Former Peloton Instructor Inspires as a Personal Trainer and Motivator
Listen to Jennifer Jacob’s segment here
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01:21 BM: Well, the business of personal fitness certainly has changed over the past decade. It used to be if you want to exercise, you go to the gym. And then you could join a fancy health club to work out. And then there were exercises videos you could follow along at home. But now with companies like Peloton and NordicTrack, you can bring that personal trainer right into your home and you can work out with them and 100 of your closest friends connected through social media. Joining us is one of my favorite motivational trainers, Jennifer Jacobs of J Method Fitness. She is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Jennifer holds over a dozen certifications, recognized internationally spanning from Strength and Conditioning Coach to Performance Enhancement Specialist. She’s been three years, a very popular Peloton instructor, especially those of us who love cycling to the ’80s. Jennifer, welcome to the show.
02:07 Jennifer Jacobs: I am thrilled to be on the show. Thank you for having me.
02:10 BM: Jennifer, thanks for being here. So how did you go from growing up on a dairy farm to living in the south of France teaching fitness classes in person online?
02:19 JJ: Well, there were quite a few steps in between that.
[laughter]
02:24 JJ: I was very active on the dairy farm and actually very active on the roller skating rink. I believe if there was an Olympic sport for roller skating, I would have a gold medal. But in all sincerity, throughout high school, I played team sports and then when I went to college, that changed because I was not a part of a team sport. The freshman [02:41] ____, that definitely hit me. So sophomore year, I joined a 24 Hour Fitness, and within that, I gained access to five training sessions and the manager of the personal trainers offered me a role as a personal trainer. So that is how I got into personal training. And six months later, I was running my own independent personal training business which supported me through college.
03:01 BM: Wow.
03:02 JJ: That’s the story behind how I became a trainer.
03:03 BM: I thought it’s really interesting how you weren’t really into team sports and I think a lot of kids who are growing up, they really wanna exercise, but if they’re not into team sports, perhaps they stop doing anything.
03:14 JJ: Well, I see that a lot today with children who are not a part of team sports. That wasn’t a problem for myself. I was a cheerleader. I played softball. But for kids these days who are not a part of team sports, after school they go home, they go on their devices, they do their homework but they lead a less active lifestyle than I did. I see it in my own children.
03:31 BM: And so what do you tell your kids? Because I think a lot of us parents, we struggle with, “Well, what should we tell our kids when they’re on their devices?” It’s like, “Well, just go out and play, just go and do anything.” But what do you tell your kids and other folks like that?
03:42 JJ: Well, I try and find things that my children are interested in. I think the number one question I’m asked is, “When should kids start working out?” Kids should start working out when they show interest in it. So if your children find… When they see you doing something, they’re gonna emulate you. So my children do see me shadow boxing in my living room. They’ll join me. They wanna be a part of it. So making it a part of your lifestyle is key to encourage them to do the same thing. That’s my biggest piece of advice for children.
04:07 BM: I’ve been fascinated about how Peloton and NordicTrack really have gotten a foothold in the marketplace. Video training has changed a lot when we could watch Jane Fonda or we had Tony Little on the show, did their exercise videos. How is it different today? Because it seems like that when you exercise, you can really almost bring the motivational trainer through the internet or through your device into your home.
04:27 JJ: Well, I don’t know if it’s changed. The platforms have changed. Now, instead of popping in the VHS of Jane Fonda or plugging in the ’90s DVDs of P90X, we now have platforms… Equipment that have the training upon it. So it makes it even more portable. You can’t take your television with you wherever you go. But now, it’s on the ease of your phone even. So now you have no excuses. You’re also able to reach and motivate more people especially with the use of social media as a combination with video training.
04:58 BM: So Jennifer, how do you think that social media has really enhanced I guess working at home or working by yourself not at a gym?
05:05 JJ: Well, it’s a way to connect and now there’s unlimited ways to reach your audience. Or for a person who’s looking for someone to motivate them, to reach them, they can now scroll through their Instagram feed and try to find someone who’s inspiring. It also allows you to train in the comfort of your own home and it provides you with a wealth of knowledge if you find the right people to follow on social media, that they’re educating you on how to better yourself. It’s definitely changed the game and it’s really an exciting time with a combination of online training and social media.
05:33 BM: I think you’re right because I think a lot of the folks, they never went to a gym because they felt like they had to be in shape before they went to the gym. But they’d never get in shape unless they went to the gym. Now they can do it in the comfort of their home.
05:42 JJ: Still is a thing, it’s still a thing I hear, too. People wanna train with me but they think it might be too intense. So they’re gonna wait till they get into a little bit more better shape. But that is the number one thing I hear with fitness gyms is, “I’ll go once I’m in shape so I feel good about myself.” I actually have a story about this woman I took on as a client and she felt awful about herself that she would not even leave her home. And I started training her online in her bedroom, and we attached resistance bands to the door, anchored them and got her moving and her goal, her purpose was to be able to go scuba diving with her son.
