Meet Brenda, one of our new personal trainers! Brenda has worked in the fitness industry in some capacity for about twenty years! Brenda is from Ireland and started her fitness journey in the world of gymnastics. She began gymnastics at age six at a place called Muckross Park Gymnastics Club, where she was the youngest founding member of the club at the time.
Brenda decided to venture out from competing and got her certificate to be an assistant gymnastics coach when she was sixteen. She went on to further coaching/training accreditations and worked as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer in Dublin, Ireland. Brenda coached Women’s Artistic Gymnastics in Ireland for about twelve years, training the 1994 Irish Senior National Champion, before moving to the Bay Area later that year. She continued her career in gymnastics at West Valley Gymnastics School where she trained competitive and recreational athletes for about six years.
Brenda branched out from coaching and started working in the legal field and then entered into high tech. She worked with Meta for just over eleven years. Brenda decided to restart her career in fitness and became recertified in personal training in February.
While gymnastics played a large role in Brenda’s fitness journey, she picked up on a few other modalities. Brenda took up competitive speed walking and later in life, became fascinated with kettlebells. She even got her teaching certificate in kettlebells in 2016 and trained with Tracy Reifkind, who is known as the Kettlebell Swing Queen.
Brenda loves being a personal trainer because she loves to help people realize their ability. She loves helping people find enjoyment in movement. Brenda says it is so important for people in her age group to do strength training. She finds great joy in seeing the improvement people can make and knowing that it is contributing to their health.
Brenda has many hobbies outside of the fitness world such as wine tasting, walking her dog, reading, traveling and international protocol and is a Board Member of Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services.
As a reminder, all members thirteen years of age and older get a complimentary Health and Fitness Orientation. Brenda is eager to take on new clients and help people achieve their health and fitness goals! Brenda is also joining the group fitness team and will be teaching Chair Exercise starting in April. Her class will be on Tuesdays at 10:30am in the Adult Lounge.
