Jess grew up in eastern suburbs of the rainy city – Melbourne. Jess always enjoyed sports in school, participating in everything she could including soccer, footy, cross county, tennis, skiing, snowboarding and swimming. She went straight from high school to uni, studying a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science. Her love of snowboarding took her to the rocky mountains in the US for her summer break at uni, and – long story short – she ended up finishing her Uni studies abroad, getting married, having a baby and settling in the US.
Over ten years in Fitness
Jess started as a Personal Trainer in 2007, where she trained clients in several different studios and gyms, both in Florida and Colorado. Jess worked with a wide variety of clients including amateur skiers and golfers, heart surgery rehabilitation patients, older adults, body building competitors, weight loss clients, children and families. In 2012 Jess and her family moved back to Melbourne where she started working as a Trainer and Assessor at a Fitness College, teaching the fitness certification to new Personal Trainers. During this time Jess had a second baby, and completed her Masters of Nutrition, and is now a busy working mum of 2!
Moving to the Sunshine State
Early in 2016 the whole family decided it was time for a sea change and moved up to the sunny Gold Coast. Jess is now working at Fitness Enhancement both as a Personal Trainer, helping with franchises, assisting in client support, and helping improve all the procedures and other things that need to be done with a rapidly growing business. Jess is a big believer in a holistic approach to health and wellness = exercise, nutrition and positive psychology all play a major role. She loves to utilise functional training engaging multiple joints and muscles together, incorporating balance training and using corrective exercise to assist with postural issues.
Five questions with Jess
1. What is your biggest achievement as a Personal Trainer?
Helping people to make a real positive change in their life. I get so much happiness from having clients tell me they were able to get off their blood pressure meds, or that they are now able to do things they haven’t been able to do for 20 years. It’s the most rewarding part of the job
2.What is your most memorable training session?
An older lady that I trained had open heart surgery years earlier. She was very stiff and tight, so we did a lot of range-of-motion and flexibility training. One session she came in and told me that she used to have to crawl from her bed to the shower every morning, and she had to wait until the heat from the shower had loosened up the scar tissue enough to allow her to actually stand up. She told me that since our training she was able to stand straight up out of bed for the first time in years. That is life changing.
3. What is your favourite exercise as a trainer?
I love full body, functional movements like a Olympic lifts, balance exercises and plyometrics.
4. What is your favourite exercise or sport outside of work?
I love to be outdoors hiking, playing at the beach or snowboarding in the mountains.
5. What is your favourite quote?
“If you think you can or think you can’t – you’re right’” – I think that having the right mindset makes so much difference in every aspect of your life.
Closely followed by my second favourite quote: “Everything in moderation.” – This means I’m allowed to be fit and healthy AND eat chocolate.