Built bear strong: An interview with Bear Barbell owner, Jenna Corbin

Hey Everyone! Coach Dana here with Advantedge Goaltending. Below, you will find the second in a series of interviews that I have done with female business owners who are finding success in the world of hockey and fitness (you can read the first interview with Carrie Keil here). Today’s interview will introduce you to one of my friends and former college teammates, Jenna Corbin. Jenna is the owner of Bear Barbell, which is an awesome gym in her hometown of Indian River, MI. For as long as I have known Jenna (11+ years), she has had a passion for fitness and helping people reach their goals.

This gym was a dream for her back in college and she busted her tail to turn it into a reality. With a focus on building the community, positivity, and a family first culture. You will often find Jenna and her girlfriend, Caitlin working at the gym and sharing family time with their daughter, Emmalynn traveling around the great outdoors of Michigan.

Bear Barbell is one of those places that you can walk into and feel completely comfortable from your very first workout. Much like the small town that her and the gym grew up in, the vibe at this gym is welcoming to everyone and focused on making every member feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. Please connect with Bear Barbell on their Instagram and Facebook, check out their website ,and if you are ever in beautiful Northern Michigan, stop by and say hello to their awesome staff! You can also check out their awesome swag that is growing almost daily on Instagram (don’t worry they ship items)!

Dana: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your business. What are some of the most important things to you?

Jenna: A few of the most important things to me personally are balancing life, adventure and work while making a difference in my community. I am happiest spending my time outdoors with my girlfriend and our daughter.

I studied athletic training at Adrian College in Michigan, which led me to work experiences in Florida and Colorado after graduation. During this time, I fell in love with both the ocean and the mountains and I was fortunate enough to work at the professional level, which gave me the opportunity to travel a lot of the United States. In 2016 I moved back to my hometown of Indian River in northern Michigan to be closer to my family and to pursue my dream of opening the first functional fitness gym in the area.

In 2016 I opened Bear Barbell, a community functional fitness gym in Indian River, Michigan. At Bb you will find the most caring and knowledgeable coaches, an emphasis on safe, consistent, effective, functional movement patterns, workouts that are tailored to meet the needs of every member, regardless of age or ability – and a warm, welcoming community of diverse members with many different needs all working hard to improve their lives through fitness. We don’t just want to help people reach their fitness goals – we want them to have the best possible experience getting there.

What was your biggest goal with opening your own gym?

J: The goal when bringing Bb to my hometown was to inspire people to be the best versions of themselves.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

J: We are blessed to be a part of the best hour of people’s days. The most rewarding part of our job is improving people’s quality of life.

How do you feel that your experience as a college athlete has helped you in your career and work?

J: My time at Adrian College provided me with a strong base of knowledge and skills to be successful after college. During my tenure at AC I was on the NCAA women’s ice hockey team, studied Athletic Training, and had related work experiences in the health and fitness industry. My experience as a college athlete has given me the ability to build relationships, communicate a vision and make decisions under pressure. The four years that I spend there also helped me develop time management skills and a tireless work ethic.

What advice would you give to girls trying to play college hockey?

J: My advice to girls interested in playing college hockey would be to prioritize your time towards your goals and outwork everyone—in the classroom, the weight room and on the ice.

WANT TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR COLLEGE RECRUITING PROCESS?

WE’RE HERE TO HELP!