“It’s a good pastime that brings laughter and movement, and we’ve found it to be the best medicine,” says Orillia Jump Rope Fitness Instructor.
Kelsi Graves is on a mission to promote mental health through exercise.
The 35-year-old Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute graduate started Kelsi Rae Jump Fitness earlier this year after quitting her desk job to care for her three young children during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was.
“At the end of December 2020, I felt like I hit a wall,” she said. “I felt it needed some kind of socialization.”
To get out of that rut, Graves decided to take up a 14-day accountability challenge on Instagram.
“Every day, I had to check in with a group of girls to make sure they were moving their bodies in some way,” she explained.
During the challenge, Graves decided to try jumping rope. This took me back to my school days of playing outside during recess.
“It’s very nostalgic,” she said. “I was like, ‘How can I make this my job? Because this is what I actually want to do every day.
Graves found new jump rope workouts on YouTube and Instagram and incorporated them into his daily routine.
“I realized that Instagram has a whole community of jumpers around the world,” she said. “I started an Instagram page and started following all of them and I saw this girl who was a trainer doing classes at the gym.”
This inspiration paved the way for Graves to succeed, offering women of all ages a fun workout without the fear of hitting the gym or lifting weights.
“I started classes at the end of May,” she said. , just having fun.”
Graves classes are held every Thursday night at ODAS Park.
“The energy is great,” she said. “A lot of moms come out to have that community, to push them, to socialize.”
The Orillia Figure Skating Club asked Graves to work with athletes for six weeks beginning in September.
“I’m excited to get some kids jumping rope,” she said. “I think it’s going to be fun.”
Also, Couchching CrossFit invited her to host a class on a fall evening.
“It’s really exciting,” she said. “It’s really popular and people love it.”
Graves says her programming has taught her a lot about improving mental health through her new business.
“I had anxiety and depression, and that made me hit a wall,” she said. “A lot of it is socializing, going out and finding that community, and it’s been a good distraction that brings laughter and movement, and I’ve found it to be the best medicine.”
If you would like to join Kelsi Rae Jump Fitness, please email jumpwithkelsi@gmail.com or follow her on Instagram.
Graves wants to grow his business.
“That’s the goal,” she said. “Eventually, we want to be part of a larger program such as CANSkip.”
She hopes to carve out a long and successful career in the jump rope business.
“I’ve never exercised before, so it’s funny,” she said. is trying to get out of the funk.
