Jenny McClendon, MS, PT, CGCP is a professional fitness specialist and the mentor behind Jenny Fit Start– a fitness platform for beginners and seniors. With a background in Physical Therapy and over three decades of teaching experience, Jenny’s passion is clear: providing people with the best fitness solutions and a focus on easy, enjoyable, and efficient fitness solutions. In this interview, she explains how one can begin a fitness journey regardless of age and her mission to help everyone find happiness in exercising.
Q. Can you share your background and what inspired you to pursue a fitness career?
“I grew up in the South where family and sports were everything! I grew up playing softball, cheerleading, and competitive gymnastics. I quit gymnastics at age 16 and turned straight to going to the gym every day where I fell in love with working out! I loved taking all the fitness classes and became an instructor the next year. I learned it was such a great way to make money, have fun, and stay in shape. Thirty-three years later, I am still teaching! My goal was to open up my own gym, so I majored in Physical Education and Sports Management in college but then decided Physical Therapy was for me. So I went to PT school and loved working with outpatient orthopedics and geriatrics.”
Jenny’s love for fitness is seen in her early start in teaching group fitness when she was only 17 years old. It has been over three decades since she committed herself to this profession, and it is evident that she has always been motivated by the need to serve people.
Q. What are some key principles or exercises you recommend for beginners who are just starting their fitness journey?
“I always tell my clients it is never too late to start an exercise program. It is never too late to see or feel a change but to do so, you must make a change. I first always recommend finding something that is fun for you. If you enjoy it, you are more likely to return and do it again. Find challenging activities, but that you feel successful in doing. Never compare yourself to others—make realistic goals that fit your lifestyle. Work with someone you trust—someone with the knowledge of the body, especially those of a certain age, as we need different things at different ages. And, remember 5 minutes is better than no minutes!”
While coaching her clients, Jenny always emphasizes that they should focus on enjoyment, trust, and patience when starting their fitness journey. Her approach is not geared towards getting quick results but towards creating a healthy and fun lifestyle.
Q. What common challenges do beginners face when starting a fitness routine, and how can they overcome them?
Most people who start an exercise program want to see fast results—we live in a world of immediate gratification—and we see social media ads that make us believe we can achieve unrealistic goals fast. So, it is important to be patient, listen to your body, modify when needed, and celebrate the slow, gradual changes. I also see overuse injuries in the beginning—sometimes we go too fast, too often, and that’s where we can be set back with aches, pains, and injuries like tendonitis. So it is important to go slowly and gradually add time, frequency, and intensity. I also encourage people to not compare themselves to others—set goals for yourself only.”
Jenny deals with the temptation to expect instant changes and focuses on the need to be patient and realistic with expectations.She once said, “Whenever you don’t feel like exercising, ask yourself: ‘Have you ever regretted it?’ That mindset can help push you through.”
Q. Can you provide an example of a success story or case study where someone significantly improved their fitness through your guidance?
“In my 24 years of practicing Physical Therapy, I have witnessed and been a part of hundreds of success stories. But, I will say the thing that stands out in my mind the most are the emails I received about COVID when I was putting videos on YouTube. People told me I made exercise fun for them, that I made them smile for the first time, that I was the reason they got out of bed to exercise, that they didn’t feel so alone, that they were no longer sad…those are the success stories that remind me of why I do what I do – it is my purpose in life to spread JOY and FUN through the power of health and fitness.”
The successstories that Jenny received are heartfelt and moving, and, especially the ones that she got during the pandemic are quite emotional. She helped people feel connected and cheerful while they were isolated, proving the emotional impact of fitness. She believes, “Motion is the lotion to our bodies.”
Q. What are your future goals or upcoming projects in the field of fitness that you’re excited about?
“I have the best job in the world—I am connecting with people from all over the world through exercise. I get excited each day to teach fitness classes, in person, and online. Jenny Fit Start has been such a blessing in my life, and I am working to simply spread the word of my business out there with my focus on more US and international fitness retreats, speaking engagements, guest classes, and more. It is my goal to meet as many of my Jenny Fit Bunch members as possible and continue to make a difference in the lives of others.”
Jenny McClendon’s philosophy on fitness is simple: “Make exercise fun—if it’s not fun, what’s the point?” In her YouTube channel called ‘Jenny Fit Start’, she has made fitness approachable and enjoyable for seniors and beginners alike. Jenny has been working for more than 30 years now and remains an excellent source of motivation for individuals to stay active, no matter their age or fitness level.
