At Northern Fitness we believe that to be an excellent educationalist you need to not only have the right educational qualifications but also have the hands on experience of working within the fitness industry. Our Tutors and Assessors come with a wealth of knowledge and experience and their backgrounds range from being senior lecturers in universities and colleges to working in health and fitness clubs as instructors or personal trainers. We believe that this gives us the edge within the industry and taking a training course with us, not only gives you the theoretical knowledge but above all, gives you the practical skills to be able to work with confidence and be successful in your career.

Christine North-Minchella BSc Cert Ed. YMCA PTA

My career in fitness started with my love of sport and dance and led to undertaking a degree in Physical Activity Exercise and Health. I worked for the YMCA Training & Development for over 15 years as a Senior Development Officer, tutor and assessor and also worked for the RSA (now OCR) as an External Verifier. In my 'early' teaching years I presented for Fitness Professionals, Exercise England and Leisure Plan Holidays. My passion for the fitness industry and education led me to set up Northern Fitness and Education with the sole aim of providing quality training courses in the North of England.

Although I primarily run the business these days I still believe in being proactive and lecture on some of the specialist personal trainer modules as well as practically teaching and undertaking personal training. In 2006 I was awarded the Exceptional Achievement Award for my contribution to the health and fitness industry – a very proud moment. I am also a Pure Energy Select Presenter and write for magazines such as Fitness Professionals.

I have a great team of tutors and administration staff that have helped me to establish the name of Northern Fitness & Education as one of the leading providers of fitness courses. A short resume of some of these team members follows.

Cherry Baker, YMCA & Stott Pilates Trained

Cherry has been teaching for over 20 years, for 14 of those years she has been involved in delivering teaching qualifications. She is now a specialist tutor in both pre and postnatal, core stability, Pilates and stability ball training. Cherry is one of the countries most sought after and respected presenters and travels the UK with both her educational tours and Modern Pilates training programmes.

Cherry is an extremely popular educationalist has been the proud recipient of Instructor of the Year Award , YMCA Training & Development Tutor of the Year Award and has been nominated for Fitness Professionals Leader of the Year Award in 1999 and 2001. She is also a Pure Energy Select presenter and also delivers Aim modules for Fitness Professionals. Being involved with Northern Fitness has enabled her to pursue her passion for Pilates and develop the Modern Pilates Training programme into a successful educational programme for fitness teachers and sports therapists. She also has her own Pilates studio in Glossop which she runs jointly with her husband John.

Graeme Baxter Cert Ed YMCA Diploma

Graeme joined the army in 1986 and served in the Royal Engineers for 13 years. He travelled around a lot and was lucky to travel the world as well as the UK.  Participating in fitness and sporting activities was his main passion throughout his military career. He represented the army at football and triathlon so it was no surprise that he pursued a career in the fitness industry when he left the army in 1998. During his final year in the army he completed most of the YMCA Diploma in Exercise and Fitness at London Central YMCA and then completed the remainder of his training with Northern Fitness & Education.

In 1999 his passion for teaching led him to me becoming a trainee assessor and tutor with Northern Fitness & Education and during his training he also studied for a Certificate in Education and D32/33. Graeme says, "I believe my natural ability to communicate along with my fitness and military background have given me the skills to share my knowledge with students and to help them to become confident in their chosen career."

Karen Burton BA Hons, PGCE Physical Education, MSc Sport and Exercise Science

With 16 years experience in the industry, Karen combines teaching classes and working as a personal trainer with looking after three children. As a personal trainer, she has a particular interest in weight management and resistance training. She has also completed her Modern Pilates Stage 1 Matwork Qualification. For Northern Fitness, Karen lectures on the ante and post-natal course and assesses on a variety of fitness instructor courses. She also holds YMCA Qualifications in Exercise to Music, Circuit Training, Seniors, Ante-Post Natal, FitKid, Nutrition & Weight Management, Gym and D32/33 Assessors Award. In 2006 her interest in nutrition and weight management led her to undertake and successfully complete a module on Human Nutrition with the Open University.

