Lynda Jager wants you to ignore your anxiety and chase your dreams, as long as you stay in shape in the process.
The World of Female Bodybuilding
Female bodybuilders have been shunned by the media for years. Now, in modern times, the stigma is quickly being broken. Female bodybuilding has seen a massive increase in competitors and viewership, and a fair deal of that is thanks to Lynda Jager.
Old and Bold
Professional bodybuilding wasn’t always the focus of Lynda Jager’s life. This grandmother of 6 was formerly a hobbyist weight lifter. Most importantly, she is just a normal woman who pursued her dreams and she wants you to know that you can too. Lynda struggled with some serious mental health issues that prevented her from pursuing her career until later on in life, in fact, they were so serious, they almost caused her medical distress early on…
How She Got Here
When Lynda was a kid, she struggled with crippling social anxiety. This prevented her from playing team sports, which her parents pushed her to do, and caused her to stay inside most of the time. Lynda was depressed, exhausted all the time, and her health was failing in her teenage years. Her doctors urged her to get more exercise, if she didn’t she would be susceptible to obesity and early-onset heart disease.
Finding a Solution
Lynda decided that she needed to change her life in a big way. Since she didn’t want to play team sports, she worked with her parents to set up a weight lifting area in their basement. She struggled at first, she didn’t want to work out at all. But, after developing a routine and relying on the positive support from her parents, Lynda soon got completely hooked on fitness…
Catching the Bug
When Lynda outgrew her teens, she started seriously focusing on fitness. In her 20s, she would strictly watch workout videos and try to replicate them. This was her only hobby for a long time, and while she was doing this she was researching anatomy and nutrition, trying to figure out what would benefit her most to make her workouts better.
Dialing In
As Lynda got older, her interests became more professional. She started pursuing an education in personal training. Building her own nutritional calendar and workout routine helped her put this passion in perspective since she was her own personal trainer before she even had the opportunity to work with anyone else. The validation Lynda was receiving from all this positivity bumped her confidence up so far, she started taking more risks in her life…
Overcome the Anxiety
Lynda became more confident to go out in public without covering herself up. As she became more of an adult, she was able to push past her anxieties and join a bodybuilding gym. Although the bodybuilding world was viewed as a men-only activity, Lynda didn’t care about her discomfort, and she vowed to chase her professional bodybuilding dreams no matter what the cost.
Confidence is Key
Initially, Lynda was comfortable in her gym. But, as soon as she started to get to know the members there, the comments started rolling in. Men would offer unsolicited advice, and toss backhanded comments at her constantly. This probably came from a place of jealousy, because Lynda’s drive was just as powerful, if not stronger than most of those guys. There was one man, however, that stuck out to Lynda…
Leaving His ‘Mark’
This man was working as a personal trainer for a male member of the gym that Lynda worked out at. He would gaze Lynda from across the room, and every once in a while they would lock eyes. After his contract as a personal trainer was up, this man got a membership at the same gym. He was shy and anxious, just like Lynda.
Extending a Gesture
It took a long time for this man to work up the guts to talk to Lynda. When he did, he was awkward and uncomfortable, and Lynda thought he was just adorable. This man’s name is Mark. Eventually, Lynda asked him on a date. Just a few years later, they got married. Mark became Lynda’s personal trainer and coach, and he pushed her to do what she had always dreamed of doing…
Pep in Her Step
Mark started secretly training Lynda for competition-style bodybuilding. He slowly adjusted her diet plan and workout routine to help get her in shape for the inevitable. Lynda acted like she didn’t know, but in her experience, she knew exactly what was going on. She was anxious and didn’t want to confront Mark about it, because he was so supportive. He would eat, and train with her on the same schedule, and he never let her stop or slow down.
When the Time Comes
Lynda entered herself into a regional tournament for her weight class. There were few women competing, but those who did looked fierce and had clearly been working on their physique their entire lives. Lynda doesn’t remember much from the competition, because of her anxiety, but in the end, she came in the first place. This wasn’t enough for Lynda though, after her first victory, she craved more…
Family Comes First
Lynda’s life started to really move quickly. After her first win, Lynda’s daughter from a former marriage gave birth to a baby girl. This was Lynda’s first grandchild, and she couldn’t have been happier. With all the positive things happening around her, Lynda built the energy to train even harder. She was determined to be the best she could be, to prove to her new granddaughter that she could do anything that she puts her mind to.
One Foot in Front of the Other
Although her social anxiety still crippled her, Lynda powered through and continued to win back-to-back contests. She felt confident in the gym and pushed herself to the limit to make sure she could stay on par with the rest of her competitors. She was significantly older than them, but she made up for it with grit and determination. Lynda was a force to be reckoned with, and young competitors feared her when she showed up at their competitions…
Hard Work Pays Off
For the first time in history, a woman became a 5-time national champion in bodybuilding. Lynda would never have achieved this if it weren’t for her ability to push through her anxiety and a little help from the people around her. Lynda is an example for anyone, not just women, who want to get into bodybuilding. If you push through your anxieties and stay mentally strong, you can do anything with persistence and dedication.
