“Those wo never change their minds never change anything”


Personal trainer Elles is an absolute power woman! This lady breaths sport and health and knows how to infect everyone with her enthusiasm and perseverance. She knows better than anyone why relaxing is as important as exercising. That’s why, besides Personal Trainer, she works as an anti-stress coach at HCJ. Time to learn some more about Elles!

Can you summarize briefly what anti-stress coaching includes exactly?

The program is offered in two ways. Anti-stress Complete is a comprehensive program of 12 months to recuperate in peace after which to train constructively. This is especially for people with long-term stress problems or a burn-out. Besides that is an Anti-stress Intensive program. A short intensive program of 3 months. Ideal for people with mild stress problems.

What makes this way of coaching so special?

During coaching sessions, the MSC (Motivational Solution-based Coaching) method is used, combined with breathing exercises. The breathing has influence on, among other things, the variation in heart rhythm which affects our emotional life and the other way around.

The program is a combination of coaching and exercising. Can you expand a little further on this combination?

The body makes almost no difference between physical stress like training and mental stress like overworking. During the coaching trajectory your heart rate interval is measured. By measuring, an estimation can be made about your durability and your recovery capacity. In this way, both forms of stress can be dealt with and fixed.

How can you describe your role as a coach in this?

Stress is necessary and a part of life. Stress doesn’t need to and can’t disappear, but at a surplus it has to be able to be managed. As a coach I try to help with this by giving targeted advice, think along, and look forward. I do this, among other things, by giving practical tips and breathing exercises.

What do you like so much about coaching and how did you end up here?

I started this method myself two years ago because I suffer from asthma. Partly because of starting different simple breathing exercises, I make better use of my lungs, my recovery capacity is improved, and my core has become stronger. Now I don’t use any medication at all anymore. After finishing the Functional Coaching course, I became an anti-stress coach.

Can you describe yourself as a coach and what makes you typical Elles?

Since a few years I work as a personal trainer and anti-stress coach at HJC. I’m a real doer, directly, and always looking for new challenges in the fitness world. Helping people is the most fun there is for me!

Everybody experiences stress in his or her life now end then. When would it be wise for people to start looking for a coach?

Stress becomes a negative factor once it starts to work against us. This is the case with overburdening. Our personal line of necessary stress is crossed and gives you symptoms. Negative stress can manifest itself for example in having trouble falling asleep, increased heart rate, being irritable, gaining weight, or feeling washed out. Or in other words, you are out of sorts.

Surely you must be experiencing stress yourself sometimes. How do you deal with this?

Of course I experience stress sometimes too. It always helps to take things a bit easy and be in my own world for a while. I do this for example by cooking a nice meal and going to bed on time. I also try to think about pleasant moments and focus on my breathing. Sometimes there are things in your environment that are beyond your control, then I talk with family and friends. Making new and fond memories helps too!

What is your ultimate way to de-stress?

I love and enjoy a simple life; training, good food, sleeping well, my nice family, my dear friends, and my cat Arnold.

Your very best tip…

What always works for me is to keep it simple and stay true to myself. What does work universally for everybody is to make sure to get enough sleep. Because after a good night’s sleep, the world looks a lot nicer.