Meet Jesse Zavala: Endurance and Strength Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jesse Zavala and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jesse, how does your business help the community?
Fitness is not just about working out, it’s an outlet that people use to get away from the daily hustle and bustle. When most people think about fitness, they think about the physical aspect of it. However, it’s more than that. It’s also about overcoming adversity and testing yourself mentally to see how far you can push beyond the limits you create in your head. When I became a Coach with Mind Right Endurance, the one thing that I REALLY loved about it was the Family atmosphere that we are known for. Being able to provide athletes with this type of atmosphere where they are surrounded by like-minded individuals is a great way for them to push each other to make those fitness and mental gains. This helps the community by showing them that you really can do anything when you put in the work and are consistent. If they can do it when it comes to their fitness related goals, it will translate to their real-world goals in their Life and careers. As a Coach, my job is to make my clients/athletes faster, stronger and resilient. What separates me from others, is that I treat my clients as if they are Family and do my best to help make them a better human being so they can share and pass on these values to others out in the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Where to start when it comes to my career and my side business. Most people are shocked when I tell them my full time gig is being a Forensic Chemist! That can be a story for another day! As far as coaching, I started that journey in 2018. It all began with a conversation with the owner of Mind Right Endurance and before I knew it I was diving into the deep end and coaching my first two athletes for their first triathlon. Is Coaching easy? Definitely not, but I’ve put in hours and hours into educating myself to become a better Coach. I’ve learned so much, and there is still plenty to learn in order to continue to grow and perfect my craft. One of the challenges of coaching is that every athlete is different and requires training that is customized and tailored to them. You have to take into account not only the stress they put on their body during their workouts, but the other stresses that come with Life – jobs, kids, family etc. What sets me apart from others are my communication skills that I utilize to build a strong bond and trust when it comes to the athlete-coach relationship. I genuinely care about my people and I have an open communication policy where they know they can come to me to talk about anything. This allows me to know how Life is going to have an effect on their training, and gives me additional information I need to customize and adjust the plan to make sure they continue to gain fitness safely and efficiently. Playing a small role in someone’s journey towards a goal is something I’m very proud of. Watching them accomplish a goal and crossing a finish line with a smile on their face is priceless!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When one of my best friends is visiting the area, I definitely take them to some of my favorite spots around the city! When my friends visit, they know there will be at least one day that I like to call “Run and Brunch.” My wife and I enjoy running around Buffalo Bayou or Memorial Park and then head out to brunch afterwards. One of our go-to spots for our post-run brunch is Barnaby’s! I myself am a backyard BBQ kind of guy, but I also like to support local businesses and Truth BBQ in Houston is one of my favorite BBQ joints in the area. If my guest is craving Italian food, I would take them to a friend of mine’s restaurant out in Pearland, TX – Grazia Italian Kitchen. Who doesn’t come to Texas/Houston to enjoy some Mexican Food and margaritas? My go-to spot is another small business out in Pearland, TX – Emma’s Mex Grill. Hands down the best fajitas and margaritas! As far as entertainment, I would take them to The Rustic, which is a great place with delicious drinks, food and live music. Covering a week long itinerary would take up way more space than what is provided for this write up, but I would give them plenty of options since the Houston area is packed with parks, outdoor movie venues, bars and restaurants! Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First – My wife, Monica. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her supporting me and my crazy ideas. She’s the first one to say, “Why not? Do it!” She’s also there with me when it comes to waking up at 4am to get to races or events to support and cheer on my athletes. When it comes to some of the long adventure bike rides we participate in, she’s always the one to help provide support and gear when we need it at our pit stops! I don’t know many wives who would do that, and I don’t know how I got so lucky! The second person I’d like to dedicate this shoutout to is Jeremy Brown. He’s the owner of Mind Right Endurance and is the one that gave me a chance to join the Coaching Family. He mentored and guided me at the beginning of my coaching journey and has played a big part in molding me into the Coach and Athlete I am today. Lastly, I’d like to dedicate this shoutout to the amazing clients/athletes I’ve coached throughout my coaching journey. I’ve worked with athletes of all fitness levels – from someone doing their first 5K to Ironman triathletes to a Professional MMA Fighter. Without them I wouldn’t be able to continue to grow and perfect my craft!

Website: https://mindrightendurance.com/coach-jesse-zavala/

Instagram: @CoachJesseHTX

Image Credits
Scott Flathouse Photography