“The basic training forces you to push your endurance beyond what you’re comfortable with. You’re serving your friends, which means you’re also serving Australia. I think that is where I discovered my curiosity about powerlifting.”
After leaving the ADF, Jason stayed fit and lived a healthy lifestyle while doing various jobs in Food retailing, Plumbing, Transport, Garden Maintenance and Security.
Then in 2018 Jason heard about the NEIS program and decided to start his own Personal Training business. With the help of his local NEIS provider, he completed a business plan as well as an accredited Certificate Course in New Small Business and started Winter’s Fitness in July of that year.
Jason has established a loyal group of clients who enjoy his enthusiasm, knowledge and dry sense of humour. He is physically fit and hardworking and expects the same of his clients.
Last year, Jason trained for four months, four sessions a week, to compete in the Paragon Open Powerlifting IV Competition. For all that training he had only 30 seconds to compete. His challenges were bench lift 110 kilograms, back squat 170 kgs and deadlift 210 kgs. Jason rose to the challenge and won the bronze medal.
Due to the Coronavirus, Jason had to find ways to adapt his business so he could continue operating. He began conducting his training online and outdoors using a personal trainer app to set appointments and to track results and Zoom to communicate with clients and conduct classes.
With COVID-19 restrictions starting to relax, Jason is now coaching clients back at the gym and is continuing to coach outdoors. Jason has learned a lot through this time and was grateful for the assistance he received from NEIS to keep his business open and continue working with his clients.
