Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rori Zura. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rori, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an anecdote or story from your schooling/training that you feel illustrates what the overall experience was like?

Going to school during the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t as weird as I had anticipated. As someone who had done some online classes during college for my bachelor’s, I had already figured it would be somewhat similar. Although, this time around it was pretty much me on my own. I could find the help I’d need from sources like Reddit, or Facebook groups but unlike a university, a school for certifications is actually a different world. Since I had no background in anatomy or science in general, it felt like I was starting from ground zero. Now that the social media world has grown so much though, I was able to utilize it a lot more than when I did while going to university. I was able to utilize my own social media platform to basically teach others so that I’d be more inclined to remember what I’d need for my exams! Since I was going to school for a certification in personal training, also being able to physical do everything I was being taught also helped solidify certain topics I knew I’d need not only for my exams but for real-life application as well.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Rori Zura and I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at 33 years old in August of 2020. I got into this industry as a need to help others learn that they can safely be physically active while battling their own diagnosis. My company Foobs & Fitness is focused on being able to bridge the gap between the medical world and the fitness world. There are many, many studies coming out about how physical activity not only helps lower your risk of getting cancer, but also helps decrease side effects, and lowers the risk of reoccurrence. I’m so proud of each of my clients, they’ve been able to regain their mobility, increase their cognitive function, and improve their memory and balance, just by safely incorporating specific programs I design for each of them.

I’m on a mission to help advocate for healthier lifestyles that are actually attainable. A lot of people tend to shy away from gym settings because they can be intimidating and then have nowhere to look for help. Functional Training and Corrective Exercise are my specialties and something that I really enjoy teaching others how to do as well. I’m here to be my clients’ cheerleader and to teach them the tools to incorporate into their daily lives so they can begin to live a more pain-free life.

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

Although I’d always been involved in the fitness industry, I never had a job where I was actually helping others with their own fitness needs. When I was let go of my job in the commercial real estate field as a graphics/marketing manager during the COVID-19 pandemic, I had no idea what I’d be able to do next – especially since everyone seemed to be losing their jobs. Then I was smacked right in the face with a cancer diagnosis and I made the decision to (for the first time in my adult life) not work at all. Instead, I focused on my health and staying as active as I possibly could. From there is when I started to think about how I could help others do the same. I knew nothing about being an actual trainer or even how to start getting clients. I went from being a girl who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Design Management to a woman who is absolutely fascinated by the human body and wants to learn everything she can about it.

If it weren’t for my diagnosis, I don’t think I’d really be living up to my true potential. I absolutely love what I do now!

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I think it would be my honesty. I’m very much an open book and I’m able to empathize with others pretty well (I think at least). Understanding that they’re in a position where they never saw themselves, they’re tired and angry is not something many people can really get unless they’ve been able to walk in the same shoes – down the same path.

Each cancer is vastly different from one other, each treatment impacts everyone differently, I think being able to have in-depth knowledge of how cancer & exercise relate I’m able to apply to each program I create for my clients is huge.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.foobsandfitness.com
• Instagram: @foobsandfitness
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/foobsandfitness
• Twitter: @foobsandfitness
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@foobsandfitness
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@foobsandfitness

Image Credits
Maven Jade // Merlos Media