When Stonehaven personal trainer Jen Coventry puts her mind to something there’s absolutely no stopping her.
From marathons and bodybuilding competitions to international Hyrox fitness races and weightlifting, the go-getting mum-of-one thrives off pushing herself outside her comfort zone.
“You don’t want to be on your death bed thinking you’ve got so many regrets,” says Jen.
“You’ve got to be adventurous.”
Based at Impact Fitness gym in Stonehaven, the vivacious 35-year-old’s journey to becoming an in-demand personal trainer is nothing short of inspiring.
Her remarkable fitness story begins at primary school when a motivational teacher encouraged her to take up running.
“In P6/7 I had this amazing teacher who was so good for getting kids into fitness,” says Jen.
“He inspired me to join the school running club and we travelled all over Scotland to compete.
“My sister was also inspired by him and she went on to run for Scotland.”
After school, Jen went to university where socialising soon took precedence over working out.
But everything changed when her beloved mum Shelley sadly died after a short battle with stomach cancer in 2017.
“My mum was only 55 when she died,” says Jen.
“My little boy Hamish was really young at the time so I didn’t really have time or space to grieve.”
To lose her mum at such a young age made Jen re-assess her life.
“My mum wasn’t an unhealthy person at all but it made me think that I really need to look after myself because 55 is so young to die,” says Jen.
“So when my mum died I was like ‘right I need to do something positive here’.”
Witnessing the incredible support that her late mum Shelley received from Macmillan Cancer Support inspired Jen to run the London Marathon.
“Although my mum died quite quickly after her diagnosis, Macmillan were absolutely incredible,” says Jen.
“One Macmillan nurse in particular was amazing.
“I wanted to do something to give back as she was so well looked after.
“So I started running and found it a great way to clear my head.
“I managed to get a space in the London Marathon in 2018 and raised about £7,500 for Macmillan Cancer Support.
“After that, I was like ‘what am I going to do next’.
‘Bodybuilder training was pretty exhausting’
Inspired by her mum, Jen went on to take on more sporting challenges including bodybuilding competitions.
“In 2022 I did four bodybuilding competitions in the space of a few months,” says Jen.
“To train for the events I was getting up at 4am, eating some food, going to the gym and training and then going to work – five times a week.
“It was pretty exhausting.
“But the training was good because you’re seeing your body changing.”
Jen is immensely proud of the blood, sweat and tears she put into bodybuilding.
“It was a very empowering experience,” says Jen.
“It felt good to show off how hard you’ve worked on the stage.
“People don’t realise that the bodybuilding poses are easy but they’re not, they’re so hard.
“You’ve got to practice every day and because you’re holding positions it’s so sore on your back and you can end up with cramp on stage because you’re trying to hold that position.”
Proving that hard work and perseverance pays off, Jen reached the British bodybuilding finals before deciding it was time to take a break from the sport.
“With work and family life it was too hard to maintain the bodybuilding training,” says Jen.
“I’m proud of myself to say I have done this but for now it’s onto new things.
“I just want to show that you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it.”
It’s that unshakable positive mental attitude that Jen brings to her personal training business as she now helps others to feel good both mentally and physically.
“I would never train my clients like the way I trained for the bodybuilding competitions as that is a very specific type of training,” says Jen.
“My PT style is more about focusing on making lifestyle changes.
“With new clients, quite often we’ll meet for a one-to-one PT and then I’ve got a programme that I’ll build for them around their needs so they can go to the gym themselves.
“I’ll also build a food plan for them as well.
“I don’t say this is what you eat but I’ll look at calories and how much protein, carbs and fat you should be eating.”
‘Life is about challenging yourself’
And if you think Jen has plans of slowing down, think again as she is now taking on Hyrox competitions around the world.
“I love Hyrox as it’s a great mix of both cardio and strength work,” says Jen
“So far I’ve done Hyrox competitions in Birmingham, Stockholm, and Paris plus I’m doing one in Malaga in March next year and the following day I’m running the Malaga half marathon.”
There’s not a day that goes by when Jen doesn’t think about her beautiful mum Shelley.
“My mum is my inspiration,” says Jen.
“For me life is about challenging yourself and if it doesn’t work then at least you can say you’ve tried.”
Wellbeing diary with Jen Coventry
What are your top three tips for health and wellbeing?
1: You CAN make time for you for a few hours a week. Get out in the fresh air or go to a gym class/the gym. Don’t ever feel guilty for prioritising yourself.
2: Don’t use your kids as an excuse not to exercise. They are the reason you should get fit.
3: Try something new. It’s scary to begin with but 99% of the time you’ll love it and it will be become part of your weekly routine.
How do you like to de-stress?
As I’m always chatting away to people in the gym and clients I like to have a wee 30 minutes of chill time at home listening to music but recently I’ve made time to go to a yoga class. It’s good to clear the head but also for stretching which helps with my training.
Do you have any daily habits which help your mental health?
I thrive on being busy but sometimes take on too much. So I make realistic daily “to do” lists and this seems to make things easier to achieve daily.
Have you read any inspiring health/wellbeing books or listened to any good podcasts recently?
I’m really rubbish for making time to do this. It’s a New Year goal that I can take time to read. Personally I love speaking to personal trainers with more experience than myself and other entrepreneurs. We are all learning, so learning from each other and encouraging other businesses I think is a must.
Where do you shop for your workout gear?
I am fussy and have tried a lot of brands. It’s got to be Sweaty Betty for running leggings. They stay up and they have a pocket for the essentials. When in the gym though I love Ryderwear and Adanola. Squat proof and very comfortable.
What advice would you give someone who is looking to start exercise but is maybe a bit nervous?
It’s scary to be out your comfort zone not knowing what to do or wondering if you might not manage. However life is short and whilst you have your health, enjoy it. Take the step to speak to staff in a gym or a personal trainer. If they are the right person to help you it won’t feel overwhelming. You’re capable of more than you think.
For more information about Jen, check out her Instagram page @just_jen_fitness
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