We were lucky to catch up with Jenni Lynn Patterson-LaCour recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jenni Lynn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My name is Jenni Lynn Patterson-LaCour and I am a Midwestern girl at heart. I grew up very active and involved in several sports, but my love of water developed at a young age when I would play Little Mermaid under the pool water for hours on end. Thankfully my parents enrolled me in swim team and from there I became a lifeguard, swim instructor and swim coach. After college though, corporate life hit and I never had as much time as I wanted to get in the pool or go to the Beach/Lake to swim, until a close friend brought me to a Fitness Conference in 2005.

I took all the classes I could: spinning, sculpting, yoga and Aqua (Duh!), even though I wasn’t quite sure what “Aqua” was all about…I loved the water so why not give it a shot. MY MIND WAS BLOWN! I could do intense exercising in the water VERTICAL!?!? I didn’t have to put my face in the water!?!? NO goggle lines around the eyes or drown rat hair!?!? I had stepped into the Aquatic Fitness realm of what has now become my passion and career. I LOVED everything about working out in the water and until that day in the Orlando Sunshine splashing around to the music in the pool, I didn’t even know it existed.

From that point I decided to figure out how to become certified in teaching and that’s when I found the AEA (Aquatic Exercise Association) and met my mentor, Mark Grevelding. I learned from (and continue to learn from) the best in the Aquatic Fitness Industry and was proud to finally become an AEA Aquatic Training Specialist in 2015.

I was teaching several classes a week in NYC as well as traveling around the U.S. with the AEA hosting aquatic education workshops/training before I realized there was a HUGE difference in the perception of what Aquatic Fitness is all about here in the United States, versus what it’s viewed as over seas in other countries. All around the world I would see Olympic size pools FILLED with people of all ages, pushing themselves in what looked like an incredible water class! Cut to pictures/videos here in the U.S. and it’s silver sneaker nana’s with noodles bobbing up and down in the water. This couldn’t be farther from the truth in my classes though! I have been on a mission ever since to CHANGE THE PERCEPTION OF AQUATIC FITNESS through education and collaboration with other industry leaders to elevate our aquatic teacher’s skills and knowledge.

I created S’WET™ (Structured Water Exercise Training) as a result of this mission. Myself and team: Chris LaCour, AJ Meyers and Katy Coffey, are working with so many incredible fitness professionals to certify them in S’WET™ so that we can make waves across the country and world to show that EVERYBODY should be in the water! Aquatic Fitness is the perfect modality to gain not only length in your muscles from buoyancy, but building strength with the water’s resistance as well! S’WET™ is the structured high intensity but low impact training that combines Cardio, Strength and Core into every class to give every type of person a total body water workout. Together we are working to grow the S’WET™ Squad and help other Fitness Professionals, AND enthusiasts, grow their passion for aquatic fitness, and help their students through well designed, safe and effective water classes to improve their health and live a more movement rich life!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

As I’m sure so many of us had to do during the Pandemic, I had to pivot when my career ended in March of 2020. All gyms/pools were closed and since this was a virus, we had zero idea when the pools would reopen again. Thanks to Zoom and other communication platforms though, I was not only able to continue to train my personal training clients on line, but I was able to conduct virtual aquatic fitness education workshops as well. Using the underwater footage I already had from filming prior to the pandemic, I was able to create educational trainings from my videos and class content for others in need of continuing education credits, or enthusiasts looking for more education. This ALSO gave me an opportunity to work with my previous water arthritis clients and so I developed a chair based workout class for them to keep it low impact but effective. It’s been over 2 years now and I’m STILL training, hosting workshops and teaching my chair classes virtually from the comfort of my own home.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

We sell our digital download workouts, CEC educational workshops and other affiliates equipment through our Wix based website and it’s a great option for additional income. I also use an Amazon page which give a little kick back on recommended products, but over all I’d have to say selling through your website is the best option to keep a higher profit in pocket.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jennilynnfitness.com/
• Instagram: @swet_cert
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWETNYC
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swetcert/
• Youtube: @JenniLynnFitness

Image Credits
Photo Credit: Ron Klineschmidt