Sandra Raju: the story of an aerobics queen

Sandra won the aerobics queen title in 2010 and still does what she truly loves — teaching people to move. This is the story of how one girl from Võrumaa became an instructor, and what she recommends to anyone just starting out.

Sandra Raju‘s journey to becoming an aerobics queen

Her first attempt ended outside the top three. Sandra admits that her attitude back then was more “come on, let’s give it a go and see what it’s all about” — she was nervous, confused and unsure what to wear or how to prepare. When she returned for her second attempt in 2010, aged 23, she was much calmer.

“I treated it as a tough workout where everyone is watching you, as though you’re in a fish tank,” she recalls. Four rounds, intense physical exertion — but this time she enjoyed the competition. The result: the queen’s title and plenty of new connections in Estonia’s aerobics community.

The title gave her the confidence to do what she wanted to do, rather than what she felt she had to do. Working as an instructor became her main job.

Teaching fitness and working with students

Sandra teaches aerobics at Tallinn University of Technology’s Sports Club — students can even earn academic credits for attending. BodyAeroobika, Toning and Dance&Body are her favorite classes. Alongside Elli Valla and Laura Karindi, she also co-coaches the TTÜ dance team: 2 groups with around 50 girls in total from Tallinn’s higher education institutions and secondary schools.

She also teaches 2 groups of young dancers at MyFitness. One of the instructors at TTÜ is her sister Sigrid — being an instructor quite literally runs in the family.

Children are harder to teach than adults, she says. Adults are happy once they’ve had a good workout; children seem more interested in draining the life out of their instructor. Yet these are the very classes that give her more strength by the end of the day.

Her education took her from Rõuge Basic School to Võru Kreutzwald Gymnasium, then to England for one year on a British Council scholarship, and finally to a degree in recreation management at Tallinn University’s Institute of Health Sciences and Sport. She is now studying for a master’s degree in physical education at the same institute.

What makes a good instructor, according to Sandra Raju

Sandra doesn’t believe you’re born an instructor. “You develop into one,” she says. You need the right qualities to begin with, but you can spot a true instructor a mile away — and before taking on that role, you have a long journey ahead of you as a participant.

Her test is simple: if an instructor enjoys training others and doesn’t find it a chore, they’re a good instructor. Sandra doesn’t believe in perfection — she believes in development.

She attends Eva Ottas’s dance class once a week herself. After spending so long solely in the instructor’s role, she wanted someone to boss her around for a change. “Eva is very good at bossing people around,” Sandra laughs. In winter, her other passion awaits — snowboarding.

Sandra Raju’s advice for anyone starting to exercise

Sandra’s formula is simple: get going, set yourself a goal and do it. No lengthy preparation or waiting for the perfect moment to start.

She doesn’t take supplements herself — she eats a varied diet and believes her everyday meals provide everything she needs. The exception is sports drinks after a workout, which help her recover faster for her next workout.

Her concerns about recreational exercise in Estonia start at school. When a PE teacher makes you do 40 abdominal exercises by threatening that you’ll never be strong enough to give birth otherwise (yes, she’s speaking from experience), children are more likely to sneak around the corner for a smoke. You need to inspire a love of movement, not force it on children — just as you need to make beetroot and cabbage appealing when you serve them.

Frequently asked questions

When did Sandra Raju win the aerobics queen title?

In 2010, on her second attempt. She finished outside the top three the first time she entered.

Where does Sandra Raju work as an instructor?

At Tallinn University of Technology’s Sports Club (aerobics, BodyAeroobika, Toning, Dance&Body), as a co-coach of the TTÜ dance team and as a children’s instructor at MyFitness.