Jennifer Opaka

 

Owner Jennifer Opaka has worked in the fitness industry for 20 years. She began teaching aerobics in the heyday of spandex, legwarmers and Jack LaLanne health clubs (She has admitted to wearing leg warmers and headbands). Members would often ask her for additional private training and she soon began her personal training career, almost by accident. “I had planned on going to law school, but fell in love with helping people achieve their [fitness] goals.” Working with people one on one had its benefits, but she still loved group fitness and began working with corporations to plan athletic events for their employees. She did this for seven years while working with the fitness department at the Marriott Corporation in downtown San Diego.

 

She then met Jeff Kohli at Peninsula Athletic Club who inspired her to learn more about strength training, especially for an aging/rehabilitating population. She completed Jeff’s Personal Training Certification in addition to the ACE (American Council on Exercise) and ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) for Personal Training. She is a Pilates Instructor (400 hour training) and has taught at San Diego State University for the Personal Training Certificate Program.

 

Jennifer started Progressive Fitness because she “wanted a professional training company that focused solely on client needs and not just the philosophy of the trainer. I’ve learned how to design realistic programs that work for everyone. By listening to my clients, we always discover what it really takes for them to achieve their goals.” She welcomes all clients ranging in age from 16 to 95, with fitness goals from weight loss/strength training to balance training or pain management (specifically joint pain and arthritis).