In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th, we reached out to the inspiring women of the Jolt Fitness community and invited them to express their dedication to fitness and well-being in hopes to inspire others. If you have tried a gym in the past and quickly decided it wasn’t for you, then I hope these women will help empower you to try again, to never give up and keep pushing for integrity in women’s health.

We felt truly inspired to share the story of the Finlayson family this Family Day. It was amazing to see Brooke spotting her mom as she tackled a heavy, loaded barbell bench press. Moreover, the sight of Kelly and Scott lifting side by side in our classes is testament to the strength of this family - physically and emotionally. When we established Jolt Fitness, our primary aim was to inspire and welcome the entire community. Witnessing families like the Finlaysons become part of the Jolt Fam reaffirms that we are progressing toward achieving our mission of building resilient bodies and creating high-quality lives in Huron County. To the Finlaysons and all the families who have made Jolt Fitness their second home, you inspire us and the entire Jolt Fam!

Creatine is well known for its ability to enhance strength and help build muscle mass. It rapidly replenishes ATP in muscle cells, allowing for continued high-effort performance and strength gains. Creatine is becoming more recognized for a broad spectrum of health benefits, including its support for cognitive function, heart health, and potentially even aiding in preventing age-related declines in mitochondrial function.

Join us for Jolt Testing Day where the Jolt Fam will be challenged to an express version of the Jolt Fitness Test. This annual testing day allows members to track their yearly progress and receive semi-customized training suggestions on areas of improvement. Use this data to help you progress and make the right fitness choices for your resilient body and high quality life.

The hardest part about quitting is re-starting. And re-starting is not optional. Whether we like it or not, fitness is a daily health practice like brushing our teeth and taking a shower. We don’t think “hmmm, I am not motivated to brush my teeth lately and throw the tooth brush away”…

With the shocked looks I get as I finish up my Air Bike sprints, also come a lot of questions from other women.

Is that safe? Wow, should all women train like that? Did your doctor approve that? How should I train during my pregnancy? What should I change in my current workout routine now that I am pregnant?

When I first found out I was pregnant, there was a mourning period. Although we are of course happy and blessed to be able to have children (and wanted to grow our family), there was still a part of me that was mourning the loss of everything in my life that came before this. My whole life I have identified as an elite athlete turned fitness professional. The majority of my 30 years on earth has revolved around my body, it’s performance levels, and my health and fitness. The first three months of pregnancy I was learning to accept change and I remained in shock and denial for a long time….

Research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2012 found that progressive resistance training is effective in improving insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. This means that weightlifting can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Resistance training helps build your body up allowing us to sculpt the areas of the body that aesthetically we’d like to improve. Resistance training can target build, but it cannot target burn….

Reign Body Fuel is the equivalent to the average large coffee with both boasting about 180g of natural caffeine. Reign Body Fuel uses a natural caffeine source vs. synthetic caffeine making it similar in effects to your morning brew. Reign uses caffeine from Green Coffee Beans providing a sustained release of energy throughout the course of your workout.

Many energy drinks and speciality coffee drinks are high in sugar and calories containing over 200 calories per single serving. Black coffee and Reign Body Fuel are the best low calorie options for those looking for a performance boost while chasing body composition goals. Reign has other added benefits sprinkled in like CoQ10, BCAAs and Electrolytes that makes it an aligned choice for fitness fanatics over other energy drink brands.

The pelvic floor does not only need to be strong and contract, but it also needs to be able to relax. The pelvic floor needs to work in symphony during active labour. The pelvic floor is made up of muscles, nerves, ligaments and fasciae. The good news is, we’re well practiced as our pelvic floor has been activated ever since our first breath. The pelvic floor is connected to our diaphragm and upper abdominal muscles. Inhale and it relaxes, exhale and it contracts. This is why deep breathing exercises pre, during and post labour are crucial for an optimal pelvic floor function (3). Deep breathing exercises are safe for everyone, as they stimulate both contraction and relaxation. On the contrary, exercises like Kegels may have a positive or negative effect on pelvic floor function based on the individual needs. For example, if one’s pelvic floor is over active/contracted they would benefit more from relaxation drills and more Kegels could actually lead to more dysfunction. Consult with a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist if you’re unsure what’s best for your body.

I share my story in hopes to provide perspective of why Jolt exists and the reason we’re so passionate behind our methods. Many people assume, that personal trainers are the ‘health ideal’, that we never struggled with our health. Although the opposite tends to be true, many personal trainers pursue this career because of what they have been through. Your personal trainer has struggled, faced challenges, and continues to be a work in progress. No one lives a perfect life, but everyone has the opportunity to build their resilient and high quality life.

Calories are made up of 3 main nutrients; carbohydrates, protein and fats. All are important to healthy and resilient body. All three nutrients come in natural and processed forms leading to higher quality and lower quality options.

Carbs help give us energy, protein helps build us up, and fat helps regulate internal systems. If we look at these nutrients as a hockey team; Carbs are the hardest workers on the team, protein is your captain and leaders, and fat is your coach. You need all three to have a great team.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re ready to get off the elliptical and take your fitness to the next level. Maybe you’re tired of doing endless amounts of fitness challenges and YouTube workouts that guarantee to “lengthen” and “tone” muscles?

If you went to the dentist and they told you that you have a cavity, would you go home and try to drill it out yourself?

We’re guessing you’d be more likely to rely on the dentist’s help, guidance and expertise. Fitness is the same way, it’s so much easier, more fun, and effective when guided by an expert trainer. If you have participated in fitness in the past and didn’t enjoy your experience in the gym or you’ve never felt like you would “fit in” at a typical gym, we’re here to change that. We’re revolutionizing the fitness industry by providing active health care rooted in education and integrity that improves your quality of life outside of the gym and builds a resilient body.