06:16 BM: Wow.
06:17 JJ: [06:17] ____ house. And she was able to do that. But I know what it feels like to not be able to wanna leave your home. I’ve seen it with my own eyes and it does exist and it’s very sad and I’m fortunate to be able to be in people’s homes with my own business and with online training. It really is a luxury for people to have that in their home now because now the excuses are eliminated. It still isn’t easy. It’s still the hardest thing to do, to get started.
06:42 BM: One of the things that I love about… One of my favorite quotes of yours, you say, “Each of my client’s goals becomes my goals, each struggle my struggle, each challenge my challenge.” I think more than so many of the other trainers, you’re really able to connect with people as personal motivators. What is really the genus of that? What drives you to really to help people so much and so personally?
07:03 JJ: Well, I think when… My biggest motivation is motivating others, seeing other people start to make ways towards their goals, whatever they put out in front of themselves, and usually what is holding them back are their perceived limitations. I’ve been in the same seat where someone told me you couldn’t, you shouldn’t, you wouldn’t, or I’ve thought it myself. And I was able to push past that. So it brings me a lot of personal pleasure and joy to see myself help someone unleash their best. That is the biggest motivator for me. I’ve never obtained that much satisfaction from anything else, helping other people see themselves.
07:39 BM: So in your experience, what do you think holds people back? Is it just fear, that they’re afraid to take that first step? And then what do you recommend that first step being if people are stuck where they are?
07:51 JJ: It could be fear. But it could also be that the fitness industry has become a very daunting place, in the sense that there are so many options, so many diets, so many methods that it becomes a bit confusing for the user. So the person who’s wanting to make that first step, first they have to get over the fear of “Oh, I’m gonna feel awkward. I’m gonna feel bad.” Any time you do anything new, when you start boxing, if you start jump roping, any new thing you do, you’re going to be a little awkward at it. But once you allow your body to adapt, you become better. Once you get past that, it’s “Where do I start?” There’s so much out there. I think that is the problem for most people is “Where do I start? Who do I start with?” My focus is to really simplify things, provide people with the knowledge so that it’s easier to start. Nothing is easy. Things are simple when it comes to fitness. It becomes overcomplicated with the industry and how we start selling things, and buy this, do that, this HIIT workout is the one that’s gonna burn the most fat. Not everybody can hit it, though, meaning not everybody is at that level. You have to start where you…
09:02 BM: Jen?
09:02 JJ: I spoke about my methods. Yes? That’s the thing I like about my method, is that it reaches people at their level that they’re at right then.
09:09 BM: Yeah, I love the Buddhist expression is, “You gotta really start where you are.” And I think a lot of folks, if they could just do that, rather than trying to start where people who are in incredible shape they see on social media, that’s not you. And so I think that folks like you really help folks connect, and they feel they can trust you, and so they take that first step. That’s why I think that being a motivational personal trainer really has changed so many different people’s lives.
09:35 JJ: Yeah, well, I think personal trainers have always been motivators when you work one-on-one. We are motivators. But now because of online video training and social media, we are motivators on a much larger scale. We all have different styles. I think when we see those really intense workouts, they’re aspirational. It’s like “Wow, I wish I could be at that level one day.” But the people who are just starting, they really need to feel that it’s one step at a time. Just start by walking. But no one’s really talking about the benefits of walking. You hear more about this most intense workout. That’s the one that’s the best. So if you just simplify things, start where you’re at, people will progress, and that’s how fitness works. ‘Cause if you keep doing the same thing, you’re not gonna progress, you’re gonna hit a plateau.
10:20 BM: Or if you start out too intensely, you burn yourself out, right? That’s why a lot of people, they get started, they join a health club in January and they quit in February.
10:27 JJ: Yeah, they go five times a week for the first three weeks, they’ve over-trained. They haven’t seen any weight loss. Stress is a funny thing. Stress in your personal life, also when you stretch your body in the gym, it’s the same kind of stress. Your body releases the same type of hormones. And that tends to hold onto a bit of water weight, when your body’s stretched to that degree. And there’s a huge advantage of taking those days off, resting, allowing your body to recover to see the full benefits of the effort you are putting in when you do work out, when you do break down the muscle. So it’s the method that you apply to get the results that you want, but you always have to start with, first, “What’s your goal?”
11:04 JJ: I think we think everyone wants to lose weight, but that’s not the case. People wanna be able to move without pain. People wanna get stronger. So first, you have to know your goal. From there, you have to ask the person “Well, if you lost 20 pounds, what would change for you? What would be better?” Then find out their reason, their purpose, so if it’s, “I wanna be able get on the floor with my toddler, and play with them and not feel out of breath or uncomfortable.” Alright, now, you have the purpose. So when you start towards making your way towards that goal and it becomes difficult because it will, you’re not gonna wanna do it every day. You remember, you remind yourself of that purpose, and that keeps you moving forward towards your goal. That’s motivation.
