8A
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2008
FITNESS
Nontraditonal student encourages exercise via class
Instructor Jennifer Osborn found her old form through aerobics and also shares her passion with students
BY ASHLEY BARFOROUSH
editor@kansan.com
In size four spandex she confidently stands in front of a class of 10 students.
"This ought to wake you up after spring break," said Jennifer Osborn, Lawrence nontraditional student.
It's hard to imagine Osborn once wore size 16 sweat pants.
"Remember, if you've been coming regularly you should be adding weight. You won't end up looking like one of those muscle men, I promise." Osborn said.
Jennifer Osborn became a fitness instructor at the Student Recreation Fitness Center at the beginning of the semester, yet she feels like she hasn't missed a day here. Ten years ago Osborn was an undergraduate at the University of West Alabama.
"I went to the lift class two times as a size 16, and I knew it was what I needed. The weight literally started to fall off.
It was like 'I'm an idiot, what have I been doing, I should have been doing this the whole time." Osborn said.
In the past year, Osborn has lost 60 pounds. She attributed every ounce of her success to the cardio and lift classes.
"Just four more reps. I know this is tough. I'm proud of you guys," Osburn said to the panting class.
She used the term "guys" loosely since there weren't men the room.
"Just Lift' is a choreographed weight routine class with heavy repetitions. A lot of boys can't do it. Am I mean if I say it makes me
laugh?" Osborn said.
On four different occasions guys have come to the class and left halfway through. However, men aren't the only ones the class intimidates. Osborn said women didn't traditionally attend weight classes because they didn't think it was their thing. Since Osborn has been on the other side, she understands how hard weight lifting can be.
"I want them to see that I struggle too. Sometimes I've had to stop and take off some of my weights. The point is to try it," Osborn said.
Her fellow fitness instructors feel the same way. Omaha junior Maggie McCormick also teaches "Just Lift" and gets paid to do what she loves.
"A lot of people are under the impression that you need rhythm to do the classes, and this year the classes are geared toward newcomers in the sense that you don't have to be a professional dancer," McCormick said. "Anyone can do it."
It was this that got Osborn back into aerobics. She feels lucky to have this second chance because a lot of people don't get back to where they want to be.
She said that students didn't get out of shape overnight, so they couldn't get in shape overnight either.
"You have to get started. Once you start coming I pretty much guarantee that after a month of going to the classes you'll see results. You have to make the changes in your life." Osborn said.
She said the first change should be to exercise more and eat less. Osborn's diet advice was straight-forward, much like her class.
"The answer is pretty simple. Have a positive attitude. When you're negative you'll do negative things to your body and it will only make you feel worse. It's a vicious cycle." Osborn said.
For 55 minutes, the class gives students a chance to not think about tests, papers or relationships. Leawood freshman Melissa Melling is one such student.
"The fact that the instructor changed her lifestyle makes me want to go out and lose 60 pounds," Melling said. "Plus, I wouldn't work that hard if I was by myself."
Osborn has been through college once and said that anyone could not eat and be skinny. However, she said it took a well-rounded person to be fit.
"I see some of these girls come in all lean and tan but they don't have any strength." Osborn said. "I want to show them that 10 years down the line, when they're done with college they're going to want more. They're going to want be strong."
—Edited by Nick Mangiaracina
Cardio classes
Every week there are more than 40 classes ranging from cardio workout to increasing strength and flexibility. See the front of the Recreation Center for a schedule. Intimidated? Start with "Just Lift" taught by Osborn and McCormick Monday and Wednesday at noon. The classes are $3 per session or you can buy 1/2 semester pass for $25.
Think you have what it takes to become a Fitness Instructor? Visit www.recreation.ku.edu to find out how you could be the one leading the class.
Jennifer Osborn's class meets at the Student Recreation Fitness Center every Monday and Wednesday at noon. In the past year Osborn has lost 60 pounds. She encourages students to stay fit by exercising regularly.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
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》 CONTROVERSY
Air Force improperly awards contract
WASHINGTON — A $50 million contract to promote the Thunderbirds aerial stunt team was tainted by improper influence and preferential treatment, a Pentagon investigation found.
Officials accused of preferential treatment toward company
The most senior officer reprimanded by Wynne was Goldfein, who commanded the Air Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and was responsible for the
BY LOLITA C. BALDOR ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Defense Department's Inspector General found no criminal conduct, but laid out a trail of communications from Air Force leaders — including from its top officer Gen. Michael Moseley — that eventually influenced the 2005 contract award.
"I am deeply disappointed that our high standards were not adhered to in this case," Wynne
In response, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne took administrative action against Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Goldfein, who was the commander responsible for the Thunderbirds at the time, as well as two others, and referred action on two additional personnel to their commanders, the service said Thursday.
The report did not find that Moseley, Air Force chief of staff, was personally involved in the contract decision. Instead, criticisms focused on numerous friendly emails he exchanged with the eventual winning bidders — communications that may have influenced the decision of the contract team.
The report is the latest in a string of problems for Air Force leaders, who have faced questions about the service's handling of nuclear and nuclear-related materials, challenges to a recent $35 billion tanker contract award and anger over their efforts to get more money for the F-22 Raptor.
said. "This is not how the Air Force does business, and we are taking steps to ensure this doesn't happen again." He wrote to senior leaders telling them they must be scrupulous in avoiding the appearance of favoring contractors.
The report pointed to irregularities in several other contracts awarded by Air Force officials at the Nellis base.
Goldfein, now vice director of the Joint Staff, also spoke favorably about the winning company, Strategic Message Solutions, to those on the review team. He declined to comment on the report.
The four others cited in the report were members of the team reviewing the bids. They were the top two contracting officers as well as the commander and narrator for the Thunderbirds at the time. They were not identified.
"Goldfein's activities displayed a pattern of behavior that gave an advantage to SMS in competing for this contract and so constituted preferential treatment," the report says.
Thunderbirds. Goldfein receives the bulk of the criticism, for his efforts to get a vote on the contract by the team reviewing the bids.
The Air Force said the assistant U.S. attorney in Nevada declined to pursue criminal prosecution.
Wynne ordered a review of contracting processes and a training program to correct problems raised by the investigation.
The investigation began in 2005 with allegations that Moseley and other Air Force officers tried to give the work to Strategic Message Solutions and its president Edward Shipley without going out for bids.
Later, after bids were sought, the company was awarded the five-year, $49.9 million contract. Two losing bidders complained that the company had an unfair advantage, including its decision to make retired Gen. Hal M. Hornburg a partner.
Shipley and Hornburg were among the people who communicated with Moselev.
The Air Force canceled the contract in February 2006 and Wynne directed the Pentagon's inspector general to investigate.
Shipley unsuccessfully sued to reinstate the contract.
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