Launched in October, the business is operated by two certified physical trainers who offer individualised exercise coaching. Ms. Lumley is also a certified sports massage therapist.
Ms. Lumley: We’re going to utilise the outdoor environment and do whole body exercising with some resistance. Our aim is to educate people in performing the fundamentals of exercising — lunging, squats, twisting, pushing-pulling movement — to incorporate the core. Sometimes people these days are going straight into an exercising environment but are doing poor execution of exercises. The result is more injuries. Lower back pain is one of the most common that people get, and that’s either because of tight muscles or a weak core. Sports massage, which I do, I look at people’s deficiencies, deviancies in the body. I don’t just deal with sports people, I deal with all general public. People with office jobs, I can see if they’ve got upper muscles that need working on, obviously hamstrings, lower muscles because of that sitting position.
How did you get interested in this line of work?
Ms. Jackson: I lost a lot of weight. I went to university and met Marie. She was always sporty and doing sports therapy and I thought, let’s get this down here in the Virgin Islands. I’d had the name Fit4You in mind for years and when I lost the weight and was getting more active I thought why don’t I get certified and involved.
Ms. Lumley: I was a competitive swimmer from the age of like 9 until 18. My life has pretty much been swim trainings, garlands, competitions. Throughout my school as well I did football. Sport has always been a huge passion for me, so when I went to study sports therapy at university it was an easy transition. I did sports massages for the football team. And I was part of Kidney Research UK Charity and we did the London Marathon, Great North Run. For the events that go on here, I’d like Fit4You to have a tent for runners to offer our services. The last sport I did was boxing. I did a few matches in the UK. Boxing fitness has got to be one of the hardest sports I’ve done in my life.
When you say “use the outdoors,” what does that mean?
Ms. Lumley: For example, we incorporate the beach and do beach workouts. Open space, natural environment, minimal gym equipment, and using yourself as resistance weight first. If anyone can’t really do a pushup with their own body weight, they should start with body weight first before beginning other training.
When you listen to clients, what is driving them to sign up with a service like yours?
Ms. Jackson: Personal service. We’ll come to you, pick you up if you don’t have transportation. All exercises don’t have to be outdoors: If people want to use their home they can, if they’re not confident enough to be in the outside and be seen. Because I remember, I didn’t like to be seen at first.
Ms. Lumley: People want education and motivation. And they have specific goals and needs really.
Ms. Jackson: We have a lot of female clients right now, and the biggest thing is weight loss. But we try to encourage them not to look at it as weight loss, not to think you’re going on a diet. We don’t recommend diets. We just want to educate them to change their lives for the better as I did and many other people have. We’re not just teaching people exercise, because exercise is optional. Movement is essential. We’re teaching people through exercise how to move efficiently and properly. Because the older you get your muscle mass and bones deteriorates.
Interview conducted, condensed and edited by Jason Smith.
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