FITNESS
Fun in
FITNESS
F
Former Oakland elementary teacher Jessica Glazer’s inspirational ways win national attention
INTERVIEW BY CINDY SCHWEICH HANDLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE-MARIE CARUSO
or as long as she can
remember, Jessica
Glazer has found joy in
gymnastics and physi-
cal training. For eight
years, she passed along
her love of physical
education and health,
teaching the subjects to
students at Dogwood Hill Elementary
School in Oakland. Her experiences and
insights into staying fit won her a position
as one of 12 finalists in 2017’s “America’s
Most Inspiring Trainer” competition,
conducted by lifestyle publication
Well+Good in partnership
with ReebokONE,
the fitness instruc-
tor network.
Among the
secrets of
her success:
Turning what
can be a
solitary struggle
into a fun,
bonding experience.
How did you get into gymnastics?
I was one of those kids who couldn’t sit still. My
parents enrolled me in gymnastics at age 5, and I
loved it right away. After one year, I joined the pre-
team, and then the regular. I started competing at
9, doing 20-25 hours a week of training. In fourth
and fifth grades, I was traveling all over the East
Coast for competitions. I joined the high school
team just for fun; we won All County a couple
years in a row because we had a very strong team.
What appealed to you
most about gymnastics?
I loved being upside down, being able to swing
and hang, manipulate my body and make it
stronger. I’m in my 30s now, and I still love the
same things about it. I might work on a new skill
for six months or two years. I love the physical
challenge, coming home sore and tired. Not
much has changed.
What prompted you to switch
your focus to physical training?
By my senior year in high school, I had a ton of
injuries. I’d fractured two vertebrae, and decided
not to pursue gymnastics in college. Meanwhile, I’d
been working in gyms for years after school. By
college, I had a lot of experience coaching and
training. At the University of Rhode Island, I got
certified to teach physical education and health to
kids in kindergarten
through grade 12.
JESSICA GLAZER , Age: 34
For eight years,
you taught at
Dogwood Hill
Elementary School
in Oakland. What
did you like best
about that job?
jessglazer.com
@jess.glazer, @fit.trips
facebook.com/glazerjess
Kids at that age are sponges, and they absorb
everything. I tried to decrease the pressures
the girls might feel about what their bodies
look like, and encouraged them to play and
get sweaty, to focus on what their bodies are
capable of doing. They’re so enthusiastic; I
think I learned more from them than they
did from me.
What was your biggest challenge at
Dogwood Hill?
I had surgery twice to have the ligaments
reattached to both ankles, and I had to teach
in a wheelchair three months at a time. Both
surgeries happened around Halloween, so I
had to think of costumes to go with the chair.
Once, I was a farmer on a tractor, and the
other time, I was Superwoman with fake legs
making me look like I w as flying over the city.
But the kids saw that adversity didn’t stop me;
(201) HEALTH | 2018 EDITION
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