Women’s Health Week: Jamie George Personal Trainer

JAMIE GEORGE-Personal Trainer/ Master Instructor

This week (May 14^th – 20^th) is National Women’s Health Week! To help celebrate, I interviewed some of my favorite, most badass, brilliant, female minds in the health and wellness industry to feature.

Jamie George is a personal trainer and the master instructor, director of training at RIPPED Fitness, my favorite boutique fitness studio in NYC! RIPPED Fitness teaches a 50-minute high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout that combines treadmill intervals with strength and core work. I love it because it works!

I particularly love Jamie’s classes because she understands the female body. Her fitness knowledge is unparalleled. I’ve seen her transform her own body for competitions and she helps her clients build the bodies they want to see.

Outside of the gym, Jamie is in a serious relationship with her boyfriend, Sean. She has no kids herself but has two of the sweetest, cutest nieces (ages five and seven) and shares Sean’s amazing, mature 14-year-old daughter.

Shannon: How did you get started in the industry?

Jamie: I’ve played sports my whole life and have always had a competitive side. I started working at a gym (THE GYM, Armonk, NY) right out of high school. I was the retail manager and buyer in the gym’s boutique. After a few years at that position, I fell more in love with the fitness industry. I became a fitness instructor and then a certified personal trainer. I knew this was my calling and would be my lifelong career. Fast forward 12 years, and I’m still here! I have trained hundreds of clients and taught thousands of classes. I’ve even pushed myself to transform my body to own the title of the Nationally Qualified Bikini competitor for the NPC (National Physique Committee).

What does it mean to be a woman in health and wellness?

To be a woman in the health and fitness industry is so rewarding. To say I love my job is an understatement. I have the privilege and ability to make people, mainly women, feel their best, sexiest and strongest. As a trainer, you are helping clients build their self-confidence, something that they may have never had or have lost over the years as we get older.

You do personal training as well as teaching group fitness classes. What’s the biggest difference between the two of them for you and why do you continue to do both?

The energy I feel from The WAR ROOM at RIPPED when I’m teaching is indescribable. I basically get as much of a high from it as I do from my own workout. I feed off of the class’ hustle and even if I’m having an off day, just like my own personal workout, it resets me and refocuses me.

Working with an individual as a personal training client, however, gives me the ability to really connect and tap into their inner strength. Besides the mechanical part of physically being able to work on their form and mind/muscle connection, I’m able to develop this special bond as I watch them grow….or shrink! I’m seeing the happiness in their faces as a mom gets her pre-baby body back, or a bride gets into the best shape of her life or even seeing someone perfect a push-up or pick up a weigh they never thought they would be able to lift. They put their trust in me and allow themselves to become so open and vulnerable. I already believe in them, but seeing them find belief in themselves is the most rewarding.

What about health is SEXY to you?

I feel my sexiest in the gym throwing weights around. I’m building my strength and confidence and even keeping up with the big boys! I got my cute workout clothes on, my signature tight ponytail and I’m dripping in sweat with adrenaline running through me! That feeling of adrenaline, that’s that inner-strength that is pushing through.

How do you feel empowered in your line of work?

My day is always complete and my heart is always full at the end of my work day. I feel empowered by seeing my clients feel empowered. I know I’ve done my job when I get those texts after a workout or a class telling me how great they’re feeling.