Zeal Performance - Calgary

I am not a "go to the gym" kind of girl, however as I am getting older, stiffer and have more arthritic pain, I realized that "walking the dog" is simply not enough exercise. I was curious when I saw the age 50+ training program and decided to go check it out. BEST decision EVER!!! What a wonderful experience it has been!!!! From the facility to the instructors and the new people I have met and train with. It has been 3 months now- 3x a week. I am hooked, feeling oh so much better mentally and physically and looking forward to each morning when I get to go train again. My trainer, specifically Mitchell is absolutely exceptional! Tessa, one of the owners has an infectious personality and is knowledgeable in all areas of fitness, aging and nutrition. I LOVE this place and know you will too. Don't hesitate to go check it out!

I am currently doing the small group in person training with Zeal Performance. I am really enjoying my training. The coaches are positive enthusiastic and motivating. One of the things that appeals to me most about Zeal is they create a program for you that is specific to your needs. They tweak it when it needs to be changed when something isn’t working. They change it up so you never plateau or get bored. I love the individual attention I receive that helps me complete my program correctly and helps me to improve my health and fitness. I have also done virtual training with Zeal during the height of COVID and also enjoyed that when getting to the gym wasn’t possible for me. I am getting stronger, regaining my balance and feeling good about myself. I look forward to being able to be active and do the activities I enjoy with greater physical ability. I would highly recommend Zeal!

I’m 65+ and have been training with Tessa at Zeal for about a year, twice a week in the 35 min group session. My program is designed specifically for my needs and goal of staying strong and injury free so I can keep up with my family and enjoy all the outdoor activities I love. Strength training has been instrumental in helping me recover from knee and shoulder injuries this past year. As a result I’ve been able to enjoy hiking again this past summer, and am now ready for a great upcoming ski season! I highly recommend Zeal and their individual approach to training.

I contacted Tessa VanDerVeeken at Zeal Performance because she is listed on the Osteoporosis Canada website as a Bone Fit trained exercise professional. After meeting with Tessa to discuss my goals and physical limitations, I started the 50+ fitness training sessions. It has now been two months since starting the virtual sessions and I have noticed a considerable improvement in my strength, balance and flexibility. The coaches are able to modify any exercise to accommodate my limitations and they are a joy to work with. I highly recommend Tessa and the team at Zeal Performance.

After over a year of working from home, and generally not moving as much as before the pandemic, it culminated in some persistent myofascial pain for me. Despite seeing a physio as well as a Sports Medicine physician, I really wasn’t seeing much long term improvement in my pain, and my Sports Medicine physician suggested meeting with Tessa to talk about a strength training plan. I had an initial meeting with Tessa at the Zeal training facility and it was great. Tessa did a careful assessment of my movement patterns, and ran through a few exercises with me. I have a pretty full schedule so trying to attend group fitness classes during the week was also not very feasible. Tessa offered the option of creating a remote program that I could do from my own home through a training app, using whatever equipment I have on hand (which consists of a small set of weights, some resistance bands, and a rather dusty rowing machine). I started my home program in early October doing 30 minute sessions, 3 times/week. As someone who admittedly hasn’t done much strength training, I am so happy with how I’ve progressed and more importantly, how I feel since starting with Tessa. I’m feeling a lot better pain-wise, I can see changes to my posture and movement and I’m also enjoying having some devoted “me time” to invest in my own well-being. I’m also a recreational curler, I was super excited to see what an impact the training has had on my curling. I feel stronger, and so much more stable in my curling delivery, and it’s a great feeling! Thank you Tessa for making strength training much more approachable, for using the equipment I have on hand, and for offering remote training solutions. If you’re needing help with pain, or wanting to start with some strength training, this is the place for you!

Tessa listened to everything I needed and wrote me a perfect program! I wanted to build balanced strength with repeatable exercises and I've seen a lot of progression in my abilities and confidence with technique. I can honestly say its the only time I've stuck to a weights program in years, because I feel what every exercise is doing and I can track my progress. Tessa was also very accommodating with my comfort level in groups during covid, and worked me in to the early morning sessions with only a couple other clients so I felt very safe.

My daughter has been training with Tessa since she was playing U16 volleyball. She is now a university volleyball player and she still goes in to train with Tessa whenever she is in town from school. We have always appreciated Tessa’s professionalism and expertise along with the friendly atmosphere she creates. I have been taking part in one on one and small group training with Tessa over the last year. I love the encouragement she gives and the fact that she pushes you past what you think you are capable of. It is great to see progress in overall strength. I trust Tessa to know what is the right training for my needs based in her extensive knowledge in her field.

I am doing Remote Training with Tessa VanDerVeeken. I am in my sixties and have not had a training program for many many years. I love to swim and walk but knew that I needed to do some strength training. Tessa has me on a program that provides that as well as balance and mobility work. She is extremely knowledgeable. I was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis. This is an area of expertise for Tessa so I’m confident all the exercises I’m doing are beneficial and I will not injure myself. Tessa spent well over an hour with me in person before developing my program, had me practice it for a few weeks, and then come in to the gym to go over it. Following that, she sent me an email with cues so I remember how to do the exercises correctly (even though each exercise also has a video link to her performing the movement correctly). If you’re looking for a trainer who is knowledgeable, thorough, and has a great sense of humour, I highly recommend Tessa at Zeal Performance.