Meet the Pitcher’s

I would like to introduce you to a couple that I have the pleasure of knowing and who inspire me very much so. They are truly amazing together as well as individually. 

 To give you a quick background of how I came to meet this amazing couple, It was January 2010 and Manuel and I were trying to prepare and sort out this figure competition stuff.  We knew it was important to get in touch with someone who knew what they were doing.  With the help of my best friend Andrea, she got me in touch with Kris Pitcher, who happens to be a competitive bodybuilder.  Her  husband is a personal trainer, a competitive bodybuilder and contest prep. coach.  We hit it off great via: email and I knew this was the right fit for me.  We met in February for posing and preparation 101 and since then they have been great guidance and support for Manuel and I. 

I am honored to be apart of Team Pitcher and hope you enjoy reading about them below.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Jacques Pitcher (JP), I’m a Personal Trainer and owner of Team Pitcher. I train locally in Spokane where my wife Kris Pitcher (KP), and I have lived for 4 years. Kris is the Director of Development for the WSU College of Nursing. I’ll turn 39 in November and Kris is 40, we’ll celebrate our 12^th anniversary this spring. As a teen I was a nationally competitive power lifter. I was fortunate to have mentors who believed in me and taught me to believe in myself during very formative years. This is where I began to focus my passion for fitness. I was a machinist by trade, and in Seattle in the ‘90s that was good work. But since then I’ve been able to match my work with my personal passion, creating a really strong path for myself.

Describe your work for us.

 JP– I’ve worked in the fitness industry for 10 years in roles from personal training to health & fitness director. When we came to Spokane I had the opportunity to focus on what I get the most from personally, training people. And that’s what I do. It was at that same time that I began to seriously pursue my bodybuilding “hobby”. I am a regionally competitive bodybuilder, and this year I’m putting a bit more energy and mental focus in this area with the intent of stepping on the national stage. I’m not getting any younger.

 I recently started my company, Team Pitcher. I do nutritional consultation, contest preparation, and training based on-line for people across the mountains or across the country. And locally of course for clients here. My clients range from older adults looking for increased quality of life, to competitive athletes and everyone in between. I work with all kinds of people, including clients with injuries, MS, diabetes, arthritis, eating disorders, you name it. Prepping clients for competitions is a particularly rewarding experience and Karly’s a great example of that.   

 KP – My background is in health & fitness as well. I spent 11 years in a non-profit organization starting as an Exercise Specialist and climbing the career ladder developing to Executive Director. Our move to Spokane gave me the chance to focus on one component of that final role, development work. I started competing in 2008 and I’m a lightweight bodybuilder. I’m also a writer.

 You can find my current work on my blog, “Fitness Bliss With Kris” http://krispitcher.blogspot.com. I am the Health Contributor for Sistahpedia.com, which will launch this holiday season. I write mind/body inspiration and motivation, which I love. It’s very rewarding work.

 What is your favorite type of exercise and why?

JP-Weight lifting. Period. We’re drawn to what we’re good at, and genetically Kris and I are both good at it. I feel like I achieve something every workout, there’s a success with each accomplishment. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t love the physical labor of it. But each workout gets me closer to my goals. And that feels good. My favorite exercise is the leg press – it’s a love hate relationship because of the amount of weight. But for that same reason, it’s the one that brings the greatest feeling of success.

KP – Mine is the same but for a different reason. The leg press is my favorite because I can press more weight than all the guys in the gym except for Jacques! I take pleasure in that with or without an audience, but my preference is to make a few jaws drop.

 Do you think as a married couple, it is important to both be active and if so, why or why not?

JP– It is important. I’m not saying it doesn’t or can’t work if both aren’t but it sure helps. For us, it’s one of the core values that brought us together. If you think about the things that make couples successful there are really only a few things; values about health & money top the list. If you share those values, you’re going to make it. This is such an important value to me that my first date with Kris was a workout. Working out together was going to be a good indication of how we would be able to communicate, problem solve, support one another, improvise, take constructive criticism, and be good partners. It was nice being real close too.

KP- The difficulty when you’re not both active is that when one person is succeeding it’s an unfortunate natural response to sabotage. I hear people complain about frustrations related to this a lot. So, yes it’s important. I didn’t realize how important that first date was! Sharing values is what makes us successful.    

What motivates you?

 JP -I’ve always wanted to be different from the norm in a special way. Being 5’ 5”, I knew I wasn’t going to be tall; the only way I was going to change myself was to be bigger. This was an early motivator. Now, I’m motivated by that same desire to be different and my goals keep me moving forward. My life and my work are focused around those goals. I draw energy from having people around me who support that in a positive way.

 KP– I’ve struggled with my weight for a long time. As a teen I was fat, and it wasn’t until after college that I started to get interested in exercise. I’m motivated by getting better every year as I age. Oddly, my job was so stressful when I worked in the industry that I couldn’t focus on my own health and fitness. I’m loving the direction that I’m going in right now, and that’s motivating. Forty never looked so good, and I can’t wait to see what 45 has in store for me. In this sport, muscle maturity is a good thing!

 Who inspires you the most in the industry and why?

JP-Right now I’m inspired by Dave Palumbo – he sticks to his ideals and isn’t afraid to take a risk in the industry forging his own path. He’s innovative and different which is good for the industry. As a competitor, I’m also motivated by the emerging 202 class. The success these guys are having breeds new hope for so many of us who are never going to be a Jay Cutler.

KP – I’m inspired by Tosca Reno, she pretty much sums up being a successful industry leader.

What advice would you give someone who wants to make the change and start eating clean and exercising? 

KP -It’s easier and more cost-effective than you think. A few things can go a long way. Start to prepare more things at home. This means less packaged foods from the grocery store, and less eating out. Eat more vegetables. Drink more water. Start moving more. And read my blog!

JP – Accountability goes a long way, couple that with an effective plan and you’ll be able to make changes that you can live with.

What’s it like to have 2 bodybuilders preparing for a competition in the same household?

 JP– Last year we competed together for the first time. It’s actually easier. When Kris was dieting and I wasn’t, it could be hard for her to see me eating the things that weren’t in her plan. Same thing the other way when I was dieting and she wasn’t. Our basic nutrition would be the same, it’s just the extras, the family gatherings, the birthdays, holidays…that kind of thing. So, it’s easier to have 2 dieters. We’re both even-tempered and fairly organized, especially about our food. You just have a schedule. We do a lot of food prep at once, weigh out meals, & stack them up in the fridge. We each had our own shelf in the refrigerator. You just make things easy by planning ahead.

KP – Things get ugly when you’re not prepared, you’re not prepared because you didn’t plan, you didn’t plan because you’re not paying attention. You have to pay attention. You look out for one another and do everything you can to help each other too. And if one of you is having a hard day, you just give some slack, because you know how it feels.  

What do you like to do when you aren’t prepping for a competition?

JP -When we’re not prepping, well we’re always prepping…we lift together 4 days a week. When it’s nice out we walk the centennial trail. We love to watch movies, and we have a big cat, she has a “physique of leisure”. We’re both good cooks. We love to travel & scuba in warm water. In the winter I snowboard and Kris skis.

KP –We’re best friends, and we like each other. I like to bake & experiment with altering recipes. I write personal essays & short stories, and I’d call it a hit’s a hobby that I love. We love sushi. I love our workouts and feel like its sacred time together. We’re goofy.