Functional fitness coach, instructor up for ABEX award
- EFN Staff | October 14, 2018
The founder and CEO of Fitness 2J2 is a finalist in the Saskatchewan Chamber of Business Commerce 2018 ABEX Awards for Community Involvement. Joel Pedersen employs eight part-time instructor coaches in Saskatoon. Functional fitness and self-defence for women and youth are the main focus in his business. He’s expanding programs to include; learn to run program, learn to triathlon, basketball and soccer camps, yoga and personal training.
“Entrepreneurship and starting a business was not what had always thought of doing as a job,” he said. “What started as a dream to bring healthy and positive lifestyle programming to communities, has now turned into a health and wellness business, which is socially responsible and community based. A place where all ages and ability can be active.”
The annual awards are coming up October 20th in Saskatoon and Fitness 2J2 is the only Indigenous Company in this category made up of small business and large corporations.
Receiving recognition for community involvement is not new for this business. Fitness 2J2 was a finalist in the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce 2017 SABEX Awards for Community Involvement, and recently nominated for 2019 SABEX. Pedersen received the 2018 Fitness Leader of the year award presented by the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association. For a number of years, he has been providing no cost fitness programming in the inner city of Saskatoon.
“I am grateful and try to have balance in life, similar to the Indigenous medicine wheel guides us; physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional,” he said.
Pedersen is a member of the Fond du Lac First Nation and is connected to the Mikisew Cree Nation. He is passionate about empowering and inspiring Indigenous communities to healthy and positive lifestyle through fitness and sport. Pedersen retired after a 25-year career with the Saskatoon Police Service and a long service with the Canadian Army Reserves.
“Leadership had always been important to , living a healthy and positive lifestyle is a part of that,” he said.
Pedersen knew the importance of healthy and positive lifestyle, what it can do for a person and community. With encouragement from his wife, kids as inspiration, and experience in community policing, he founded Fitness 2J2 – a community based health and wellness company based out of Saskatoon.
The programming includes functional fitness, running, triathlon, sport development camps and self-defense for women and youth. An educational aspect with nutrition and basic body anatomy and physiology for youth and adults is also included.
“Great partnerships with Trans-West Air; West-Wind; Northern Sport Culture and Recreation; Athabasca Health Authority has provided me the opportunity to travel far North in the province to deliver mentorship and fitness leadership in over twenty-eight First Nation and Metis communities,” said Pedersen.
The community engagement has provided fitness programming to over 30,000 people over the past seven years, and the opportunity to visit many communities and give back to community.
A new re-design of the website providing instant access to work out training videos is what’s next for Fitness 2J2. For those who lack of internet access, a new DVD will be available for those who are not able to stream the training videos onto their devices.