Spotlight on Larz Schuijling
Anyone can be a fitness instructor. Anyone can do the training and take a Freestyle Step class at a local gym. However, you've got to be something really special to make Freestyle Step Aerobics an experience. World famous Step instructor Lars 'Larz' Schuijling is one of the best in the industry - his classes don't blend into one another like everyone else's. Freestyle Step is more than just a way to get fit; it's a way to have fun and tone up the mind and body at the same time. Larz Schuijling's style is one that really stands out from the crowd!
Who is Larz?
Larz Schuijling is one of the best Dutch Freestyle Step instructors in the business. Wait - scrap that – in my opinion he is the best Dutch instructor, and he's up there with the best
in the world. Trained at the AALO (that's an incredibly rigorous fitness training centre in the Netherlands to you and me), Larz went from strength to strength, soon becoming an AALO Master Trainer. When the job title sounds like something out of Star Wars, you know he's got to be good. It wasn't long before Larz Schuijling made a name for himself as an energetic Step instructor who was full of exuberance. You only have to take one look at him to realise that he's a pretty cool dude who loves what he does and does what he loves.Do it with Style
It's difficult to put a label on Schuijling's style when it comes to Freestyle Step Aerobics. To try to describe it would be unfair to him, as no description can ever entirely cover the excitement and thrill of one of his classes. Larz Schuijling doesn't belong in a box. However, to give you some sort of an idea of what he does, some people have described Schuijling as a 'complex funk instructor'. Given that funk music focuses less on melody and more on dance beats, rhythm and bass, you can get a sense of the style that is typical to Schuijling. Far from being run-of-the-mill, his style is fast-paced and exhilarating - guaranteed to get you going in both body and spirit!
Larz Schuijling is a buzzing bundle of energy, and quite frankly, that's exactly what you want from a Freestyle Step instructor. Instructors who barely have the drive to keep going themselves are hardly ideal for keeping a class motivated and enjoying themselves. Freestyle Step is slightly different from other Step Aerobics, because it's entirely down to the instructor what moves to pull. Each class is individual, so each class is a snapshot into that instructor's character. Or, in Schuijling's case, it's more like a great long exposure than a little snapshot. He uses humour and passion to turn his classes into experiences which have been described as 'theatrical pieces'. He won't just teach you Freestyle Step - he'll teach you to have a real zeal for working out.
See for yourself
Take a look at just one of the incredible classes taken by the Freestyle Step Adonis that is Larz Schuijling. The size of the class sings his praises in itself - he'd have struggled to fill a room half that size if he was just your average Freestyle Step instructor. People are falling over each other (or should that be stepping over each other?) to go to his classes, so that's as big a recommendation as you can get. It's like a restaurant - if it's always empty then it's a worrying sign, but if it's busting at the seams then it has to be good for a reason! The same applies to fitness classes. If they're large and full to bursting then you know you're on to a winner.
From watching the video, it's clear to see the energy which oozes from Schuijling's every pore; his passion is almost palpable. You can tell from the faces of the people in the crowd that they're all loving it, too - even those who are finding it difficult to keep up! In fact, that's one of the most remarkable things about Larz's workouts - just how action packed they are! Even in this brief clip, nobody stops moving. The moves are smart, snappy, varied...and very, very invigorating!
The moves that Schuijling incorporates into his routines encourage everyone to seriously push their boundaries, to push their bodies to the limits, and to push them beyond what they thought possible. His style of Freestyle Step doesn't just exercise the legs; it stretches and tones the whole body. As it's a skill which requires so much coordination, Larz Schuijling's routines stimulates the mind, as well. This is what I mean when I say he's the best - not just anybody could put this much of a spark into a dynamic, lively workout routine.
As if Freestyle Step wasn't enough...
Lately, Larz Schuijling has been turning his hand to talents far more varied than just Freestyle Step. He has made a name for himself as DJ LARZ - a disc jockey who has taken the world by storm. In 2005 and 2006 he was given the crown of Dutch Presenter of the Year, which just goes to show that he is more than just a teacher. The man is an entertainer. As if that wasn't enough, Larz Schuijling has set up an events and education business with Patrick Nahafahik. Is there nothing this man can't do?
By now, hopefully you will have a good idea of the legendary man that is Larz Schuijling. His talent is first class; his passion is breath taking; his energy is phenomenal. All things considered, it's no shock at all to find that he has grown such a following from all around the world - and not just in the fitness world, either. For a man to have achieved so much by the age of 36 is just extraordinary. If you haven't had a go at one of his workouts yet, then what have you been waiting for? You should have realised by now what a mind- (and muscle!) blowing experience it is. Not literally, I might add. Even if you try it out in the comfort of your own home, you'll still be able to say you've learnt from the best!
#freestyle, #FreestyleStep, #step,
Bruno Jimenez
June 2014