Tim Graefe YMCA & RSA

Tim has been teaching a wide variety of exercise classes for nearly 20 years and teaching the teachers for about 15 years. Although his work is quite varied it all revolves around the same goal, and that is exercise both teaching and taking part. He is a personal trainer and group exerciser and firmly believes that exercise is the main factor in leading a healthy enjoyable life. Tim has undertaken all the Central YMCA Qualifications courses and modules and also City & Guilds 7307 and D32/33. He believes, this coupled with his extensive practical experience in the fitness industry enables him to pass on first hand  skills and knowledge to students and give then a sound foundation to enter the fitness industry. He also worked as a Tutor for Life Fitness and Polar Training as well as working part time as a Studio Co-ordinator at a private Health Club in Leeds.

Jenny Heron BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy PGCE (FE)

Jenny's interest in exercise started with gymnastics and trampolining from the age of six. Although she never quite made Olympic champion (!), she loved it and went on into coaching. She qualified as a physiotherapist and specialises in sports injuries. Her interest in teaching led her to take the Exercise to Music course and Modern Pilates course. Jenny enjoys analysing movement and finds Pilates ideally complements her work as a physiotherapist. She is pleased to be able to share her skills by tutoring on the Modern Pilates and Northern Fitness courses and plans to increase this side of her work.  She is currently undertaking a Certificate in Further Education. Jenny also runs a physiotherapy practice in Leeds and teaches Modern Pilates classes including those for specialist groups such as pre and post natal and the older adult.

Jay Kostyszyn BSc Cert Ed YMCA PTA

Jay's interest in fitness began whilst serving in the Armed Forces Royal Engineers, where he spent a lot of time in a tracksuit exercising rather than undertaking Guard Duty. After leaving the army he worked for British Coal and was made redundant. He then went into Partnership running a Gym. His love of fitness and thirst for knowledge led him to work at Calderdale College where he met Jane Russell who enrolled him on the Fitness Instructor course with Northern Fitness and Education. He continued to study and progressed through the City & Guilds 7307 teacher award, D32/33, D34, and finally a Certificate in Further Education. After working part time for Northern Fitness for 3 years he joined us as a full time tutor and assessor and has recently become an Internal Verifier to monitor quality and teaching throughout the UK.

Nina Lancaster BEd, YMCA

Nina's aerobics career started as a dance teacher on 'Bunacamp' in the U.S.A. where she taught aerobics on hard tarmac and got shin splints! After achieving the Exercise to Music Qualification (many years ago) she taught in village halls, university gyms and private leisure clubs. She was inspired by Jane Russell, her Exercise to Music Course Tutor, and Cherry Baker to become a tutor and was lucky to be able to fulfil her ambition with Northern Fitness and Education. Nina studied for her D32/33 and now works as an Assessor and Course Tutor. She also works part time (following the birth of her babies) as Head of Physical Education at a secondary school in Pontefract.

Dr Mark Mullineaux PhD BA (hons) MA (sport)

Having worked at every level of education and as a Physical Education Instructional Officer, Mark currently works as a senior lecturer in higher education. His specialisms are exercise leadership and sports pedagogy, subjects on which he has published numerous articles. Away from work, he is a keen cycle tourist and every summer can be found in one country or another plodding his way up some hills. Amazing for weight management! He has also undertaken the Central YMCA Qualifications courses in circuits, gym, fitness finance and marketing, people and programme management, fitness assessment, nutrition and weight management. In 2000 Mark undertook his D32/33 Assessor Training with Northern Fitness and joined us as an assessor.  Since that time he has become a tutor on the Personal Trainer modules.

