Owner/Coach
Name: Jessica Ashman

About Me: I grew up being the skinny girl with “twig arms” that struggled to gain weight. Before becoming a personal trainer, I rarely ate full meals with the proper amount of nutrients to fuel my body. Fast food, soda, and sweets were all I really ate, aka processed food and sugar. Although I grew up playing sports and climbing trees, I didn’t know a thing about working out and living a healthy lifestyle. It all changed when someone told me “you seriously need to eat a hamburger” and my doctor told me I was considered anorexic due to my weight. I had no idea and never thought about how irregular my eating habits were. I didn’t grow up with home-cooked meals, so I taught myself about food, what proper nutrition is, what a well-balanced meal looks like, and how to cook the basics. I grew up being a girl who did not like having her food touching on a plate to becoming someone who loves to mix chicken, sweet potatoes, and green beans together. Once I got into a normal gym routine, I slowly learned the basics of body building and became certified in 2016 as a personal trainer in Oregon.

Athletic background: I played softball from 2nd – 6th grade and basketball from 2nd – 11th grade. I loved playing both sports, but I enjoyed the quickness of basketball, so I stuck with it through high school. I picked up strength training at 19 years old and fell in love with the process of trying to get better every day. I am currently 28 and continue to learn and grow every year.

What made me want to be a coach: What I enjoy about being a coach is part of the reason why I enjoy working out in general. I love having the ability to push my body and test my strength continuously. Building muscle has brought me more independence than I thought it would and I enjoy watching my clients go through the same process as they learn how strong they are and what they are truly capable of.

It is the small wins that add up to their big wins that make me love what I do because fitness is so much more than just working out. When a client comes to me and says, “I finally got down a gallon of water!” or “I put shorts on for the first time in so long and felt good in them!”, it makes me happy because I know they are seeing more than just the physical results. You can’t have the physical without the mental and strength training helps build both. I love being a strength coach because I get to challenge others to be their best selves and give them the tools to help get them there.

Favorite upper body exercise: Lateral Raises

Favorite lower body exercise: Barbell RDLs

In 8 words or less tell us why you lift: You can’t have the physical without the mental