Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Jenkins.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Freeform Fitness is the culmination of a lifelong passion for helping people move, grow, and live healthier lives.
My business partner, Ivan White, and I bring more than 50 years of combined experience in the health and fitness industry. While our backgrounds are different, we’ve always shared the same belief: movement has the power to transform lives, and true health goes far beyond exercise alone.
Ivan has spent more than three decades coaching people of all ages and abilities. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for helping people discover strengths they didn’t know they had while creating an environment that is encouraging, welcoming, and accessible. His approach emphasizes consistency, confidence, and meeting people where they are. Whether working with beginners, active adults, athletes, or older adults, he has always believed that everyone deserves the opportunity to become stronger and healthier with the right guidance and support.
My path has been shaped by a lifelong love of movement, teaching, and learning. As an athlete, dancer, fitness professional, and competitive Tai Chi practitioner representing Team USA internationally, I’ve always been fascinated by how people learn, adapt, and unlock their potential. Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by a desire to help people not only improve their fitness, but also better understand their bodies and gain the confidence to take ownership of their health.
Although our individual journeys were different, they ultimately led us to the same conclusion: lasting health requires a holistic approach. Over the years, our work expanded beyond exercise alone to include nutrition, recovery, stress management, sleep, mindset, mobility, and nervous system health. We both recognized that many people struggle not because they lack effort, but because they need the right support, education, and individualized approach.
That philosophy became the foundation of Freeform Fitness. We believe that health is about balance. Exercise matters, but so do recovery, stress management, nutrition, mobility, mindset, and community. Our goal has never been simply to help people burn calories or work harder. We want to help people move better, feel better, build confidence, and create a higher quality of life.
When we opened Freeform Fitness, we set out to create more than just a gym. We wanted to build a welcoming space where people of all ages, backgrounds, and fitness levels could feel supported, encouraged, and connected. A place where people feel seen, where relationships matter, and where progress is measured by more than just numbers.
One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been watching our community come together. Through classes, workshops, special events, recovery experiences, and everyday coaching, we’ve seen friendships form, confidence grow, and people discover strengths they didn’t know they had. Seeing people smile, support one another, and genuinely enjoy the process of becoming healthier is what inspires us every day.
At its core, Freeform Fitness exists to empower people to reach their potential, move freely, live fully, and create lasting health for the long term.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I think that’s true of anything worthwhile.
On the business side, one of our biggest challenges was building Freeform Fitness while continuing to coach clients full-time. There were days when we were training clients, managing schedules, meeting with contractors, solving unexpected problems, handling marketing and administration, and then coming back the next day to do it all over again. Opening a brick-and-mortar business taught us that there is far more happening behind the scenes than most people ever see.
Beyond the business itself, coaching people is both incredibly rewarding and incredibly challenging. Many people think fitness is simply about exercise, but it’s really about helping people navigate change. Every client brings a unique story, set of challenges, fears, goals, and life circumstances. Success requires far more than writing workouts—it requires listening, adapting, educating, encouraging, and helping people believe in themselves when they may not yet see what’s possible.
One lesson we’ve learned over the years is that great coaching starts with personal growth. If we want to help others improve their lives, we have to continue learning, evolving, and challenging ourselves as well. That commitment to growth has helped us navigate setbacks, adapt to change, and ultimately build something that reflects our values.
Looking back, every challenge taught us something valuable. The obstacles helped shape who we are as coaches and business owners, and they deepened our appreciation for the community we’ve built. We wouldn’t be where we are today without those lessons.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At Freeform Fitness, we specialize in helping people improve their quality of life through movement, strength, and sustainable lifestyle habits. While fitness is certainly part of what we do, our work goes far beyond exercise alone.
Between the two of us, Ivan and I bring more than 50 years of combined experience working with people of all ages and fitness levels—from individuals just beginning their health journey to athletes looking to improve performance. Over the years, we’ve learned that lasting results come from addressing the whole person, not just their workouts.
One of the things we’re known for is our ability to meet people where they are and create a plan that works within the reality of their lives. We focus heavily on education because we want people to understand the “why” behind what they’re doing. Our goal is to empower clients with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to take ownership of their health for the long term.
We also take a broader view of human performance than traditional fitness programs. In addition to strength, mobility, and conditioning, we look at factors such as recovery, stress, sleep, nutrition, and daily habits. My own background in neuro-based training has further shaped our approach by helping us better understand how the brain and nervous system influence movement, pain, balance, performance, and overall well-being. While it’s only one piece of the puzzle, it often helps us uncover opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked.
Perhaps what sets us apart most is the experience people have when they walk through our doors. We’ve worked hard to create a welcoming, supportive environment where people feel seen, encouraged, and capable of succeeding regardless of their starting point. We believe health and fitness should be challenging, but they should also be enjoyable, sustainable, and rooted in community.
What we’re most proud of is the impact we’ve had on people’s lives. Whether it’s helping someone regain confidence after years of inactivity, improving their health, overcoming physical limitations, or simply creating a place where people feel they belong, those transformations mean far more to us than any metric or milestone. Seeing people become stronger, healthier, and more confident—and knowing they feel supported throughout the process—is what makes this work so rewarding.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
One of the most important resources for both Ivan and me is a commitment to lifelong learning.
The health, fitness, and wellness fields are constantly evolving, and we believe it’s our responsibility to continue learning so we can better serve the people who trust us with their health. We regularly read books, listen to podcasts, attend workshops, participate in continuing education courses, and stay current with emerging research in fitness, movement science, nutrition, recovery, neuroscience, behavior change, and overall well-being.
What makes our approach a little different is that we don’t subscribe to any one philosophy or methodology. We believe there is value in learning from many different perspectives while maintaining an open mind and a healthy level of curiosity. Our goal is not to chase every new trend, but rather to understand what works, why it works, and who it may be appropriate for.
In recent years, we’ve spent a great deal of time exploring topics such as nervous system health, movement quality, recovery, fascia, stress management, nutrition, and the connection between physical and mental well-being. We are fascinated by human potential and by the many factors that influence how people move, feel, perform, and age.
Beyond health and fitness, we’re also interested in psychology, personal development, mindfulness, and leadership. Coaching is ultimately about helping people create meaningful change, and understanding human behavior is just as important as understanding exercise.
Perhaps the greatest lesson we’ve learned is that there is rarely a single solution for everyone. Every person is unique, and the more knowledge we gain, the more tools we have available to help individuals navigate their own path toward better health and a higher quality of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.freeformfitnesspgh.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freeformfitness_pgh/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559256101333
