CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When searching online for bilingual personal trainers in North Carolina, not a lot of results show up. That is a void that Monica Dakunchak wants to fill. She hopes to help others on their health journey. 

 

What You Need To Know

  • Hispanic Heritage month is Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 
  • YMCA personal trainer Monica Dakunchak offers classes in Spanish at the Harris and Dowd YMCA in Charlotte 
  • She hopes this makes more people feel comfortable and welcome taking fitness classes 

 

Dakunchak has been a bilingual personal trainer at the Harris YMCA in Charlotte for eight years. She is originally from Venezuela and loves helping her clients reach their fitness goals. 

“I want to translate what I live and the benefits of exercise to all my clients,” Dakunchak said.

Dakunchak says she had her own struggle with health issues. Ten years ago she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, which is a low-functioning thyroid. It can cause weight gain and fatigue. Her dad lost his hair because of it.

“I had to understand why he didn’t have eyebrows or what happened with this eye lashes or his nails,” Dakunchak said. “That was the most difficult part.”

The illness can be managed with proper medication and lifestyle adjustments. It motivated her to exercise and eat healthy. But she noticed there was a major shortage of bilingual fitness trainers.

“There is zero, like no one,” Dakunchak said. “I started at the Brace YMCA in Matthews, and I was the only one that spoke Spanish.”

That's why she started teaching personal training in Spanish. In a recent session, she instructed her client, Mirella Casanova.

“I want people to know that they can enjoy personal training and crossfit style workouts in their own language,” Dakunchak said.

Casanova says she really benefits from these classes, because she doesn’t speak much English. Talking in her native language helps her understand the workouts. Dakunchak says she hopes to help as many Spanish speakers as possible reach their health goals.

“And also change their lives,” Dakunchak said. “If they have the opportunity to understand in their own language, what healthy living means, then I am doing my job.”

Monica Dakunchak also teaches crossfit classes at the Dowd YMCA in Charlotte. She says those are taught in a mix of Spanish and English.