📍 New York, New York
NYC fitness trainer Gina DiNapoli developed her own training method in 2018 that has since enabled thousands of women to take their fitness goals into their own hands. If you've never been able to stick to a workout before - try JABS. It's addicting and affordable! Think beat-based, cardio kickboxing meets strength training. Currently, all classes take place over Zoom, and cost $5 for a 30-minute class and $9 for a 50-minute class. When you create your account, mention Uncover More in the referral section and JABS will match your first class and give you your second class free!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hi everyone! I'm so honored to be here. A little about me: When I graduated college and moved to NYC, I was a lost puppy in this big city. I felt so small, was in a toxic work environment in a male-dominated industry (commercial real estate), and wanted to escape so badly. I'm not sure what to escape, I just wanted to escape... I was in a rut. I found kickboxing and strength training (separately) and these single-handedly got me through some of the hardest days of my life. After 3 months of religiously working out, I was a new woman. I was able to manage my anxiety, I had made strides in my mental health, and I was proud of my body and all that it could do. Who knew I could kick and punch like that?! I loved it so much I got my fitness certification, auditioned for Equinox, and found what I believe is my life's purpose. A year later I created my own format that blends kickboxing and low-impact strength; it's called JABS! What inspires me to uncover more in my day-to-day...well, JABS's motto is #do1more which means you can always do 1 more rep, but we also try to apply that mentality to everything in life!
What is your day to day like?
My day-to-day is pretty much all management. I oversee all the incredible people who work for JABS from the instructor team to marketing, finance, operations, customer service, social media etc. It takes a village! I also spend around 10 hours a week programming/creating choreography. My workdays start anywhere between 7 and 8am and usually finish up around 9 or 10pm. The only thing I do for fun are my workouts, and thankfully I find jabbing really fun!!! Even if I am working a 12- or 13-hour day, if I can get that one hour of working out in it makes me really happy.
Was there a moment in your life where you had an “aha” moment?
YES! When I thought of the idea for JABS. There was actually a "moment" where I realized, wow, this something that's never been done before. It made me really confident in taking all the risks I took along the way - like quitting my corporate job - because I knew there was no [workout] program like it that existed in the marketplace.
How have you seen the fitness industry pivot this past year, and where do you see it heading in 2021?
This is a great question, and yes, I have! Last year there was a shift to video-on-demand (pre-recorded workouts) due to the circumstances, and my prediction is that this year it will shift from those pre-recorded workout videos to more live/zoom/interactive classes. I think consumers will get fatigued of staring at a screen with no feedback, and understandably so. If I am taking a workout class, I am not going to work as hard watching a video as I am taking a class in real-time with the instructor on the other end. I also am more likely to quit halfway or frankly, not even do the workout.
What did you wish you knew earlier in your career?
To be okay with where I am in this moment. Yes, I have big hopes and dreams for my business, but I accept where I am. I do not need to be a finished product yet.
How do you motivate those around you?
I motivate others by reminding them that they have made it through 100% of their toughest days. I think we often go through hard things and then once it passes we tuck that strength away until the next really tough thing comes along. I like to remind people that we have a lot of strength inside of us that we aren't using. I truly believe that we forget how strong we are sometimes. As a coach, it is my job to help remind people what's inside of them.
How do you measure success?
My success is my clients' successes. When they tell me that JABS gave them the confidence to achieve something non-fitness related in their own lives - the most recent one was last week, a Jabber received a promotion at work and I was the first one she told. That made me really happy.
What would be the soundtrack of your life?
I'll Make a Man Out of you -- from Mulan
Find Gina at @jabsbygina and JABS by Gina @jabscommunity on Instagram.
Find JABS by Gina at www.jabsbygina.com
