Gina Bergmann: a trainer who keeps moving forward

Gina Bergmann talks about being a trainer with the sense of ownership that comes from finding your calling. For her, it is about more than a class schedule and a microphone: it is a responsibility to the people who come to her classes hoping to leave healthier and happier.

An old Fitness.ee interview has been given a fresh format, but Gina’s thoughts remain: staying active, family, learning and a simple belief that the right work can put a sparkle in your eyes.

Gina Bergmann and her beginnings as a trainer

You could train with Gina Bergmann at three sports clubs in Tallinn: Arctic Sport Club, Sparta and Meriton. Her schedule included the Les Mills programs Body Pump, Body Combat and BodyBalance. She also enjoyed freestyle classes such as coreboard and bodytoning, which combined choreographed steps, muscle work and different types of equipment.

Her path to becoming a trainer began as a participant. She was already familiar with the gym and group training before they became her job. Sport had been close to her heart all her life, but she began training more seriously 10 years ago, after the birth of her daughter.

She graduated from Tallinn University of Technology with a degree in international economics and business administration and has also worked at a desk in front of a computer. For a time, she lived in America. While working at a gym there, she became increasingly certain that a conventional office job was not the path for her. She needed more movement, more variety and more personal interaction in her day.

On returning to Estonia, she faced a choice: continue along the same path or take on a new challenge. Gina says plainly that if she were not teaching classes herself, she would probably be spending that time in a class led by someone else. That says a lot.

Why Gina Bergmann loves her work

Her original idea was to teach classes as a hobby. That grew into a deep love for the job. For her, being a trainer means more than turning up and demonstrating exercises. When you take on a class, you also take responsibility for the people exercising under your guidance.

It is a simple truth: a good trainer does not come to a class to get their own workout. They help people feel more at ease with themselves. Some need encouragement, some need help with technique, and some simply need to feel that they are not alone in the room.

Gina believes that everything can be learned. To achieve something, you have to know what you want and be willing to pursue it. People sometimes dismiss a trainer’s job by saying, “What kind of work is that? All you do is exercise.” In reality, plenty of homework goes into it: developing your skills, preparing new workouts, taking courses and continually learning.

Her own journey began with Les Mills instructor training. This was followed by a course at the Estonian Gymnastics Federation and, later, numerous courses and workshops in Estonia and abroad. For the fourth year running, she would end her working day thanking herself for choosing to become a trainer.

Gina Bergmann outside the studio

Ask about her free time and she answers with a wry smile: coming from a workout, heading to a workout. Gina enjoys attending other trainers’ classes because it helps her develop and keeps her fresh. At the same time, she understands that she sometimes needs to step out of her professional role.

Her family and friends support her success in the studio. Her free time belongs to them. That might mean heading to Saaremaa, switching off her phone, sitting in the sauna and reading a book. She named Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner”, a story of friendship, love and betrayal, as a recent favorite.

At the time of the interview, she was not taking any dietary supplements. She had used them before, but at one point her body developed an aversion to them. Her approach to nutrition was to listen to her body: eat what it asks for. Fortunately, she said, her body asked for healthy nutrients.

She did use energy bars. She always kept some in the car because her busy schedule sometimes meant going from one workout to another and needing an energy boost in between. She did not follow meal plans strictly. Her main concern was making sure her weight did not drop too low.

Gina Bergmann’s advice for beginners

Gina is hopeful about Estonians’ interest in exercising for their health. There is always room for improvement, but when she took part in mass-participation running events, she saw the numbers growing year after year. Sport does not have to mean an expensive sports club membership. You can also run, cycle or ski in the fresh air.

She has a very practical thought for anyone starting to exercise for their health: the hardest step is getting from the sofa to the door. From there, a trainer can help. Healthy living is a way of life, not a one-off project. As her grandmother said about marriage: “The first couple of years (or decades) are hard; after that, it is plain sailing.”

Gina names her love of order and her desire to control everything around her as her worst habit. She admits that it sometimes drives her family mad. She also needs to learn to rest more. Her observation is striking: you are never actually tired; you just need to get enough rest.

Her motto in life sums it all up well: live one day at a time, but prepare for the day ahead as though it were your last. Do not wish life were easier; wish you were better.

FAQ: Gina Bergmann

Which classes did Gina Bergmann teach?

She taught the Les Mills classes Body Pump, Body Combat and BodyBalance, as well as freestyle classes such as coreboard and bodytoning.

How did Gina Bergmann become a trainer?

She started by working out at the gym and attending group training classes. After working at a gym in America, it became clear that staying active and working with people suited her better than an office job.

What does being in ideal shape mean to her?

For Gina, her grandmother embodies what it means to be in ideal shape. Being in ideal shape does not mean having a model’s measurements; it means loving yourself, being positive and enjoying life.

Author:Turg.Fitness.ee

Source: WHO – physical activity.

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