Taija Ventrella Fitness

Introduction: Hi, I'm Taija Ventrella. I'm a body-positive personal fitness trainer in Asheville, North Carolina. I work with women and queer people* to help them find the strength that is already in their bodies, so that they can claim their power in the world. *(and other open-minded folks) I enjoy working with people who, like me, feel disenfranchised from typical fitness settings and communities. I’ve never been a “jock” or paid attention to sports, and my interests align more with book lovers, artists, and political activists. I craved a fitness community of like-minded people that didn’t make me feel like I was back in gym class, trying to avoid getting hit by dodgeballs. Having lived with chronic migraines for many years, I know what it’s like to walk the fine line between exercising for relief from pain and making it worse. I also remember what it feels like to have to work up from zero, and how hard that can be with any kind of physical or emotional limitations to exercise. After years of debilitating pain, I’ve learned that smart, safe exercise that’s tailored to how I feel each day can reduce my pain and give me more time to do what I love. That’s why I work out: not to be extreme or push my body to its utmost limits – but to practice self-care and feel healthy, pain-free, and confident. I hold certifications in general personal training and corrective exercise from the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I apply my knowledge and training to help my clients improve posture and resolve muscle imbalances, as well as reduce the likelihood for future re-injury and pain. I was honored to be voted among the top 3 best physical trainers by the Mountain Xpress 2 years in a row, and am Asheville’s only Body-Positive Fitness Alliance-Allied trainer. I grew up in the mountains outside of Boulder, Colorado, where my love of natural beauty and practice of self-care were born. I graduated from Warren Wilson College in 2011 with a degree in biochemistry, which informs my fitness training today. When I’m not in the studio, I enjoy singing to my dog Diego, crafting with glitter, laughing with friends, and eating hot wings.