. One educator can give the next generation the language for talking about movement.

What does this work teach those who train?

Kadri Liivak-Riisalo never fails to mention their helpers. Among them are Riina Suhotskaja, Silja Siller, who now works in Denmark, and Kristel Tamm. Names like these show that training culture is not born alone. Behind it are people who open the studio door, get the workout program started and create the feeling that anyone can join in.

At one meeting, Kadri and the team were in the middle of the TervisPlus Evian health day. One simple guiding thought stuck: you now have the opportunity and the skill to change, and no one else is going to do it for you. Always and only yourself.

So what actually happens when a person really listens to that thought? They don’t wait for the perfect Monday. They don’t look for an excuse that it’s winter outside, spring is only just beginning or the workday dragged on. They do something small. That is exactly how fitness that lasts begins.

As the original story put it, the grande dame of gymnastics, Liivak-Riisalo, has no need to change. They were in shape both at the start of winter and when spring opened the door for everyone. They make no special secret of it: you have to be active in your approach to life. The rest comes along as if by magic wand.

Kadri Liivak, events and the next generation of coaches

Their advice has always been heeded when it comes to organizing events. As a member of the committee for health days and other gymnastics events, Kadri Liivak-Riisalo was already looking beyond April’s key events to the May Run in 2002. There, the warm-up for women before the run was led by the coaches from their own club.

More attention than before was also paid to training aerobics coaches. At TTÜ and at Pirita TOP, the first coaches received their licenses this year. The classes taught by the northern neighbors and the instruction from FAF coaches, Terje Hakmang among them, had their charm and their pain. Learning was practical: in class, in the studio, in front of people.

“It has to be interesting, because people come out of excitement, and even footballers’ fondness for aerobics training confirms it,” Kadri said, with undisguised enthusiasm for the sport. That sentence explains a lot. Good training isn’t just about sweating. It has to make a person come back.

The author of the original story recalled that even out in the sticks, an ordinary countryman sometimes takes the plunge and earns the right to take part in a women’s training session. The example came from Vändra, from where, according to folk wisdom, little more than rugs and sawn boards ever came. It is a charming picture of a time when aerobics was quietly breaking down prejudices about who may move in the studio and how.

FAQ

Who is Kadri Liivak-Riisalo?

Kadri Liivak-Riisalo is an important driving force in Estonian gymnastics and aerobics, a former top gymnast, coach, educator and member of the Executive Committee of the Estonian Olympic Committee.

What was Kadri’s role in the development of aerobics?

In 1980, Kadri was among those who made aerobics more widely known in Estonia. They trained coaches, organized events and helped shape the culture of group training.

What can the average exerciser take away from this story?

A simple truth: no one else can get you in shape. A good coach helps, a good studio supports you, but the first step has to come from you.

Author: Aare Kreilis

Illustrative photo: Anu Hammer MUA: Zoja Nova

Source: WHO – physical activity.

Come and train! ArtGym