Coach Jacob Powrie joined us at Viva Recording Studios this fall for the Ottawa Reflections podcast, where we profile emerging talent and community leaders in the nation’s capital. With a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Ottawa and thirteen years of experience in conditioning and varsity training, he currently coaches out of Iron Viking Training in Westboro. One of Coach Powrie’s main focuses is a new project entitled Awaken, centred on men’s health and well-being, an initiative that stands at the crossroads where mental health and male self-image intersect. What drives Coach Powrie is a desire to bridge the gap between how fitness is perceived in much of society with the knowledge he has gained through a Gee-Gees internship and later employment, demonstrating how to optimize human performance, particularly in the athletic world, in a digestible and practical way. The full audio podcast is available on SoundCloud.
(Photo: Ottawa Reflections)
Coach Powrie began building his personal coaching business during the pandemic, initially through Zoom. Virtual training was a big adjustment and felt awkward for some time, especially as Coach Powrie’s approach to coaching is to cultivate connections and keep the client motivated in order to ensure that training doesn’t become robotic. “The habit and the discipline of training on a regular basis, eating in a healthy manner — the benefits span far beyond just looking better or being more muscular or being leaner. All those are great things, but it’s really about the energy a person gets physically and the multitude of benefits,” Coach Powrie said about training. For parents, that might include being able to keep up with their kids when they’re playing — and without feeling exhausted. A boost of self-esteem can also enhance their productivity in other areas. That feeling of accomplishment can bring rewards in one’s professional life as well.
“One of the number one recommended treatments for depression and anxiety is physical exercise,” Coach Powrie noted. “The benefits of training spread far throughout the person’s life,” he added.
(Photo: Ottawa Reflections)
“I do my best to meet people where they’re at, to show them what the destination looks like, understand where they’re struggling, why they’re coming to me, and show them where they can be,” Coach Powrie said of how he tries to build trust with those who are new to his programme and perhaps new to training as well.
In the 40-minute Ottawa Reflections, Coach Powrie also speaks of Awaken, his new specialized health and fitness community geared towards men, helping them live purposeful and healthy lives — while giving them tools to be the best version of themselves for themselves, for their families, and for their life pursuits. The full podcast is available below.