261. Jess Sims, Peloton Instructor

Ali on the Run Show

Ali Feller

Running, Fitness, Sports, Health & Fitness

4.9 • 4.2K Ratings

🗓️ 8 July 2020

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"Stop negotiating with yourself. Be like a little kid again and jump into the pool. Don't stick your foot in to check out the temperature. Don't think you have to have the right bathing suit on. Jump in the pool."

It's safe to say Jess Sims is one of the most popular fitness instructors in the country. As a Peloton instructor, Jess is known for her no frills, no BS, no gimmick approach to working out. She's the real deal, and she's passionate about helping people feel their best every day. And though Jess says she never dreamed about being a fitness instructor, let alone a global superstar with a massive platform, being an educator has always come naturally to her. On this episode, Jess shares her road to Peloton fame, which started by teaching not in fitness studios, but in classrooms: Jess did Teach for America, and taught kids in Houston, Harlem, and Massachusetts. Jess also talks about the a-ha moment that led her from her role as a principal to one on the podium, and explains why, at first, she actually turned down the opportunity to teach at Peloton. Plus, she talks about growing up in Peabody, MA, in a biracial family, and offers her take on diversity in the fitness industry today.

Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for 15% off all wireless headphones.

What you'll get on this episode:

Did Young Jess plan for a future in the fitness industry? (4:15)
How Jess became a teacher (7:45)
How Jess broke into the fitness industry (16:15)
On getting hired at Peloton, and what life looks like as a Peloton instructor (20:00)
On both "personal branding" and diversity in the fitness industry (41:00)
What it means to Jess to "take up space" (47:20)

What we mention on this episode:

Teach For America

Rebecca Kennedy

Follow Jess:

Follow Ali:

Listen & Subscribe:

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of The Alley On The Run Show is brought to you by Aftershocks.
0:04.2	Go to ontherun.aftershocks.com to save 15% on all wireless headphones.
0:10.0	Welcome to The Alley On The Run Show.
0:16.4	I'm your host, Allie Feller, and every week I talk with inspiring people who lead interesting
0:21.2	lives on the run and beyond.
0:23.6	And while running is the thing that brings us all together on these episodes, we cover
0:27.1	more than what happens on the run.
0:29.3	We learn the wise behind the runs.
0:31.5	The decisions people have made to get where they are today and how getting sweaty has
0:35.4	factored in.
0:36.4	And today's guest knows all about getting sweaty because that's her job to get sweaty
0:42.0	and to help all of us get sweaty too.
0:45.1	My guest today is Jess Sims and if you are a Peloton user, the bike, the treadmill,
0:50.0	the app, whatever, you probably know and love Jess.
0:53.5	She's a Peloton instructor and she is the most fun.
0:57.3	What I love about Jess and why I wanted to have her on the show today is that she's just
1:00.6	a cool, kind, motivating woman.
1:04.1	No silly frills, no BS, no gimmicks.
1:07.2	Jess is just the real deal and I very quickly learned in this conversation why exactly that
1:12.7	is.
1:13.8	Before coming to Peloton, before entering the fitness industry at all, Jess was a teacher.
1:18.9	She did teach for America.
	...

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