#The PeTiTe

#The Petite
POWERHOUSE
wordsmith: ty phoenix | @typhoenixlive
L
os Angeles by way of Queens, NY Qimmah Russo brings nothing less than the
royal treatment to the fitness and fitness model industry. A “Petite Powerhouse” from her
mind, body, down to her spirit a soft serve blend of the West Indian (Barbados), Italian,
and American Indian (Cherokee) cultures with a hard outer shell of “Shmexy” (her own
unique phrase). Don’t be surprised when Russo’s fitness team, Q-FlexFitness, is in your
town proudly rocking their Q-Flex bands and changing lives. Get motivated as we dive
into what drives Qimmah Russo.
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What’s your background in
fitness coaching & modeling?
Although I am not a model, I do enjoy it. I just happen to
be called by different advertisers to promote their products and people always respond very favorably. As far as my
background in fitness coaching it was something that came
very natural. I come from a household of athletes so I have
always been around people who ate healthy and stayed fit. In
high school kids and their parents always asked me for fitness
advice and training so I started my own fitness company. I
decided to follow my heart and do what I love to do which is
to help people make big changes in their lives towards self love.
I plan to make an impact on today’s society in a positive way.
How would you describe your
personal interests?
My professional interests are within the fitness and health arenas and expanding into the modeling and acting field. My intention is to help improve the quality of life for any individual
who wants it. I see myself doing big things with my wellness
vision. I would like to start up fitness gym/spas all over the
world, clothing lines, apps, bootcamps and other huge fitness
events. All of them with the purpose of bringing all health conscious people together to celebrate life, health and happiness.
What does it mean
to be “Shmexy”?
I think sexy needs to get shaken up a lil’ bit, it needed a lil’
adjustment so I smeared the word sexy with my energy and
turned it into Shmexy . There is just too much stuff going on
in pop culture that is not sexy. The things I see are just offensive sometimes and I thought it would be cool if I could start
a phrase that means the same thing as sexy but this time expressed from the inside out. Its pronounced in a way that is different yet the same as sexy. I feel I’m representing being sexy
from within, you don’t have to do too much to be sexy. You just
have to feel it about yourself and it will be known. You can
feel the heat from the word Shmexy taking sexy up a notch to
that next level. In my opinion, in this department, Less is more!
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How has fitness changed
other aspects of your life?
Fitness has shown me how to truly feel happiness and love and
gratitude for what I have, what I do and who I am. I have
helped hundreds of individuals. Whether they were at their
lowest or somewhere in between. I was there to give them that
extra push, and help them find more faith in themselves. I
found what I love to do, I am here to help people. I have grown
to love, to listen, to lead and to understand, to accept and to be
free. I have become closer to my family and I’ve learned to appreciate the things I have in my life right now. I realized there
are so many people out there who just need someone to talk
to or just need help period and they may not have someone to
go home to who will listen and understand. I learned that the
mind can only take you as far as you let it. You can’t be afraid
of failure or pain, you must embrace and enjoy the process no
matter how hard it is because through all of life’s challenges we
grow and we gain more knowledge and wisdom to help others
to grow and maintain happiness through life’s ups and downs.
How does fitness
parallel with your
attitude & personality?
My attitude and my personality played a huge role in maintaining my physique over the years. My attitude is what fuels
my drive. You have to have the right attitude to perform in the
gym, at the park, on the track, on the field, in the sun. No matter how tuff the circumstance may be you are in control of your
mind and how you will respond to each challenge. I have to have
a positive attitude in the morning when I wake up, throughout
my day and before I go to bed. I create my great outcomes and
experiences each day by maintaining a positive attitude and
outlook on life. I can’t let the things around me make me lose
focus or lose faith. My personality is right in line with being
driven, passionate, positive and free spirited. If my personality
was not like this I would not be able to maintain my success or
find joy in working out and staying fit and healthy every day.
Using only 7 words, who is
Qimmah Russo?
Impossible to do only 7...(laughs). Happy, loving, funny,
serenity
(peaceful),
humble,
energetic,
strong,
intelligent, longevity, powerful, kind, giving, innocent,
curious, dreamy, adventurous, athletic, beautiful, fun,
ambitious, luminous, authentic. I think that should do it. (laighs).
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what would others say is
the most beautiful thing
about you?
I’ve heard some things like my chin, my smile, my passion, my positivity, my eyes, my
body, my willingness to help and lead, being an inspiration, encouraging people to
just be themselves and to love who they are, people like that I encourage happiness
and strength for all women and men, my personality, my aura, my energy. (laughs).
Why does “q-flexfitness” matter?
Because that is my business, my brand, my
creation, my name, and my future. I want to
make some drastic changes in this world and
Q-Flex Fitness is going to be one of the mediums I use that will be responsible for the
positive changes that are about to occur.
Is where you’re at in life everything that you’ve
expected?
It has been everything I have hoped for and
more. I never thought It would be here so soon,
but I’m ready, and I am well prepared. I know
only great things are coming my way and I will
gladly lead as many people as possible to unlocking that feeling of greatness that is within
us all.
what’s the atmosphere like when
you’re on a shoot or training?
The atmosphere when I train is very upbeat. I play music, we yell, we release and we work
hard. The energy is very high and that is how I like it. It’s where people let go and get to release.
There’s no tension, just freedom and people who are driven and are looking to make some positive changes in their lives. During the photoshoots things seem to be more calm, but it’s also a
time to let go, and have fun. When I shoot or workout outdoors I tend to feel one with the earth
and with myself. When I’m in nature, I open up and I truly feel at home, I AM. Which is the
space I always want to be in, but without any words just through emotion within. I do talk with
the photographer here and there, for direction and ideas and your occasional joke haha. The
energy is usually very much dictated by how everyone on the shoot or during workouts interact
with one another, overall my shoots and workouts are typically really fun and very exciting.
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What’s your mantra or what keeps you
going in your career?
I have so many musical inspirations. If you My
mantra is I AM, I make my intention to accomplish everything my heart desires with grace in
perfect ways for the good of all concerned, SO
BE IT. What keeps me going is the smile on my
clients faces when I help them achieve greatness, and my parents faces when I make them
proud…there is no better feeling.
What advice do you have for other aspiring
fitness coaches?
Never doubt yourself, with the right amount
of focus, dedication and practice anything is
possible. Intensity is the name of the game
when it comes to creating great change. Another piece of advice I have for other aspiring
fitness coaches is to make sure that PT is what
you love to do. Does it make you smile, does it
make your heart skip a beat when you’re transforming people’s lives, you must have patience,
kindness, love, passion, you must stay humble
and always be a leader and a role model for the
people in everything you do. Remember, when
you step into the role of a leader the people
you train trust you and are counting on you
to guide them. Make sure you are true to yourself and do not let any profession change you.
Don’t ever let your ego run the show. You must
be confident and demand respect, but make
sure when you do, do it in the most respectful
way. Know your profession well enough to be
confident in the information you are responsible for communicating to your clients. Try to
relate to them, be one with them, and always
remind them that you are there to help them.
You can only do so much, they must be willing
to work, and work hard. It’s also important to
be able to communicate in a group setting, and
be sociable as well.
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