Emma Richardson Cert. Ed. YMCA

Having been totally obliterated at school, Emma's interest in fitness was rekindled almost 13 years ago, shortly after the birth of her first child. From attending classes on a daily basis it seemed the natural progression was to qualify as an instructor, which she did with YMCA Training & Development in 1992. She enjoyed the training so much that she wanted to attend as many YMCA courses as she could. Emma says, "I have always been 'hands on' in the industry and my training, coupled with the experience I gained opened up a never ending series of opportunities. These have included managing a gym for a major chain, managing a private health & leisure club, running my own studio and since 1996, working for Northern Fitness as an assistant, progressing on to senior course director and assessor in a range of disciplines including Exercise to Music, Gym, Circuit, Step, First Aid at Work, Aqua and Aquafusion. As well as a string of fitness qualifications, Northern Fitness have encouraged me to complete the City & Guilds 7307, D32/D33 and a Certificate in Further Education." Today as well as still enjoying teaching and assessing Emma runs 'Trainers 121 Personal Fitness', where she teaches a range of classes (now including Modern Pilates) and works with physiotherapists in exercise on referral and in the rehabilitation of sports injuries.  Emma is currently undertaking a Sports Massage Degree.

Jane Russell Cert Ed, D32/33/34

Whilst working as a Manager of a Leeds Fitness Centre Jane undertook some further training with Leeds City Council and met Christine North who was her tutor. Jane says, "She inspired me to take my career further and in 1990 I studied for my Cert Ed whilst working part time as a lecturer at Calderdale College."  Since that time she has worked as a senior tutor and assessor for London Central YMCA Training & Development and held a similar post with Northern Fitness and Education. In 2002 her love of teaching led her to leave Calderdale and join Northern Fitness on a full time basis. Jane is responsible for tutoring on the Exercise to Music, Older Adult and Training in Different Environments courses as well as being the Chief Assessor for all the courses. Jane concludes, "Working for Northern Fitness is a pleasure and I enjoy helping students grow and develop into skilled and confident teachers."

Dr Cath Sanderson PhD, MSc(Education)

Although you will find Cath most weekends in various venues in the North of England teaching exercise modules on the Personal Trainer Award for Northern Fitness and Education, from Monday to Friday you will find her at Leeds Metropolitan University where she works as Principal Lecturer in Health Sciences. Cath teaches almost everything, but specialises in Exercise Science and Nutrition and Health including Sports Nutrition. She really enjoys bridging the gap between being an academic and the real life practical business of helping people to get more active. Cath also works very closely with Central YMCA Qualifications the Industry Lead Body, establishing the standards and content of the courses. Her own activity passions are resistance training and Spinning but only because girls weren't allowed to play football when she was growing up so she can only spectate her first passion! Cath says, "Having met Christine North many years ago and sharing a passion for exercise and education it was natural that we teamed up and worked together."

Val Keeley Cert Ed., NVQ TDLB Assessor,
RSA, YMCA

Val's love of sport, running and bodybuilding in particular, has led her into working in the fitness industry for most of her working life. In the late 80s she opened her first Fitness Centre, inspired by its success she opened a second club 4 years later. Both ran successfully until she sold them early in 2000, and are still successful today. During this time she worked for the YMCA Training & Development as a tutor/assessor and has worked in this capacity ever since. When she is not teaching or assessing Val undertakes curriculum development work, writing training manuals, teaching and learning resources. Her interest in GP referral has led her to undertake a degree in Medical Sciences with the Open University.She is an External Verifier for Central YMCA Qualifications, lectures at her local university, still finds time to teach classes and is still passionate about the fitness industry.

Lorna Lee Malcolm

Lorna was a solicitor for 9 years before making various aspects of health and fitness her full time profession in 1993, having first qualified as an Exercise to Music instructor in 1985. Her interest in fitness started when she attended a fitness class at the Fitness Centre (as it was then) in Covent Garden. Lorna says, " I had a wonderful teacher called Naomi and left with my legs feeling like jelly and thought wow! I have been hooked ever since."

