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Her Legs Are Rockin. And She’s Just Getting Started.
Every weekend, Jennifer VanGelder climbs Mount Pisgah.
This weekend, she’s doing it ten times.
“I find my legs are rockin,” she said. “They’re not exhausted like they would have been.”
That’s not something she could have said a year ago.
Before PowerStrength, Jennifer’s exercise routine consisted mostly of walking. She had tried gyms over the years — classes, CrossFit hybrids, traditional weight rooms — and none of it ever stuck.
Today, her Monday and Friday training sessions are non-negotiable. Her family knows to schedule around them. She tracks her muscle mass monthly.
And she’s telling her daughters to start strength training now – before they’re her age.
The transformation didn’t happen overnight. But it didn’t take long either.
YEARS OF TRYING
Jennifer is honest about her history with gyms.
“I kind of consider myself someone who has joined gyms and then has like paid to get out of gyms — just never really finding what I liked,” she said. “I’ve tried classes, I’ve tried the CrossFit hybrid kind of thing, I’ve done regular gyms. Nothing ever stuck.”
Before PowerStrength, she was walking. That was it. She knew she needed more — her doctor kept asking what she was doing for exercise — and she kept seeing the conversation around strength training growing louder on social media and among other women her age.
But she didn’t know where to start.
“I probably haven’t done actual equipment stuff since I was in high school,” she said. “I just didn’t know where I would do that.”
WHAT WAS DIFFERENT
When Jennifer first heard about PowerStrength, one thing caught her attention immediately.
“One of the biggest draws I had here was the fact that they advertised for 40 and older,” she said. “I very much was wanting to be in a crowd more around my age and maybe even my ability.”
She came in for strength training. What she didn’t expect was the community.
“I don’t know when I joined that I was expecting that,” Jennifer said. “I came in just wanting to learn more about building strength. The community ended up probably being the part that is the reason I keep coming back even more so.”
She was nervous at first. Her very first session was just her and a coach — intimidating by any measure. But as more members joined and she started recognizing familiar faces, something shifted.
“The people I was working out with reminded me of myself. I felt like I was with my own peers. Everyone is so friendly. I don’t feel like it’s overly competitive. Every time you come in, you’re like, oh yeah, so-and-so is here. It just feels different that way. It makes it not so scary.”
THE RESULTS
Jennifer tracks her progress with monthly InBody scans, and the numbers have moved consistently in the right direction — more muscle mass, improved tone, a body that is visibly and functionally stronger than it was.
But the results she talks about most aren’t on a scan.
They show up on hikes, on the side of a mountain, ten climbs deep — legs that don’t quit the way they used to.
They show up at work too. Jennifer is a hairdresser — on her feet all day, arms constantly moving. The endurance and upper body strength she’s built has made a difference in how her body feels after a long day in the salon.
And then there’s what her husband noticed.
“He made the comment — ‘Your arms are looking pretty nice.’ That’s a nice thing to hear.”
A NEW PRIORITY
Something changed in how Jennifer thinks about her time.
Before PowerStrength, exercise was something she fit in when she could. Now it’s the anchor everything else gets built around.
“I have found myself now that I actually schedule everything else around my times when I come here,” she said. “My Monday, Friday are like non-negotiable. You work around my gym time — and they know that.”
Her family has noticed more than just her schedule changing.
“I think they notice that I have a better attitude,” Jennifer said. “Not only coming here for the strength part — the mental part has also been huge.”
More energy. A clearer head going into each day.
“I sleep better. Definitely more energy for sure. I love that about it.”
THE LONG GAME
Jennifer thinks about more than how she feels today.
She thinks about her 50s and 60s. She thinks about the people she sees in the gym who are decades ahead of her in age — and still moving, still strong, still capable.
“I love when I come in and see some of these people in their 60s and 70s and I’m like — I want to be like that,” she said. “Because you can do so much more when you have that strength and mobility than not.”
She wants to keep hiking. She wants to stay independent. She wants the kind of body that can get in and out of a chair without thinking about it, push itself up, carry what needs to be carried.
And she’s building that now, while she still can.
“I want to be able to continue hiking into my 50s and 60s. Doing this kind of stuff now — that’s how you get there.”
She’s already passing the message on.
“I’ve actually said that to my daughters — I highly recommend doing it. Working on that at a younger, earlier age is very important.”
WHAT SHE’D TELL YOU
Jennifer has one thing she wants people to know before they talk themselves out of starting.
“Everyone is super welcoming. The coaches are great at accommodating what you need. If I come in and say my knee has been bugging me, they will tweak my movement accordingly. They push us, but they also know our limitations.”
And if the idea of lifting weights feels intimidating?
“I feel like there’s such a misconception — everyone’s like, oh, you’re lifting, you’re going to get so bulky. No, you’re not.”
She speaks from experience now. And she doesn’t hesitate.
“I 100% wish I would have started this sooner.”
When asked to finish the sentence “PowerStrength is…” Jennifer didn’t have to think long.
“Community. It really is. It’s a big piece of community with everybody. It’s just so much encouragement.”
READY TO MAKE YOUR NEXT 10 YEARS YOUR STRONGEST EVER?
Men and women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who want to get stronger and have more energy can join the Personal Training Program at PowerStrength at any time. No previous workout experience is required — each program is customized to the fitness and ability level of each individual.
Multiple personal training sessions are offered in the early morning, mid-morning, late afternoon, and evening. Find your nearest PowerStrength location — Alpine, Kentwood, Jenison, Plainfield, Holland, or Byron Center.
Click powerstrengthpro.com/adult/contact-adult to learn more and schedule your risk-free consultation.