Fire Power Kettlebell

I turned 50 in 2016, a moment in my life when I never felt weaker or was more aware of the chronic back pain I'd lived with, day in/day out, for years. Over the last ten years I've done acupuncture and acupressure, deep tissue massage, chiropractics, and taken a lot of over the counter pain relievers on the recommendation of my doctor who diagnosed the cause of the back pain to be garden variety, "nothing you can do about it", arthritis. Over time I read articles about people who had turned to kettlebells to fix their back problems, and articles about how efficient kettlebells are - all-in-one cardio and strength training. It all sounded good to me - lose the back pain, gain some muscle and cardiovascular health, and maybe even look a bit ripped as a bonus. I'm in! So I tried kettlebells on my own and in classes but hurt myself - not the instructor's fault; I wanted so badly to feel better/stronger I rushed it and paid for it for months. A few years of Advil all day every day and there I was, staring at 50. That was my turning point. I resolved to get serious about my back pain and all over health. Enter Jennifer and Fire Power KB. From the start, Jennifer has been exactly what I needed. We check in at the start and throughout every workout. When something not great is going on with me, she pivots the entire workout so as not to cause injury or aggravate existing problems. She has a vast collection of exercises with and without kettlebells and I have yet to leave a session not dripping wet and exhausted in a good way. Jennifer knows a ton about how the human body works which is so important in a case like mine where one wrong move can lay you up for weeks. I'm feeling better than I have in many years. My back is definitely changing and I've lost weight, am seeing definition here and there, and can feel the difference in my whole body and in my attitude. If any of my story resonates with you, connect with Jennifer. She's fantastic at what she does and will help you find your way to healthy living. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I'm so glad I found Jen and kettlebell. Thanks to Jen, I'm stronger and in better shape now than I was 20 years ago. Jen's sessions are challenging, but approachable -- pushing me to try harder, but never wrecking me to the point where I don't want to return. I recently moved several miles away from the gym, but I still go back for weekly training sessions with Jen. She's worth every extra mile! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I was searching for a qualified instructor that could show me solid form and technique. Both are essential for kettlebell. Strangley, it was difficult locating an instructor in Chicago, and most weren't responding to my inquiries. However, Jennifer responded quickly and offered me solid critiques and instruction. There is a lot of value that you'll gain from a one hour session with her. She'll squeeze a lot of instruction and exercise into one hour. After 2 sessions, I'm excited to continue my kettlebell journey. I have a lot of practice yet, but that's what makes it fun. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I started working Jenn last fall.  She is great at teaching kettle bell technique and has helped me immensely with my shoulder.  I had years of chronic shoulder pain and she has helped me strengthen my shoulders to the point where I have zero pain.  In addition, I am in much better physical shape and can for the first time see actual results from a trainer.  I now have muscle definition, strength and flexibility.  I spent hours in bar classes, spinning and running classes and never saw results.  Jenn will help you achieve what you actually want, which is to get rid of fat and replace with muscle. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I was looking for a different workout from the traditional gym trainers and found Jennifer McGowan.  And what a find she is! Kettlebell training is very different from free weights and she has been very patient teaching me how to use them.  She begins and ends my twice weekly sessions with stretching, which ultimately helps with the kettlebells. Even when I'm not able to do a new exercise, Jennifer breaks it down into small segments so that I can eventually put it all together.  She tells me that kettlebell training is a continuous process and each session has been a little different, which keeps the interest level up. I'm so happy to have found Jennifer! More...

Reviewed on Yelp