Jess and I discuss developing and manifesting a winning mindset, her experiences as a woman in a male dominated sport, cold water exposure, and a few tangents for good measure!
Follow Jess St. John on Instagram:
@jessstjohn
@calisthenicsvancouver
I've been an athlete since the age of 6, starting out as a gymnast. I first competed at age 10 and switched to competitive cheerleading at age 13. My drive took off in cheer. I was a 4x Team Canada athlete, winning worlds in 2012. I have also competed at the IASF worlds with my all star gym (Cheer Sport Sharks), 8 times, medalling twice. At age 25 I quit cheer. A year later I naturally fell into calisthenics while re-entering a gymnastics gym to see if I could still flip. I played around on bars taking inspiration from athletes like Demi Bagby and Gina Scarangella. I attended open gym twice a week, every week for the next few years, teaching myself more flips and calisthenics skills.
In November 2019 I attended a calisthenics meet up in Mississauga, ON, where I met and trained with some of the best athletes in the country. I was welcomed into the community and my passion took off. In the late summer of 2020 I moved to Vancouver, BC, and established
Calisthenics Vancouver to grow the sport out west. I also launched my own business coaching calisthenics in person and online.
February 2022 marked the start of my career as a competitive calisthenics athlete. I battled at The Callout Comp in NYC. I love training hard to prepare for competitions and adore the moments in the spotlight. My goal is to become the best competitive calisthenics athlete I can be, and to inspire others to achieve skills they never imagined they were capable of.