Jes Reynolds…Your Fitness Coach

As a retired elite gymnast and division I scholarship athlete, I never saw myself as someone in need of a personal trainer. I have always been comfortable in the gym setting and capable of creating workout plans for myself. However, since my career ended three years ago, something had been missing for me in my workouts. I was no longer excited to go to the gym, as I had always been in the past. The intensity and the motivation I used to bring to every workout seemed mediocre at best. I knew a change was needed, but I was unsure as to what would spark my enthusiasm again while maintaining a high level of intensity. That is, until I saw Jes.

One day, I happened to watch Jes lead one of her clients through a series of speed and agility drills in the studio. She not only pushed him to reach his limits but challenged him to outlast them. I wanted to jump right into their workout, as it looked so fresh and exciting. I was also in awe of how, through her key words of encouragement, Jes could push her client through his exhaustion and fatigue to reach a higher level. I realized that although I was accustomed to being in a gym, I was NOT accustomed to being a gym without having to meet some kind of challenge. Perhaps this is what I had been missing in my workouts. In watching Jes during that one session, I knew that she could not only provide me with these challenges but also trigger my inner drive to meet them (I couldn’t have been more right!). This is when I knew I had to give her try…

I began working with Jes in late May 2008. My first session with her was probably the hardest workout I had experienced since pre-season training in college. From jumping/speed drills, to one arm pull-ups, to running t 9-10 MPH, she exposed me to exercises I had never conceived, much less imagined that I would actually be able to do. I was sore before the workout even ended…and I LOVED it. Though that may sound crazy, it was exactly what I had been searching for. Like Bud, I immediately signed up for a ten session package and I now train with Jes AT LEAST twice a week.

Unlike a lot of Jes’s clients, I did not come into this looking to lose weight necessarily, though it has been a by-product of our work together. I wanted to lean up, to improve my overall strength and cardiovascular ability, and also to increase my functionality. Primarily, though, I wanted to be pushed to my limits, mentally and physically. By never being complacent in her work, by keeping up-to-date with cutting edge exercises, and by constantly raising the bar, Jes accomplishes each of these goals during every, single workout.

Here are just a few of the results I have seen through my work with Jes:

· Currently, I am the leanest, the strongest, and the fittest I have been since I was in high school, during the peak of my gymnastics career

· My balance and my core strength have improved greatly, which has made me even more functional in my every day life…particularly after recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

· I can now hold a handstand for at least one minute, as well as press up to a handstand from a seated position.

· I can balance on my knees on an exercise ball while doing dumbbell shoulder press.

· I can sprint in intervals reaching 11mph

· I do a max of 20 min of cardio/day, which helps to keep me motivated and excited about working out (per Jes’s suggestion)

· I have a much better understanding of nutrition, particularly what kinds of foods I need to eat to stay balanced and to help me accomplish my goals

In addition to her passion for human performance and for nutrition, Jes also has a passion for people, which I believe makes her the most effective trainer I have ever seen. Working with many different personality types, she has managed to forge a unique relationship with each of her clients by genuinely connecting with them on a personal level. She discovers what motivates and inspires the individual, using this information to tailor her workouts to fit the needs of each of her clients. This, in particular, speaks to her versatility as a trainer. Additionally, she connects her clients with each other, which not only fosters a uniquely supportive environment but also provides further opportunities for social networking.

In short, Jes has provided me with the performance oriented environment I had been craving since retiring from gymnastics. Throughout my career in sports, I had been coached and mentored by many talented individuals. But never has someone been able to direct my intensity and drive so successfully towards a goal as Jes has been able to. As a result of that, there is never a day that I leave a session without feeling some sense of pride in what I have accomplished, which is a confidence that has carried over into the other aspects of my life.

My only regret in all of this is that I did not start working with Jes earlier, perhaps when I was still involved in competitive athletics. With her knowledge, her inspiration, and her encouragement, I am certain that she can make anyone, of any ability, reach their greatest potential.