About Ashley

certified personal trainer

a little
of
my story

Loud laugher. Passionate school teacher. Avid reader. Lover of planks. Hater of push-ups. Fruit enthusiast. Amateur gardener. Wannabe world traveler. Try-anything-once adventurer. Rescue pup mama. Proud auntie. Christ follower.

...and of course, your friendly, neighborhood fitness trainer.

Fitness coaching found me in 2017. I had been a regular attendee of group exercise classes at my local YMCA for years, and one day I thought, I bet I'd have fun teaching these workouts. Turns out, I was right.

A few weekend certification trainings later, and I was all in. What started as a hobby / side hustle quickly became a full business that brought me as much life as working with children.

In the realm of fitness, I specialize in resistance training and high intensity interval training, both of which are scientifically proven to build lean muscle mass efficiently.

I'm a certified personal trainer and women's fitness specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). I'm also a group exercise instructor certified by LesMills in BodyPump (weightlifting) and RPM (indoor cycling), and I most recently added TRX suspension training to the mix. Lastly, I have a Master of Science degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University.

All together, my goal is not only to train with you, but to equip you with the skills, technique, and motivation to keep up with exercisewhether you're with or without me.

My Clients say...

As a former athlete, I was determined to get back in shape. I especially wanted to develop my core to avoid having back problems in the future. Ashley helped me clarify my goals and offered a program that included an evaluation/consultation followed by a customized program. Because of the distance and my work schedule, we did the workout sessions over Zoom at 6 AM. I worked out in my living room for 30 to 45 minutes/day and had a session with Ashley 1 to 2 times per week. Ashley provided a detailed workout plan for each week, a tracking spreadsheet to monitor my progress and heart rate, and refresher videos to assist with the technique between sessions. I was a little sore the first week since I had not done any formal workouts in 30 years. About 2-3 weeks into the program, I noticed my energy level had improved significantly, and I generally felt better about myself. About 4 weeks in, I noticed my arm strength improving and by the time I finished the 8 weeks I had doubled the original weights I was using for the workouts. At the end of our 8-week program Ashley provided me with a plan to continue working out that included all the exercises we had done. She also recorded a few of our workout sessions for me to refer to in the future. Ashley was always cheerful and very positive, even considering it was 5 AM her time. She was always on time and kept us to a tight schedule to make sure we finished on time. When I needed follow-up support between sessions, she was very responsive and sent the additional instructions I needed until we could have our next Zoom workout. I would highly recommend Ashley. She is a true professional, knows what she is talking about and demonstrates a real desire to help you achieve your goals. She pays attention to your technique and heart rate and makes accurate corrections to ensure you are doing everything correctly and safely.

Ken V, Age 66

Let's train together

Online Training

Starting at $50 / session 

Get the same coaching and customization as in-person training, minus the need to leave home. We use Zoom to record our sessions, allowing you to revisit workouts and build a personalized exercise library.

Tell me more>>

In-Person Training

30, 45, 60 mins
Starting at $55/session

Let me come to you wherever it's most convenient, whether that's your home gym, driveway, or local park. Designed to get you to your goals the fastest. Available in the Houston metro area through July 2023.

Tell me more>>

Special Events

60 mins
Starting at $150/session

Make a private, group workout part of your bachelorette or retreat weekend itinerary. Workouts are fully customizable to suit your group's needs and include music, equipment, and live coaching.

Tell me more>>

My online courses

No items found.

From my blog

My fitness + health philosophy

June 5, 2022

Content coming soon!

Read article>>

Follow me on Instagram

@varela.ash

Our bodies are our gardens - our wills are our gardeners.

— William Shakespeare

Get in touch with me

(713) 714-0307
ashley@ashleyvarelacoaching.com

3139 W Holcombe Blvd #2119
Houston, TX
77025

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.