Finding a Home

By Naperville Magazine
April 2025 View more Shop

By Jeff Banowetz

Fitness instructor Jen Hoeft puts down roots with a new facility

Jen Hoeft started her own business as a fitness instructor in 2016. She’d previously taught classes at Lifetime Fitness, but when she went out on her own, she began by training a small group of clients in parks around Naperville. That is, until winter arrived.

“There were only about five people, but when the session ended, we didn’t want to stop,” Hoeft says. “I had a friend volunteer, ‘Why don’t you just come to my basement?’ ”

So to the basement they went. “It was like Fight Club—I told people to go to my friend’s house and walk up to her garage; there’s a stairwell to get to the basement,” she recalls now with a laugh. “I mean, it was a nice house, but I’m still kind of shocked how many people showed up at a stranger’s house to work out in the basement.”

Hoeft no longer has to worry about finding a workout space. She opened her own gym in January when her company, J-Fit, took over the facility formerly occupied by Rock Steady Boxing, at 550 Industrial Drive in Naperville. She had been looking for her own space, but a fortuitous phone call made it possible. “I had called because I found some exercise equipment for sale online,” Hoeft says. “When I reached out, I realized who it was and said, ‘Wait, are you leaving?’ ”

Not only did she end up with the 8,000-square-foot space, but she would soon become certified to teach Rock Steady Boxing as well to keep that program going. The classes are designed to provide fitness training for Parkinson’s patients to help manage the disease. “These people are fantastic and dedicated,” Hoeft says. “And honestly, every boxer will tell you the improvement it has made for their lives.”

Born and raised in Naperville (part of the first graduating class of Neuqua Valley High School, in fact), Hoeft specializes in whole-body fitness, teaching classes, and personal training. She’s also brought in instructors to teach yoga. While the facility is bigger than she anticipated, it’s turned out for the best, allowing her to sublet some of the space to a massage therapist and other health-related businesses. “When I fell upon this, I was like, ‘Wow, this is more than I need,’ but it’s worked out great,” she says. “There’s so much space that will allow us to do new things.”

No matter the class, Hoeft focuses on providing a fitness experience that fits the client. “It honestly depends on each client’s needs—everyone’s different,” she says. “The youth clients I have aren’t going to be the same as my 30- or 40-year-olds, and not the same as the older clients. But overall, it’s strength and cardiovascular, just getting people to move and focus on overall health.”

Emily Achstatter discovered Hoeft in 2020, during COVID when classes were done online. “Jen was doing these 15-minute mini-classes via Zoom, and a friend convinced me to sign up with her,” Achstatter says. “During the first class, about halfway through, my second grader called me to help her with her classes, which were being done at home.” Amid the e-learning, Achstatter forgot about the workout. “I finally came back to my computer, and the class was done, but Jen was still there waiting for me,” she says. “She just hung around to meet me because I was new to the class and wanted to know more about me. I thought it was so kind of her to wait for me and make sure I was OK.”

Achstatter continued with the 15-minute classes for about a year, until she finally “got the courage” to start training in person. At the start, she could barely hold a plank. Now, more than four years later, she’s lost 105 pounds and trains to compete in Hyrox fitness competitions across the country. “My entire life changed,” Achstatter says. “I attribute so much of it to her because she just takes the time to get to know each person individually. Even in group classes, you still feel that there’s an individualized approach.”

For Hoeft, the gym finally allows her to set down some roots in one place. “I’ve spent a lot of time driving around with a car full of exercise equipment,” she says. “I like that there’s now this place where we can build an even bigger community.”

Photo: Jen Hoeft