Sensational, charismatic, amazing – say those who watch her on stage for the first time. Instructors exercising with her add that she is distinguished by the ability to teach even the most difficult elements, her quick teaching process and clean technique. Contact with her, during her lessons in the club or at conventions, is for many simply magical. She says that during each lesson she gives the most of herself and gets even more – that is the key to her success. When in 1996, after a dozen years or so, spent in France you came to Poland again, you organized the first fitness convention in Poland. After that came next. But you were still running lessons as an instructor in fitness clubs in France and Switzerland. Later, you started series of trainings for APF instructors. Then many Polish instructors came to your club in France. Recently you have brought into effect your own fitness training conception called Magic Bar. You are the founder of Polish fitness progress programme which was initiated by Nike Company. In one word, you have been absorbed in work lately. Is this why you came to Poland from abroad where you had gained a success?

When I was there I knew that I had reached high level, even though it was difficult for me as I came from the country where fitness wasn’t well-known. It wasn’t our country where the latest trends came from. I couldn’t base on what in natural way distinguishes Americans, who were coming to Europe and becoming stars, since fitness started in the United States. Finally, my trump was not that I came to France from Warsaw, but that I had learnt fitness in the West.

You have brought modern fitness to Poland. At your conventions you and presenters invited by you teach modern forms of aerobics consistent with the world’s trends.

I wanted Polish fitness to develop according to the best models. I’m surrounded by many talented people who are devoted to fitness and worthy to be shown that way. Before I came here, I heard from people who are knowledgeable about fitness that I’m one of the best. It gave me the confidence that I would be necessary in Poland. Professionals don’t extol themselves if they aren’t sure that they are doing something good. I knew my level as the instructor. In this discipline, just like in ballet, you cannot teach unless you reach a certain grade. What matters is the experience. My students not always accept my arguments at once. Sometimes it comes after several months of joint work. What supplements it is the personality and the ability to motivate. It’s not enough to pass the knowledge, you need to do it in a way which will make people believe in you and be just like you or even better. From the early beginning I knew that if I started to teach, it would be connected with passing all of my knowledge without keeping anything for me. My students have been convinced about it, and I think that is why they value me.

You realize your own training system for instructors and future presenters called Aerobic Personal Training. The effects of your trainings we could see during October APF Instructors’ Convention – first such a convention where the presenters are only your students – young people with great technical and teaching skills and large creativity. What are the rules and goals of the APF trainings?

Firstly, I will explain the meaning of the abbreviations: APT means Aerobic Personal Training, that is the name of my training, and APF means Art Passion Fitness – this is the name of association established by me in France to popularize fitness. There I co-operate with the best instructors in the world, who are present during APF exams, take part as presenters in the conventions held by me and show the best fitness to Polish presenters. APF instructor is a title obtained after several stages of training and passing the exam during which the instructors must show their high skills during the classes. APF instructors, there are 14 of them at present, have the skills on European level concerning the technique and teaching process.

Your APF instructors say that you give people a chance. It’s probably the most precious opinion that a teacher can hear from their students, especially, that you often admit that you are a ‘difficult person’.

Difficult – yes, as I am uncompromising, impulsive, demanding, but simultaneously authentic. And as for giving others a chance, I do it because I wasn’t given a chance by anybody, I had to fight so as to work out my own present level, and later when I was conscious of my achievements, I patiently fought my way through aversion and jealousy. Moreover, I think that fitness and I are not a marriage which should last for the whole life. There is fitness, there I am and a lot of other people, too. I want to see them on my conventions and trainings so as to make fitness better and better. I believe in those people. One day I will finish my career. So I want to know that there are people who think similarly to me, and who will continue this. Therefore I am giving them a chance, I want them to arise at my side, when I can teach and correct them. I have never been afraid that someone I am teaching will be better that me. Training someone better has always been my dream and aim. Only then teaching becomes a fulfillment and a fascinating adventure.

From others you expect full involvement, passion and devotion to what they are doing. Sometimes it’s difficult.

That is why my trainings, like APF or Magic Bar, are not mass. The first question I ask a person is: Do you know me?

So you base your co-operation on close, almost personal contact.

I want the instructor who comes to my training to be conscious of what they can expect. I have an emotional relation with the people and with what I am doing. I treat all my students individually. Only then they will make a quick progress. The trainings take place in small groups, thanks to that I can get to know them all. I know what their weaknesses and strengths are, and in which aspects they can be excellent if they work on. At the same time I teach them that they should be themselves even if they have their idol; the most important things are to know yourself and to develop in the way which is consistent with your natural conditioning, only then you have the chance to achieve a lot. It’s connected with the truth of human body. The body doesn’t lie. In this occupation we also work with our body. If my student goes in the direction in which they aren’t ingrained, it means that somewhere they don’t tell the truth. Therefore it is better to develop according to personal predispositions.

At present we deal with a variety of fitness forms: one instructor is better at dancing forms and the other one in static and weight trainings.