11:39 BM: I love that.
11:42 JJ: If you have people in your corner who are cheering you on, that’s even better. Social media has allowed people like myself to now have a megaphone, to have a louder voice.
11:51 BM: Right. I love that. I love you… You focus on the whole thing that you wanna move without pain because I’m never quite sure, Jennifer, where this whole expression of “no pain, no gain” actually started.
12:00 JJ: Well, that started in the bodybuilding days where you push past that discomfort and you hit that max rep when you’re… Half the chest press, the barbell loaded to the extreme to build mass. That’s where it came from. Now we need to move away from it because I’m seeing a lot of clients, a lot of people I speak with, they have desk jobs. They’re experiencing a lot of neck and shoulder pain. They’re not gonna go home and do 20 reps of three sets of push-ups. That’s going to just tighten their chest muscles and shoulders even more. They need to incorporate some mobility drills or corrective movements, I’m a movement specialist, to make their bodies feel and move better, more freely, optimize human movement. From there, you’ll be able to move more, so there you’ll be able to burn more calories. So if your goal is weight loss, that will happen. But if someone doesn’t feel right, if someone has pain, how are they gonna even get started in moving?
12:41 BM: Exactly.
12:41 JJ: You have to correct that, you have to correct it.
12:41 BM: Exactly. I was in Omaha this past month, and I stayed at this hotel chain called EVEN. And I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of it, they’re owned by the Holiday Inn. And every single room, there’s workout equipment ’cause it’s supposed be a healthy hotel. And I know that’s something that you’re focusing on, is giving people the tools so they can really work out everywhere. Talk about that.
13:16 JJ: So I recently launched a product that I created called the Travel Size Gym, which is a portable gym in a bag offering recovery, cardio, and strength training via resistance bands. And it’s not only the equipment that people need and that I personally use myself, but I’m actually creating a community on social media, on Instagram, to teach them how to use it. Because I feel like I’ve been in this position where I’ve bought every piece of equipment under the sun.
13:42 BM: Right. We all have.
13:42 JJ: And some of it just sits in the corner. I remember I bought this balancing ball and it didn’t come with any directions, came with maybe five moves you could do on it. After you do the five moves five different times, you’re kind of bored, and then it sits in the corner and collects dust. So my intention of a product is for it to be used, for people to put it in their briefcase, take it to the gym with them so they always have the tools they need, or take it on a trip with them. Just seeing something, like you mentioned, the hotel with the gym equipment, it encourages you to maybe use it. So that’s the intention behind that. I also find that people… It doesn’t take a lot to get a great workout. It doesn’t take the fanciest of equipment. It doesn’t take you having a gym membership because I have a gym membership to a local boxing gym. It’s not that local. I’m in New York City and it’s in Brooklyn. It takes me about an hour to get to the boxing gym and an hour training session with the coach, and then another hour to get back. I’ve just spent three hours when I could’ve worked out in my living room. Again, I wouldn’t have had the social interaction, but I could have put myself through an amazing workout with myself with an online video. So that gives me the ability to do both, especially when people don’t have a lot of time.
15:00 JJ: And if you don’t have a lot of time, you want something that travels with you. But then you wanna know how to use it, that’s the thing. So it was a product that allows me to connect on a deeper level with a group of people to really show them how to train anytime, anywhere and then reach their best self.
15:16 BM: So Jennifer, a lot of folks that listen to this show are small business folks and they’re personal trainers. You’ve had a lot of success as a personal motivational trainer. What advice would you give those folks that are just starting out or perhaps hit a lot of roadblocks in following their dream?
15:31 JJ: I think the first bit of advice is to have a purpose. I always say to my own clients that you must train with a purpose. Whatever movement it is, there needs to be a purpose to this movement. Same goes if you wanna be a trainer, have a purpose. From there, find your voice, find the platform so you can speak. And now with all of the advancements and video training and social media, you have the ability to be as loud as you want.
15:57 BM: Well, Jennifer…
15:58 JJ: But I think that when you say…
16:00 BM: No, go ahead.
16:00 JJ: When you truly do have a purpose, people see that, people see that you’re authentic. I really don’t like that word too much because it’s always used, but honestly, when you are sincere about the reason why you’re doing something, it shows.
16:14 BM: Well, I think that definitely shows to us, the folks that follow you online. Jennifer, where can people follow you, get in touch with you, learn about getting involved in J Method?
16:23 JJ: You can learn about the J Method on my website, thejmethod.com, you can follow me on social media on Instagram, @jmethod, Facebook, Jennifer Jacobs. I’m also on Twitter and recently added to TikTok.
16:36 BM: Excellent, Jennifer. Thanks for being on the show. This is a AM820 WCPT in Chicago. We’ll be right back.