17 Years of inMotion: My Journey from Personal Training to Healthy Aging

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with OregonVoyager and share a little more about my story, the evolution of inMotion Training Studio, and why the way I coach today looks very different from when I first opened the doors 17 years ago.

Sometimes it takes someone asking you to tell your story to realize just how much has changed along the way.

I Thought I Was Opening a Personal Training Studio

When I opened inMotion Training Studio in Bend 17 years ago, I thought I was opening a place where I could help people exercise, get stronger, lose weight, and feel better.

And yes, we still do all of those things.

But somewhere along the way, my definition of health — and my role as a coach — became much bigger.

Early in my career, like much of the fitness industry, we did boot camps, group fitness, transformation challenges, and plenty of hard workouts. People got results.

But I started noticing something.

People would lose weight during a challenge…and then come back for the next challenge after gaining some of it back.

Eventually, I had to ask myself:

Are we actually improving someone's health, or are we just helping them get results for the next six weeks?

That question changed the direction of my career.

What If We Trained for the Next 30 Years Instead?

Instead of only asking how I could help someone lose weight or get through a harder workout, I became much more interested in questions like:

Why is this person struggling in the first place?

Why does something hurt when they move?

Why are they losing muscle?

Why has their metabolism changed?

How are sleep, stress, hormones, nutrition, gut health, injuries, lifestyle and aging affecting what we're seeing?

And most importantly:

What can we do now so they can continue doing the things they love 10, 20 or 30 years from now?

That curiosity sent me much deeper into nutrition, functional nutrition, metabolism, hormones, perimenopause and menopause, gut health, mobility, corrective exercise, healthy aging and longevity.

The more I've learned, the more convinced I've become that there is no single "perfect" workout, diet or health plan.

There is only the right approach for the person standing in front of you.

Why inMotion Evolved to Individualized Training

One of the biggest changes at inMotion was transitioning away from traditional group workouts and toward individualized Semi-Private Personal Training.

I realized that someone walking into the studio today shouldn't necessarily be doing the same workout as someone who has trained with us for five or ten years.

A 45-year-old navigating perimenopause may need something different from a 72-year-old preparing for a hiking trip.

Someone returning from an injury shouldn't train exactly like someone who has been strength training consistently for decades.

We can all train together without everyone doing the exact same thing.

That's one of the things I love most about our Semi-Private model. Clients get their own strength program based on their body, goals, experience, injuries and abilities while still having the accountability, coaching and community of training alongside other people.

Strength Means More to Me Now Than It Did 20 Years Ago

As a former college athlete, strength used to mean performance.

How high could I jump? How hard could I train? How much could I lift?

Today, I see strength differently.

Strength is being able to get off the floor.

It's carrying your own suitcase.

It's skiing, hiking, golfing or paddleboarding.

It's maintaining bone density and muscle as you age.

It's recovering from an injury and trusting your body again.

It's being able to play with your grandchildren.

And eventually, it's being able to remain in your own home and maintain your independence.

Some of my clients are now in their 70s, 80s and 90s. I have clients who have trained with me for nearly two decades.

Watching them continue traveling, hiking, skiing, golfing, playing with grandchildren and simply living their lives independently has changed what "success" in fitness means to me.

We're not exercising just to get better at exercise. We're training so we're better prepared for life.

My Own Injuries Changed the Way I Coach

My philosophy is also personal.

I was a college athlete and have had multiple ACL reconstructions and meniscus surgeries. I've experienced firsthand what it's like when your body doesn't cooperate with what you want it to do.

Those experiences taught me early that bodies have history.

An old knee injury matters. A shoulder issue matters. Hormonal changes matter. Stress matters. Sleep matters. Your training history matters.

That's why I don't believe people should have to fit themselves into a workout program.

The program should fit the person.

Health After 40 Requires a Bigger Picture

This has become especially important in my work with adults over 40 and women navigating perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause.

The answer isn't always "eat less and exercise more."

Sometimes we need to look at protein intake, muscle mass, blood sugar, recovery, stress, sleep, mobility, digestion, hormones, medications, supplements and lifestyle habits.

That's also why my work has expanded beyond personal training.

Today, inMotion offers individualized strength training, one-on-one personal training, mobility and assisted stretching, nutrition and lifestyle coaching, and our Foundation & Longevity Audit.

All of that education has also led to the development of my RE·ROOT™ Method, which is designed around something I've become increasingly passionate about:

Stop chasing symptoms and start asking why they're happening.

The Part of the Interview That Matters Most to Me

There are plenty of things I could point to after 17 years in business — certifications, programs, surviving recessions and COVID, business lessons and a studio that has continually evolved.

But those aren't what I'm most proud of.

It's the people.

It's the lunchtime accountability group that started nearly 20 years ago and is still going.

It's the clients who were with me before inMotion even existed.

It's watching someone regain confidence after an injury.

It's seeing someone become stronger in their 60s or 70s than they thought possible.

It's helping someone realize that aging doesn't mean they have to stop doing the things they love.

And it's the community we've created along the way.

Still Learning After All These Years

One fun thing I shared in the OregonVoyager interview is that I didn't really enjoy reading when I was younger.

That's definitely changed.

Now I'm almost always reading a book, listening to an audiobook, taking a course, listening to a podcast, or digging into research about health, longevity, nutrition, hormones, psychology or business.

The more I learn, the more I realize how much there still is to learn.

And I think that's a good thing.

I don't want to coach people exactly the same way I did 20 years ago because we know more today than we did 20 years ago.

My job is to keep learning, keep asking questions and keep finding better ways to help the people who trust me with their health.

Health Isn't About Perfection

If there's one message I hope people take from my story, it's this:

You don't have to do everything perfectly to dramatically change the trajectory of your health.

Health is built through the small things we do consistently.

Strength training.

Eating enough protein and nutrient-dense foods.

Moving throughout the day.

Sleeping.

Managing stress.

Maintaining mobility.

Building relationships.

Continuing to challenge your body and your brain.

And finding ways to actually enjoy your life.

At inMotion, our goal isn't to create the hardest workout in Bend.

Our goal is to help you move better, get stronger, understand your body, maintain your independence and keep doing the things you love for as long as possible.

After 17 years, that mission means more to me than ever.

Read My Full OregonVoyager Interview

If you'd like to hear more about my journey, the challenges of building a business, how inMotion has evolved, and even a few things you might not know about me, you can read my full Daily Inspiration: Meet Shannon Segerstrom interview with OregonVoyager.

Read the full OregonVoyager interview →

Thank you to everyone who has been part of inMotion over the years. Whether you've been here for almost two decades or you're just discovering us, I'm incredibly grateful that I get to do this work in the Bend community I've called home my entire life.

Here's to getting stronger — not just for today, but for everything you still want to be doing 30 years from now.

— Shannon
inMotion Training Studio | Bend, Oregon