Tina's Instructor Spotlight

MEET TINA WALKER: Group Ex Instructor

With over 30 years of experience in fitness, Tina can help you towards your best self!

Tina’s journey into fitness began early—growing up, she was active in sports, playing softball, basketball, and volleyball throughout high school. After graduating, she started teaching aerobics while working a 9-to-5 job in Atlanta. For 10 years, Tina balanced her 9-to-5, her aerobics classes, all while raising two children.

When her husband’s job moved the family to Nashville, Tina paused her teaching and turned to fitness classes at church, while welcoming their third child. The family eventually relocated to Chattanooga, where Tina joined the Hamilton Y—then a small storefront near Taziki’s. It was here that Tina earned her certification and began teaching STEP classes in the afternoons. As the current Hamilton facility was being built, Tina continued to teach and soon became more involved in the wellness center, eventually serving as the Wellness Coordinator for over a decade.

Tina’s work with senior programs took off when she was asked to oversee the Silver&Fit program. From there, she went on to become the Senior Programs Coordinator alongside her wellness coordinator position. After several years in both roles, Tina took a primary focus on senior programs, and has been in this position for almost 20 years, building a close-knit senior community. In addition to her work at the YMCA, Tina was the head softball coach at Grace Academy for 10 years, leading her team to a state championship in 2014.

Now a proud grandmother of three, Tina continues to teach a variety of senior-focused classes, including:

Tina also hosts Senior Fun Day from 1:30 to 3:30 on Mondays and organizes monthly lunch outings for her participants, where they come together to socialize. Those with birthdays during the month even get to choose where they eat!

Tina is passionate about community and believes that the YMCA’s senior members are among the most dedicated and caring individuals. “Seniors are the most loyal, dedicated members we have,” she says. “They give, they are concerned for each other, and they’ve taught me so much about how to care for everyone around me.” Tina feels blessed to have had the opportunity to serve this remarkable group and continues to be inspired by the power of movement and connection. At the core of everything Tina does is her focus on faith, family and fun; most of Tina’s adult life has been spent inside of a YMCA, and she says, “I wouldn’t have in any other way.”