HIP HIP HUZZAH for our July Client Rockstar, Jordan Fagan. Jordan and I have been training together for about 6 months (with ~3 weeks off for her surgery recovery recently.) Jordan is the epitome (at least from this humble outsider's perspective) of showing up for yourself so you can show up for others. Jordan and her husband, Dave (I'm sure y'all will meet him soon), work full time and are raising 3 young boys. Jordan and Dave both "show up" to train with me twice a week, so they can feel great and be great for themselves, each other, and their kids.
It's been amazing to watch Jordan go from someone who told me repeatedly, "I HATE PLANKS. I DON'T HAVE A CORE," to someone who have can do a bunch of crazy plank variations with relative ease and 0 complaints. Plus, after her surgery, her abdominal wall was so strong, she recovered amazingly quickly. When we first started working together, she would always sneak a finger on her dresser or her wall during single-leg exercises, but no más! Now, she's the balance queen. I could gush about her physical progress all day, but the most admirable things about Jordan are her dedication to loving her life, her awesome sense of humor, and her commitment to helping others - be it her family, her students, or other educators.
My thoughts and questions for Jordan are in bold.
You have an incredibly important job, but it means you sit a lot! Tell us about what you do and how intentional movement has impacted your life with a desk job.
Right now I’m working for a nonprofit that focuses on bringing inclusive classrooms to schools. It’s such rewarding work, but it involves a lot of sedentary research and data analysis. My neck, shoulders, and sciatic nerve are all so happy I made the decision to carve out time to focus on building strength and flexibility this year! I’m so much less achy and uncomfortable during the day now!
Um, you have 3 boys under 8 [WOW.] what advice do you have for parents of young’uns trying to make time for their health?
Honestly it’s worth the investment! My mental health benefits as much as my physical health does from spending a couple of hours a week doing something that is just for me. And my kids and marriage benefit from that time I spend refilling my own cup, so to speak. And as a working parent, it’s so difficult to prioritize self care, particularly when there’s commute time to the gym to factor into the equation. One of the great things about Zoom training with you is how convenient it is to reap all of the benefits of working out with a knowledgeable trainer offering personalized programming and real time encouragement and feedback about form without having to spend the time and energy adding an extra outing into an already packed day.
What’s changed for you since you started working with ieFitness?
I have a core now! I thought I bid it a fond farewell sometime during my third pregnancy, but it’s back! My neck and lower back don’t hurt when I’m hauling kids or bags around anymore! I will never be what you might call “graceful” but I can balance on one leg while I adjust my shoelace now and that’s definitely a first for me, hahaha!
When you’re not changing the world as an educator or working out with me, what things bring you the most joy in life?
I really love reading, bougie restaurants, and live music.
You just had gallbladder surgery, and we were both so impressed with your speedy recovery!! What role do you think your dedication to strength played in that?
Honestly I think it made a world of difference. I had another surgery a few years ago and my recovery was surprisingly long and I had a lot of lingering pain. This time I was back at it within a couple weeks, and I can only think it was because I had such a better “base” this time around
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Jordan certainly makes my world a better place and makes training sessions more enjoyable for her training partners! I'm so thrilled to be able to brag about her this month!