JAE EDWARDS- The perfect fit
WHEN you step into his zone, the first thought that comes to mind is that of a boot camp, and his clients will tell you that despite his friendly demeanour, he’s serious about his work.
They describe accredited strength and conditioning coach Jae Edwards as a focused, professional, no-nonsense yet caring individual who looks out for their well-being. Edwards, 28, does things differently at his gym, Sprytraining. It’s a place, he says, where you come to get lively and energetic. There is no air conditioning, no machines, instead there are weights, tyres, hammers, resistance bands and lots of space. For him, it’s all about free movement, strength and conditioning.
“Research shows that machines create muscular imbalance, and free movement is what we’re all about. The natural movement of humans surpasses restricted movement. People are scared when they come in and say they don’t know if it is for them, but it becomes normal afterwards,” Edwards told All Woman.
What makes him extra special is the fact that he is knowledgeable about illnesses specific to women, and tailors exercises to suit them. This creates a level of trust that is unwavering, and accounts for 80 per cent of his clientele being women.
“I know everything about my female clients, when they’re on their menstrual cycle, if they have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), endometriosis, anything. It’s a level of openness that says I’m here to help, whether it is with menstrual irregularity or working around different underlying issues that may affect weight gain. We have a doctor review all our clients monthly; we have a nutritionist and a physiotherapist,” he said.
Edwards, who returned to Jamaica fully last year after migrating to Britain at the age of six with his mother, told All Woman that he was once deemed a problem child while growing up in Hackney, London, but experienced a change when he lost a friend to stabbing. Thereafter he studied politics, economics and information technology in sixth form then went on to study law and international relations at Keele University in Staffordshire, England, before joining the reserve forces in Britain, where he developed a passion for physical activity.
“I started as an officer cadet then I became a platoon commander. I didn’t pursue the regular army as a career, but being a leader in the army, the first way for men to respect you is through physical performance. If you can perform physically well you gain one inch of respect from everyone,” Edwards said.
Shortly after, he pursued a master’s in global political economy at the University of London and went into banking, but says he hated the sedentary lifestyle and decided to pursue his passion.
“Women tend to be more successful with their training as they push more and are more committed,” he said.
“I realise women are equal to men in training. They can be pushed just the same. With added knowledge it made me realise women could lift as heavy as men, jump as high as men, run as fast as men and not look like men. In the mornings when I work with the ladies I push them just the same as any guy. The emphasis is about hard work, dedication, discipline and consistency.”
Edwards explained that many times it’s not about weight training and losing weight, but simply about someone’s general health.
“Sometimes you may have a female client who has high levels of stress hormones running through her blood because of her work. It doesn’t mean you have to always train her to lose weight primarily. You can help her to exercise, to reduce the stress in her blood. You have to understand issues they have, be helpful about it and not use it to your advantage. It’s about being respectful and understanding that women trust you with this sensitive information,” he said,
He also believes that there is no woman who complains about working out without a good reason.
“Knowledge opens the mind. If someone is complaining you should listen and see how best you can help them. Are there women who complain and don’t want to work out? No. If one sits and finds out the problem and addresses it, it helps. Women are more emotional. You just have to understand that women are different. Our aim is to get motivated and motivation isn’t only physical.”
When not in the gym, Edwards enjoys reading, spending time with his girlfriend, going to the beach, or cooking. Though the travel bug has left him temporarily, a few of his favourite places include Brazil, because it reminds him of Jamaica, and Denmark, because of its happy culture.
“No matter what issues you face, it’s one’s ability to accept it for what it is and push through. Do something productive despite your circumstances,” he said.
