Jen Floyd started her rowing career late in the game. It wasn’t until her senior year of college that she discovered it.
“I was originally recruited for volleyball as a freshman and sophomore in college, and when I transferred to Cornell University, I didn’t have a sport my junior year,” Floyd said. “After a year of no sports though, I came to the conclusion that I really needed one. I needed a team and to be involved in something with time management.”
Floyd and her roommate attended an informational meeting about rowing, and she knew this was it.
“I reached out to the coach and asked what I needed to do over the summer to be prepared. My senior year, I started practicing and really fell in love with it,” Floyd said.
Not only did she love it, but she was good at it too.
With her 6-foot-tall, athletic build and previous experience in volleyball, swimming and a variety of other sports, rowing seemed to be made for Floyd.
Everything was new that year. She recalls showing up for winter training and learning she was officially on the varsity team.
Tests on the rowing machine had Floyd walking away with the second-fastest time, and after that first season as a rower her senior year of college, she was left wanting more.
New to the sport, Floyd didn’t know what rowing looked like after college but was soon to find out. In addition to rowing clubs across the United States, there are junior and master programs for post-college and older.
Or she could really take it to a whole new level.
“One of my teammates’ goals was to make the United States Rowing team. There was a program in Connecticut for post-college athletes looking to train, and I didn’t have a job lined up after graduation. I really wanted to continue rowing,” Floyd said. “This is a full-time program, and I took the chance.”
Floyd moved to Connecticut in the fall of 2003. She didn’t make the team in 2004 with only a year of training under her belt, but she did participate in the World Cup, winning three medals, and went on as an alternate in the World Championship in 2005.
“Each year was a learning experience and a steppingstone to the next level. I made the 2008 Olympic team in Beijing,” Floyd said. “Going to the Olympics is an experience I’ll never forget. I had nine family members that made the trip kind of at the last minute.”
Her women’s quadruple sculls event finished sixth in the final.
“Returning after the Olympics was a struggle. I only knew myself as an athlete and a rower, and I didn’t know what else to do, so I figured I’d keep doing this,” Floyd said.
She went back to train in 2009, but after several injuries she was losing steam, and by 2011, it was clear her heart wasn’t in it anymore, leaving her with the question, “What now?”
A short stint at Lululemon, a company Floyd said was big on encouraging self-development, had her taking a quiz to figure out how your personality leads you to a certain set of careers.
The answer she received — owning a gym or a fitness center. When her next opportunity presented itself, it made perfect sense.
She became the executive director of the Indianapolis Rowing Center.
“I liked being involved and really loved coaching. I got to row but not at the same level. I got to see the other side of it and really enjoyed putting on events. I helped coordinate and watched the NCAA Championships, the Big Ten Championships, master rowers and other big competitions,” Floyd said.
After several years in the position, Floyd’s brother told her about Fit Body Boot Camp.
It’s a franchise and one that provides the type of structure and efficiency Floyd craves.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind that I would like to own a gym. I started doing DEKA Fitness Challenges and CrossFit Unbreakable. They include zones like rowing, box jumps, weights and others. It’s something to train for and gives me a goal to achieve,” Floyd said. “I looked into Fit Body Boot Camp, and they are super helpful from day one. It wasn’t overwhelming to get this going at all.”
She opened the Plainfield Fit Body Boot Camp in December 2023.
It’s a different program compared to many gyms in the area. In 30 minutes, moving from one station to another, customers can receive an efficient and productive workout in a short time frame.
“Busy parents and professionals who don’t have the time to go to an hour-long workout can stop by and get everything in and be done with it,” Floyd said. “I get joy when people stop looking at the number on the scale and they start noticing progress in everyday ways. Someone recently said, ‘We were on vacation on a boat, and for the first time, I was able to climb back up on the boat without assistance.’”
It all goes back to rowing and her love for healthy living.
“Rowing is one of the most efficient workouts there is. It can be tailored to any fitness level. I’ve coached a gentleman who was 80 years old along with middle school students,” Floyd said. “In the same way, there are alternative movements at Fit Body too.”
She hasn’t given up on rowing. She’s still volunteering with the Indianapolis Rowing Center, and there’s talk about getting back together with former teammates to row in the Head of the Charles fall regatta, but either way, Floyd is content.
“I enjoy what I do. I think gaining more independence and bettering yourself is really important, and I enjoy the challenge,” Floyd said.
