YMCA Instructor Raj Vaidya recently celebrated his 30th anniversary at the YMCA. Courtesy/YMCA
Raj Vaidya, front row, center, with his fellow exercisers celebrate a birthday. Some people have been attending Vaidya’s class for 25 years. Courtesy/YMCA
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Rajendra Vaidya (Raj) recently celebrated his 30th anniversary as a Los Alamos YMCA fitness instructor.
It all started in 1992 when Vaidya and his wife, Alina Deshpande, moved to Los Alamos. He was offered a director funded post-doctoral position at Los Alamos National Laboratory. They rented an apartment across the street from the YMCA and Vaidya approached the Wellness Director at the time about teaching a fitness class on Sundays. He was told “to go for it.”
This was not Vaidya’s first-time teaching in a fitness center. He explained in graduate school at Michigan State University, he was approached about taking part in a study where he would lead an exercise class. The hypotheses being tested was that male instructors would be less intimidating to female participants because male instructors wouldn’t cause any body or image insecurities.
After teaching his first class at the YMCA; the rest was history.
Wellness Director Ethan Corriss commended Vaidya for all that he has done for the YMCA and the community.
“He (Vaidya) simply demonstrates the Y’s four core roles (respect, responsibility, honesty and caring) all the time since he has gotten here … he is a big part of our community … and has had a great role supporting the Y and the supporting the community … no one does it like Raj does it,” Corriss said.
Corriss added Vaidya and all the instructors at the YMCA have worked to adapt to the evolving fitness industry.
Vaidya said his classes are more than just exercise; he compares them to being in a social club. He and the classes’ participants chat about music, politics and what is going on in the community and at the laboratory.
“I found out there is so much to learn from people who participate in the classes,” Vaidya said.
For instance, he has had people in the medical profession attend his classes who shared health advise and during the height of the pandemic, participants shared information on where to access COVID vaccines.
“It is a way for us to communicate information quickly,” he said.
In addition to that, during certain growing seasons, participants will bring in different fruits from their gardens to share with the class. For Halloween, his class throws a party and people come to class dressed in costumes; he also hosts a special class on Easter.
Vaidya emphasized teaching fitness class does not mean he gets on a soapbox; in fact, he describes it as a global public square. He said he often feels he leaves his classes learning more than he did when he started them.
Health is a focus of his classes, but it leans more on maintaining health and preventing any future issues.
Vaidya compared maintaining one’s health to servicing their car. The whole idea is to maintain the car so it doesn’t break down. The same rule applies to the human mind and body. This is the same philosophy he brings to his fitness classes.
“The Y is extremely helpful (to achieve this),” Vaidya said. “I’m very grateful to them and to the community.”
“It’s a lot of fun,” he added. “I look forward to it. I don’t know what I would do without the classes on my schedule.”
Vaidya mostly focuses on teaching step classes although he is certified to teach other fitness classes. He explained that he enjoys step classes because studies have shown that this form of exercise forces people to focus on balance and build up their coordination. Plus, people can modify it to suit their needs. If they want high intensity, they can increase the height of their step and if they need lower intensity, they can shorten the step’s height.
“You have a lot of flexibility, and you can modify the workout,” he said.
While some step classes feature complex moves that mirror dancing; Vaidya said he keeps things simple, so his participants feel comfortable and don’t get overwhelmed.
The classes are more than just an avenue for maintaining health and fitness; Vaidya and his participants have helped the Y and the community.
His classes regularly fundraise for the Y’s capital campaign fund as well as its children’s fund. A prize is given to the top fundraiser, which is Vaidya personally washing and detailing their car.
They classes have also donated money to the American Red Cross when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans.
For many of these fundraisers, Vaidya said they raise between $250 to $1,000.
“It’s been a tradition for the class to help other communities … and the class has been extremely helpful in getting these activities going,” he said.
During his time at the Y Vaidya said 850 people have attended his class and he has many longtime members. Some have been taking his classes for 25 years.
But the pandemic has changed things; he said. Now about half his students participate in the classes virtually.
Still, “the core of the class has not changed,” Vaidya said. “The core of the class that emphasizes values of caring, helping, and giving have not changed.”
Vaidya is not the only member of his family to be involved in the YMCA. His wife teaches Indian dance classes and organizes the Dances of India performances, proceeds from which are donated to the YMCA. Deshpande also teaches step classes.
Corriss encourages the community to check out Vaidya’s classes and other classes at the Y. For the schedule, go here.
Raj Vaidya gets ready to sweat at the start of his exercise class. Courtesy/YMCA