She has been a Global Master Trainer for Reebok for over 15 years and a Pure Energy 'Works' presenter. She has been blessed to travel the world educating instructors and presenting to class participants as well as teaching regular classes each week. Lorna lectures and helps administrate in further education and writes for and consults on various trade and consumer magazines. She has also written four books, including 'Health Style' , 'Basic Stability Ball', and the 'Easy Fitness Workout'. In 1999 she was awarded Fitness Leader of the Year Award by Fitness Professionals.

In January 2004 Lorna set up the whole fitness sector at the Reebok Sports Club, London and worked there as their Fitness Director until January 2004. Her passion for fitness and education has led to her re-training and she is currently in the process of training to become a physiotherapist.  Lorna concludes, "Fitness is a major part of my life and I love it! I sometimes still can’t believe I do what I love as my job."

Sandie Keane

Sandie has been involved in the fitness industry for the past 15 years and has concentrated on teaching the Pilates method since qualifying in Toronto at the STOTT Conditioning Centre in1998. She has been tutoring on the Modern Pilates courses since 2001 and joined the team because she believed it to be one of the best courses put together in the UK and is proud to be part of its continued growth. In 2000 she had her first book published which was on Pilates and the Chi principles and her second book Pilates for Core Strength was published in 2002. Sandie says, "I feel greatly privileged to be working alongside such a highly qualified and dedicated team as Northern Fitness and Modern Pilates."

Janine Cox

Janine has over 12 years experience and has an extensive background in professional dance, health club management, fitness and yoga.  She has studies all disciplines of fitness and she began studying and practising Iyengar yoga in 2000 and has also completed her Yoga Kids Training.  She is seriously involved with health club management, is a respected Personal Trainer and a qualified assessor and teacher of education.  As well as working as an assessor for Northern Fitness, Janine is also a course tutor for Physical Yoga. 

Michelle Smith BA (hons), P.G.C.E in Adult Education, YMCA

From making up dance routines to ‘5 Star’ when she was 6 years old, Michelle has always wanted to be involved in dance in some form or other. When she failed to grow past 5ft tall, she soon realised that she would be too short to become a professional dancer, so looked for other ways to continue doing what she loved. Michelle discovered aerobics at the age of 12 and found these classes incredibly inspirational. Whilst studying for a degree in English and History, she enrolled on an Exercise to Music course with the YMCA/Northern Fitness & Education and her love affair with exercise was cemented! Countless fitness qualifications followed, and then she eventually bought a Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness franchise in Leeds and spent two fantastic years helping the ladies of Leeds become thinner, fitter and healthier. After two years as a Studio Coordinator Michelle was approached by Christine North and asked if she would like to Tutor courses. Michelle says, “following this I enrolled on a Post Graduate Certificate of Education and have never looked back. I now tutor Exercise to Music and Aqua and am looking to branch out in Pregnancy & Exercise after having my own gorgeous son 2 years ago”. She also assesses most level 2 disciplines and assists in the office with student support. She still teaches classes weekly and continues to further her own education with more fitness qualifications, most recently Pilates.  “I’m still passionate about dancing, but no longer make up routines to ‘5 Star’ in my back garden!”.

Ruth Carroll

Ruth has always been active playing netball at school and attending the gym since late teenage years.  It was 6 weeks after the birth of her third child that she ventured into the studio for her first ever class and has never looked back since - she was well and truly hooked!  Ruth was really interested in the physiological side of exercise and enrolled on Northern Fitness ETM course.  She never intended to teach, just to gain knowledge for her own training... needless to say she now teaches numerous classes a week. Her favourite class is Beginners, she finds it so rewarding to see people returning week after week, gaining confidence to move from the back to the front row and some eventually moving on to more advanced classes.  Her hunger for more knowledge and skills resulted in further modules and in  1998 Ruth was invited by Christine North to undertake the assessor training. She gained units D32/33 and also City & Guilds 7307 teacher training and is an experienced assessor in a range of disciplines.

Our Team of Tutors & Assessors also includes:

• Annette Burgess
• Sandra Bell