Stepping into the Unknown
Now that she was the first woman to win such a title, Lynda used all of the positive press that she was getting to step into the modeling world. Bodybuilding is a young person’s sport, and now that she left her mark on that sport, she wanted to get more exposure to inspire those who wouldn’t have been interested in fitness before. But, there was one problem that she had to face going into this…
A Fork in the Road
Lynda was denied by every agency that she applied for. Even though she made a momentous achievement, the modeling industry still favored dainty, skinny, conventionally attractive women. After dozens of tries, one agency finally picked Lynda up. She ended up on television, in magazines, and even did some personal promotion for Bowflex. Her fame began to grow massively, and so did her influence.
That’s How It’s Done
Lynda wanted to show the world what she could do, and she almost let her anxiety stop her. This just goes to show, if you work on something hard enough, you’re never too old to be the best at it. Never give up, and never let your fears get in the way of success. Nowadays, Lynda occasionally models, but as she grows older, she is focusing on the things that are most important to her…
Reflecting on Her Life
Lynda spends the majority of her time with her family. She still trains, but not for bodybuilding. She focuses more on her general fitness and inspiring her family and others to get in shape. She believes that everyone should be exercising and monitoring their health. After all, this is the only body you have, so you should take care of it.
Her Legacy Lives on
Lynda still attends bodybuilding conferences and competitions, not as a competitor, but as a highly esteemed guest. She has become the “unofficial grandma” to every young person trying to start their career in fitness, and she is a celebrity to most. Lynda occasionally trains young female bodybuilders, she helps them develop good technique and positive habits that will benefit them through their careers. Lynda is an inspiration to all, and her community loves and respects her.
A Little Advice for the Newcomers
Now, if you want to follow in Lynda’s footsteps, she has released a series of beginner workout habits that everyone should abide by. Reviewed by personal trainers and doctors, Lynda build a general system to avoid injury, and work out properly, while still having fun. Here are a few bits of knowledge that she wants to pass along to anyone starting to get in shape…
Decide What You Want
Before you start hitting the gym like a pro, you need to decide exactly what you want to work on about yourself. Do you want to be a better runner? Swimmer? Do you want to just get healthy? All of these are factors that should be considered before hitting the weight room.
Try Something New
Push yourself to try something new! If you have always wanted to try CrossFit, join a gym and stick to it. Make a decision and follow through. You won’t know if you like it until you get a little good at the activity.
Fuel Yourself Appropriately
Nutrition is the key when trying to get in shape. Taking all of these steps at once can be the scariest part about getting in shape, but diet might be the most necessary. If you eat healthier foods, you will have more energy, clearer skin, better sleep, and you’ll generally be happier.
Work Out With a Friend
A friend in need (of a workout partner) is a friend indeed! Call up one of your most trusted mates and tell them how you really feel about your health, chances are, they’ll be on board too. Pushing yourself with a friend is the best way to get out of your comfort zone and engage in a little friendly competition.
Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
Determination is the hardest part of any workout. As long as you continue going, you should be able to succeed. Pushing yourself to keep moving, no matter how much it hurts will make you a stronger person in life.
Stretch, Move, Rest
Making sure that you have a solid warm-up routine is key to better your workouts and avoid injury. Doing some cardio and dynamic stretches before you attempt any strenuous workout will aid you in the long run. Making sure you rest appropriately and cool-down is just as important.
Get to Know Your Body
Pacing yourself is very important. Although you might want to push your limits all at once, make sure you work up to the most strenuous workout on your schedule, and rest appropriately. This is very important to avoid injury when you’re first starting to work out.
Drink Water (Often)
This should go without saying, but you should be staying hydrated as you work out. If you get dehydrated, you risk muscle tears, cramps, and decreased performance during your work out. If you want to exercise, you really need to be mindful of drinking water.
Prevent Injuries
If you feel pain while you work out (not general muscle burn), you should stop immediately and assess yourself. More often than not, aches and pains are temporary and healthy, since your body is tearing and rebuilding muscle. Other chronic injuries can be much more painful and can put you out of commission for a long time unless you treat them immediately.
Get Creative
Push yourself to try new equipment and work out different muscle groups. Also, try to get out of the standard gym environment if that doesn’t seem to work for you. Get out in the world and challenge yourself to run farther, swim harder, and climb higher than ever before.
Control Yourself
Never be reckless in the gym. The equipment there is very expensive and dangerous. You run a serious risk of hurting yourself or someone else unless you practice proper technique and etiquette.
Enjoy Yourself, Exercise is Fun
Working out is challenging, but that challenge should never scare you away from continuing to do it. Do something you love, climb a rock, swim in the ocean, play sports, anything to keep you in shape is better than nothing.