When family values are at the forefront of your childhood it is inevitable that you will carry these with you through your life, ultimately instilling them into your own children one day. This couldn’t be truer for Animal Fitness owner and head coach and fitness dad Jesse-Callen Fleming.
At 28, Jesse is in the prime of his life. He is unquestionably good looking, fit and toned and incredibly dedicated to his equally attractive wife, Kerry and their gorgeous 25-month-old son, Easton-Callen. He also works hard to ensure they all live a healthy balanced life.
But things didn’t come easy for Jesse, who says he’s had to work hard for what he has in all respects. “Growing up I always loved sports, but in my younger days I wasn’t as well toned and agile as I am now. Perhaps that’s why my work ethic really matured – I knew that where I was physically, would never allow me to achieve what I wanted in life. My turning point was in Grade 8. Not only did I want to be great at academics, I also wanted to share in the success of my peers on the sports field, and being overweight was a huge problem. I had to work my butt off to achieve what I did in high school.”
Jesse went from being the last kid picked for a team to one of the first. “My motivation was not only based on me wanting to improve myself, but also on the fact that I had a family who stood behind me. Since my dad passed away when I was younger, my mom played the role of both parents. She was my biggest rock and supporter. She cheered me on, never frowned on me if I let myself down, and always encouraged me to keep going.”
Jesse is very clearly a dedicated dad who is completely adored by his ‘little man’. He says though that life is made better with challenges. As far as fatherhood, marriage and maintaining a healthy lifestyle go he says there is no real magic formula – it’s all about hard work.
“You get nothing out of life unless you put it all in. In my later school years I dreamed of owning my own gym, so I began to work towards that goal. Entrepreneurship is never an easy journey – it’s tough and sometimes stressful, but it’s so worth it.”
His gym, Animal Fitness, is Jesse’s ‘home away from home’. It’s a multifaceted gym that offers a lot under one roof.
“My experience and knowledge gained through the years, as well as advice from wise coaches and my studies have helped me create something special and unique. We offer functional fitness, boxing, wrestling for youth, Jiu-Jitsu, HIIT and Hiitstep Classes. I was fortunate enough to become the first Hiitstep instructor in South Africa and, to my knowledge, I still am the only qualified one. Our classes are explosive, unique, fun, exciting, progressive and effective. I put in a huge effort to ensure I form relationships with everyone who comes into my gym. This is my biggest draw card to being successful, and why I love what I do so much more. We are more than just a gym, we are family.”
A year into being married to Kerry, the couple was blessed their son – something they had both dreamed of.
“With family values having been at the forefront of both mine and Kerry’s upbringing, we both understood how we wanted to raise any child we were blessed with. We want nothing more than to teach our son everything we’ve learned and experienced in life.”
Because health and fitness is such a huge part of their lives, Easton-Callen has naturally picked up many of their healthy habits. Having pretty much grown up in the gym, he’s no stranger to typical gym exercises, and even tries his hand at a few alongside his mom and dad.
“Without forcing him or pushing him, he has chosen to be like us, and often joins in when we exercise or watches in awe. Kids really are sponges in our life, copying everything good and bad. For us as a family, being fit and healthy forms part of that important journey through life.”
“As a trainer, I’ve seen many people struggle with the major uphill battle to find the motivation to train and improve their fitness and well-being, in particular during the current pandemic. This lockdown has been incredibly difficult, it has impacted us on all levels – mentally, physically, emotionally and financially. It’s rare to find a person who can switch off all the negativity and just carry on with their day. I have been on an absolute roller-coaster in this period. We just have to be honest with ourselves, exercising is incredible for your well-being.”
Jesse says the most important place to start, is by finding (or making) the time during your day for some sort of exercise. Anything is better than nothing.
“I know there are factors that might make this seem or feel impossible, especially when we are emotionally low, but it’s really not that out of reach. My wife and I have to remain fit and healthy or it affects us in our daily living. With that being said, Easton-Callen demands a lot from us, and rightfully so. We don’t sacrifice his time for our workouts – we combine them. We have done this from the very beginning and it has blossomed into something we love. By setting an example for him, he has grown accustomed to workouts and exercises. I urge everyone, if you can, to get into some kind of routine of exercising as a family. It’s beautiful family time and you’re creating a solid foundation for your children to grow up to be fit and healthy.”
Details: Facebook: Jesse-Callen Wayne Fleming, Instagram: jesseanimalfitness
Here’s a simple workout that the whole family can enjoy…
- 50 jumping jacks
- 25 burpees
- 25 sit ups
- 25 squat jumps
- 25 push ups
- 50 high knees
- 25 plank jacks
- 25 tuck jumps
- 25 jackknives
- 25 sit throughs
- 50 mountain climbers
Do between two and four rounds.
“I believe everyone has the power to change their lives through hard work and effort. You just have to make the conscious decision to become better within your own journey.”
Photos by Penny Katz Photography, pennykatzphotography.myportfolio.com,
[email protected], 083 214 0692
