Tell us about your career so far…
I started teaching freestyle classes in Rhode Island, USA after having my first child, Caroline. After having my second baby Carl, I moved back to Lebanon and continued to teach classes, such as Aerobics (in my Jane Fonda outfits and leg warmers) and Taebo, up until I was introduced to the world of Les Mills. That’s when I gave up freestyle teaching and focused on my Les Mills programmes, BODYCOMBAT™ and BODYSTEP™. A couple of years later I moved to the United Arab Emirates, where I currently live, and took on BODYATTACK™ AND BODYVIVE™.
If you weren’t a fitness instructor, you would be….
I would probably be a nutritionist, as I am a firm believer that quality food is medicine. Grocery shopping takes me forever because I always get stuck in the aisles reading all the food labels (that’s partially why I send my husband to do it). I love to share tips and healthy recipes. My Facebook profile is really just for posting pics of my nutritious meals (and promoting my Les Mills classes of course J).
Fun fact
I loved playing basketball when I was younger. I was close to joining one of the pro basketball teams in Lebanon. I used to leave my baby Caroline with my neighbour outside the court while I played basketball for hours.
What’s your ideal day off?
Any fun activity-packed day with my family. Or just a regular day in the mall, shopping with my daughter.
How long have you been in the industry?
Over 15 years! Wow, time really does fly when you’re having fun and sweating it out!! I had to take a year off to recover from a serious knee injury, but resumed teaching as soon as I was able to.
What made you become a Les Mills instructor?
The Les Mills agent in Lebanon, Daniel Nasr, approached me and introduced me to the Les Mills brand. I was such a sceptic at first because I thought group fitness belonged solely to the Americans. Haha, boy was I mistaken! To this day, I am so grateful that Daniel talked me into joining the Les Mills Tribe!
What’s the highlight of your career so far?
Being selected in 2008 as a BODYSTEP and BODYATTACK Trainer and Presenter for the Middle East. Although I was thrilled, I chose to continue being an Instructor and recently achieved Elite status as a BODYSTEP Instructor (certified by Les Mills UK).
However, the most endearing highlight of my career was when my daughter Caroline made the decision to follow in my footsteps and become a Les Mills Instructor herself! She is in the process of getting certified in BODYPUMP and later will aim for CXWORX and BODYCOMBAT.
If you want to hear more from Reem follow her on Instagram @Reem.kassab
A Tribe Coach supports and guides new and existing Instructors in their local area; from feedback on technique, to finding places to practice, they are your first port of call for all things Les Mills.
If you think you’d make a great Tribe Coach, find out more by asking one of our Trainers in the official Facebook group. Check it out here. To become a Tribe Coach, you need Elite Instructor status which can be achieved through AIM 2 training.
