Max Dorsey has been teaching Les Mills classes at our Rec Center since the facility opened in 2017. The following article appears courtesy of Les Mills.
When I turned 50 years old I quit smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes a day and started to eat a little bit better. I was overweight yet strong. I had been an athlete most of my younger life but no longer. There is a history of heart disease, stroke and diabetes in my family. I had not been to a gym in years and needed to take action.
I went to a gym with my wife and did NOT want to create a workout program for myself or pay a trainer for one. I was aware of group fitness and noticed a class with awesome music with people punching, kicking and moving. I went to my first BC class wearing sweats and a hoodie covering as much of me as I could. I stayed in the back row for a couple of months until the music and choreography started to make me feel in charge, relevant and happy with the physical results. My mind and body started to change.
I took BC and BodyPump three or four days a week for a couple of years before reaching out to my mentor, friend and a current BodyCombat Instructor of 15 years, Dawn Stecklein. I asked her about becoming an instructor. She directed, encouraged and shared her experience while guiding me through the certification process. She introduced me to Rachel and Dan.
I certified with release BC 67! I found my first gig at a corporate gym before my friend Dawn opened a Les Mills exclusive studio Tr1be Fitness. I taught there for three wonderful years. Around the same time, Blue Valley Recreation Center at Hilltop gave me a chance to be their first BodyCombat Instructor 3 days a week! I remember teaching my first class there 8 years ago to zero people! I pulled up the shades so members might see how much fun I was having. Director Jason Goin and current group fitness director MaryKate Warnken have been unbelievable, allowing me to continue my journey through good times and trying times. We have definitely grown into a facility with several Les Mills options with full BodyCombat classes. I have been very fortunate to pass the instructor gift on by encouraging several members to become Les Mills instructors in BC. Some have gone on to certify in BodyPump and BodyBalance. The main reason I love to teach is the member. I want to give them the chance to experience what courage, drive and confidence this program can develop along with the physical change and health maintenance.
I had a few injuries and challenges before and after certification. Arthritis everywhere, shoulder dislocations, rotator cuff surgeries, knee maintenance, heart flutter and degenerative disc disease were the early medical battles. BodyCombat was my baseline for recovery from two shoulder dislocations with subsequent rotator cuff surgeries and a cervical double discectomy. I always went back to class a couple of weeks early with a brace or sling just to be around our members and stay in touch. I feel strong and confident as a LM BC instructor. I gained confidence in life working hard at technique, connecting with members and just trying to be the best version of myself. I openly share about my struggles and successes before, during and after class. I always get back more experience, strength and hope than I might give by listening to members stories. I let them know if they don’t believe in themselves , I do. Many years of BodyCombat training and continuing education prepared me for a fight bigger than being an instructor.
In February of ’23 my hip started to hurt really bad for the first time. Ok here we go again! I got this! I continued to teach while going to physical therapy and receiving an injection in the hip! The pain worsened and I had to take leave from all physical activity in September. I started using a cane to move around and finally scheduled a hip replacement for November. On a Friday ten days before surgery I had bloodwork completed. We were not at home but saw that my white blood cells were crazy high so my wife dropped me at the ER and went home to bring me back a bag jic. 15 minutes before she returned a Dr told me that I had some type of Leukemia. One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was tell my wife I had cancer.
I was told I had either Acute or Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Acute takes an extreme treatment with varied results that are not generally long lived. With my Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, I take a pill with several side effects every day for the rest of a timely life. I am fortunate to have the latter option. The best side effect is I get to live. I made it into remission 7 months later and had my hip replacement in May of ’24. Throughout my challenges, I stayed in touch and visited with BC class members at the gym. I wanted to get back to BodyCombat and participate. I knew my plan would work as it had before. Jason and MaryKate have provided fantastic support, allowing me to come back and teach when and as long as I want to. Dawn covered all of my classes in my absence. I started taking her classes 4 weeks after hip replacement by 0walking in place and punching hard while regaining my balance. I started back as a two class a week instructor just four months after surgery and am still teaching all levels of participation. I am back now for a year as a BodyCombat Instructor! Strong, Happy and looking forward moving through the future with Les Mills BodyCombat!!
I shared my story once again, with my class. The support was unbelievable! members need to know that they don’t have to be in a certain shape or age group to take the BodyCombat.
Do what you can! Run or walk in place! Give yourself some grace and embrace your options. Have fun and keep moving!