It’s not about the forms but about the instructor’s style. The instructor should do everything. It happens that one person is more skilled at dancing than someone else, but they both should be technically perfect, always prepared to classes, and very good teachers. The other one can do much more simple choreographies and attract people with it. There is no point in losing ourselves in style which isn’t ours. Each of those instructors has their own place in fitness. Both running lessons in a club and appearing as a presenter on stage. We cannot forget that being an instructor in a club has nothing to do with the stage. But work in a club is similarly ennobling, and I don’t know if even not more important.

It’s nothing unusual for each instructor.

Of course, those on stage wouldn’t be necessary if there was no everyday work.

On the other hand, from time to time each instructor who works in a club needs to meet at convention someone better than they are from whom they will learn something new.

Also to be able to dream about being similar. The role of a presenter should be the highest level in the instructor’s career. It’s not a sin not to reach a goal, but not to pursue it. It’s worth quoting what Billy Goodson said to participants of a training which I also took part in– the same man who brought funk nto fitness and is considered an unquestioned personality in the dance and fitness world – namely, that “ every instructor can be regarded as wonderful by participants of their classes, but it only cofirms that they know less than the instructor does”.

What conclusion can be drawn?

The more you know, the more people trust you as a coach, the more they need you as an example to follow, and will also seek in you the answers to bothering them questions. People coming to clubs want to model them on their instructors. This is where the instructor’s responsibility comes from. It is worth spending some time studying and absorbing indispensable knowledge from anatomy and physiology. You should know as much so that people attending your classes can get answers to all their questions. As far as I am concerned, the physiology of effort fascinates me most.

You have started popularizing modern fitness from organizing conventions. Till now there have been a dozen or so. You run parallel trainings for instructors. In your opinion, what part do conventions play in training?

We organize many conventions with participation of many international fitness stars and Polish presenters. Things have come to such an extent that the dates of some events overlap. There will be more and more conventions’ and trainings’ organizers. And what do the instructors have to tell about it? Unfortunately, they take too little advantage of the opportunities given to them. You ought to realize that to achieve effects in this occupation the consequence and continuous supplementing the knowledge is essential. In Polish fitness there have appeared many novelties. That’s fantastic! There is nothing better than evolution. But you cannot, for example come to one training from funky, aerobiking, aqua aerobics or aeroboxing and to content yourself with that. Convention is, on one hand, a possiblity to aquire novelties, and on the other hand, an educational session. So, they are only one stage of education. If you learn a new form of fitness during the convention, you cannot start teaching it as fast as you come back to the club. It’s dishonest and dangerous. A certificate granted after three-hour training is not an evidence of skills, but a certificate of participation in that training. fitness instructor has a duty to study continuously and compare their knowledge on numerous trainings.

So what is your advice to the instructors?

Most important are solid basics. Stay with the classic of fitness (hi/lo, step, body sculpt) as long as you don’t feel strong and sure enough to do it well. Only then you can move on to innovative and specific forms. Make sure on what level you are by comparing your skills with the skills of others at conventions and enrolments. Go to the classes of other instructors, you can learn a lot from better than you, and the weaker ones as well; draw conclusions from classes which you consider as badly-run (maybe you make similar mistakes). Confess that there is something you don’t understand.

The Nike Company turned to you and Hanna Fidusiewicz with the proposal of preparing a training program for Polish instructors. What goal will this training have?

This proposal really pleased me. Not only does the Nike hold a good reputation in sport, but also in international fitness. With its support we will be able to push Polish fitness forward, and additionally, offer our instructors new opportunities. The Nike Fitness Poland is a great chance for them, also to arise abroad. The first enrolment has already taken place. Fourteen instructors will go through training under our guidance. In future they will train others. We both, me and Hania, want The Polish Nike Fitness to be the best in Europe. We have the first signal that we have started well.

Where does the eagerness to undertake new challenges come from? You take many duties on yourself....

I know that I work too much. I have been driving my car without number plates for over a month; thanks to it my friends identify my car. I don’t have time.... and I don’t stuff my head with dealing with so prosaic problems. What motivates me is a quotation from “Alchemist” by Paolo Coelho: “The universe favors those who follow the trail of their own legend”. This “legend” must be made up by each of us individually. If you are sure that it’s right, and the circumstances and people support it, there will be no obstacles to achieve your dreamed goal. I’m the best example of it, as there is probably no other person with so short-lived enthusiasm like mine. Before I took up fitness, I used to get down to things, and quit them immediately. Fitness appeared to be something for me, and I have stayed with my choice ... for more than 10 years. Sometimes I feel like Sleeping Beauty who wakes up out of her dream the moment she starts running fitness classes.

Thank you for the interview, and I invite all the instructors to your classes in Warsaw clubs: Gymnasion, Saturn and Torwar Fitness Centre.

Agnieszka Mickiewicz, Body Life 1/2001