I am Christine Sjolshagen (say schulshaagean) a Certified Personal Trainer, the “Head Chick” (owner) of Wicked Strong Chicks, LLC and “Headmistress” at Wicked Strong Fitness Bootcamps on Hannover Street in downtown Manchester, NH.

My Journey

I have always been active in one way or another; As a kid it was gymnastics, swimming and dance. When I got older, there was a period of time where my “fitness” program consisted of walking to work and walking the dog. After moving to New Hampshire, I started playing soccer and going to a personal trainer for 1-on-1 training sessions before I started thriving in small group fitness bootcamps.

Now, I am all about lifting heavy weights.

Christine Sjolshagen

There are probably more than a few of you who understand the struggle with self-image that I have experienced for many years and still work on daily. It is a struggle that takes effort and self-awareness to keep ahead of.

I became aware of how others perceived me at a young age. It made me critical of my body and it took a long time to see my self as a whole person. It didn’t help to think that I wasn’t attractive unless I fit into size 27 Levis or that my thighs looked big in running shorts.  All this, like a lot of women, at the tender age of 13!

It is such a myth to believe that the skinniest person in the room is the person that has the best health, life and relationships. Yet this is what we are “told”every day from day one by media, the people we love and the looks of strangers. These people, sometimes – often – completely unwittingly, reinforce and validate the belief system that some random societal template for beauty defines success, health and fitness level.

My Mission

It is my mission, through my Fitness Bootcamp classes or in small group training sessions, to help you challenge that belief. We will use “what you can do” as the measurement for how healthy and fit you are.

I am excited to continuously share the latest and most up-to-date exercise methods and dietary advice from other industry experts with the men and women I lead through my small group, big attitude Fitness Bootcamps as well as with the women I coach in my One-on-One Personal Training sessions.

My motivation is to help you discover the benefits of being strong and living healthy through exercise, eating thoughtfully and discrediting negative influences.

For those of you who wonder, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado State University and make my home in New Hampshire with my amazing husband, sweet old dog and big attitude (not to mention very ornery!) cat.