My name is Jim Hooper and I have been a fitness professional since 1985, motivated to help people achieve their ultimate goals and succeed in their quest to “get into shape.” Over the years I have trained individuals from ages seven to 87, with a host of specific reasons for being with me.

• Weight loss
• Agility & coordination
• Rehabilitation (pre & post)
• Athletic performance
• General conditioning

I must admit that out of the box thinking and desire to be the best I can be has been my mantra. When I was in college I played volleyball and began a beach volleyball career in 1983, meantime finishing a degree in fitness specialty I worked at Orange Coast Junior College as a volleyball team strength coach and noticed the programming was very bare bones-: squats, lunges, bench press, e.g. I knew then I loved working with others to help achieve success. I was hired as a personal trainer and within two years ventured out and started my own business. Shortly after became Jim Hooper Fitness the fitness director of PADI HQ Profession Association of Diving Instructors. In 1993 I moved and was starting to come into my own personal training standpoint, and a professional athlete until it all ended on a summer day body surfing after some games in Laguna and tried something, before I knew it, I had moved the C 1 vertebrae in my neck, the one that attaches the head to the spine and my playing days were over. So I thought, it appears that a higher power had a different plan. Coming home from an attempt to play a game of volleyball one year later a van popped out in front of me and I broadsided the vehicle and unlogged my C 1 vertebrae. I had a golf ball size knot in my neck but I could move my chin up for the first time in 12 months, what a blessing.

Balboa Fitness was started and my beach volleyball career got a second shot. Within one year and at 39 years old, reached the national Spike it up championship and finished in the top 10 out of 110 team tournament. I got runner-up finalist at +30 division of Hoop it up, I was feeling good. After working about three months active release my neck still bothered me. My neck had given me many issues but was improving over time until I heard of some new concepts and Reform put out some kettle bell products and went on to bringing myself to the RKC the teaching of the Russian Kettle Bell Challenge Curriculum. And this is where I, in 2003, began my relationship with kettle bells. I had figured I was limited, because of the many injuries I had sustained over my career, little did I know that the kettle bell would change my life, restore my lost function, and give years back to me and make me into the competitor I have always been. I graduated in 2008 of August at UCLA RKC! My mission statement, “To share my story, and never set limits.”