Meet Jessie, Skimble‘s latest featured Trainer! This Oregonian turned her passion for rowing into a career when she started her own traveling gym. We recently had the chance to catch up with Jessie Swaner and learn more about what motivates her to give back to her clients and the local community.
Tell us a bit about your background and where you’re from.
Jessie: I could swim before I could walk. I have two very athletic parents and it was really important for them to raise kids who played sports. I played soccer, swam, and was into horseback riding when I was younger. I swam competitively up until college and then switched to rowing. When I started rowing, I instantly fell in love with it. I always loved swimming, but not the way I love rowing.
What inspired you to become a personal trainer?
Jessie: It was my love for sports that led me to become a personal trainer. I was in my early 20’s when I decided I wanted to get certified as a personal trainer to help people. I also have my Bachelors degree in Community Health Education, so as you can see health has always been really important to me. My background in Community Health Education gave me the skills and tools I needed to help communities become healthier and happier.
What is Rowology and how did it all begin?
Jessie: It was my love for rowing that inspired Rowology. Rowology is the personal training business I started in Oregon. I focus most of my training around the rowing machine because I love it, and because most people don’t know what a great workout rowing can be. Rowing uses the whole body and builds muscles. I hope to open a gym that focuses on group training around the rowing machine; an interval style class where athletes can row, lift weights, then row again. That’s the dream!
How did you first hear about Workout Trainer?
Jessie: I first came upon Workout Trainer when I was researching workout apps. There are so many different types of workout apps out there, but there aren’t many with a comprehensive platform like Workout Trainer. It has the community, the workouts, and professional knowledge that both athletes and fitness enthusiasts need.
How do you use Workout Trainer as a part of your personal life and/or coaching business?
Jessie: Even though I’m a personal trainer, 98% of the time I use Workout Trainer when I’m at the gym working out myself. There are so many different workouts that it makes my weekly fitness planning easier. And I have the luxury of adding my own personal ones too, which is great because other users get to see what myself or other personal trainers are doing, and even try some of my workouts.
What helps you stay motivated to train?
Jessie: Music is what keeps me motivated to stay fit. I love listening to music! There are different genres I listen to for different types of workouts I’m doing. I usually listen to classical music when I’m doing yoga, rap when I’m lifting weights, and dance music when I’m rowing.
Share a secret health/fitness tip with the Skimble community…
Jessie: I know this isn’t a secret, but a lot of people don’t realize the importance of doing push-pull style workouts. Whether you are focusing on back or arms, it’s important that you do a push exercise with a pull, or focus on just pull or push for the day. 1) It really helps you focus on a workout routine 2) It allows the body to recover, and burn fat. It’s crucial to let the body recover, and who doesn’t want to burn more fat?!
Thanks for sharing with us, Jessie, we’re excited to see what the future brings for you and Rowology!
Want to follow Jessie and other great trainers? Download the Workout Trainer app for Android & iOS, then head on over to the new Trainers tab.
Are you a fitness professional? Want to become a Verified Trainer like Jessie and have access to free coaching tools and more? Get started on Skimble’s Trainer page.
