From Body Building to Building Others Up
Eden Roach’s Inspiring Journey of Fitness
By: Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
When it comes to setting out on the path to a healthier and more fit version of yourself, many people fail to realize that fitness is not always about the destination… it’s about the journey! One local fitness phenom, Eden Roach who is a personal trainer, nutritionist, and co-founder of The Gym and The Basement, has made it her mission to help guide other women through their own personal fitness journeys.
Roach's own journey into the world of fitness was not merely a career choice but a calling. She was raised in a family who prioritized physical activity and wellbeing. Roach developed a deep-seated passion for fitness and its transformative effects at a very early age. Roach credits her love of fitness to her father stating, “My father was very active especially when it came to doing things outdoors from yardwork and gardening to taking care of farm animals and living off the land. He was always doing something to stay active.”
Roach recalled, “My father was always into body building. Growing up, he would always have all these body building magazines around, so I was exposed to that world at a very young age. I remember we had this little weight room area outside, and I would always use the leg extension machine. My dad would start adding all these weights and would just burst out laughing because I guess it was just obscene how much weight I could lift with my legs at such a young age. So, what started out as kind of a family joke actually ended becoming a hobby. That hobby led me to where I am today.”
All through school, Roach was active in sports. It wasn’t until she had graduated high school that Roach decided to take her love of fitness to another level. “After high school, I started college and was studying for a degree in nutrition. During that time, I ended up getting a job at the local GNC (General Nutrition Center). This really helped me get more accustomed to a more holistic lifestyle,” noted Roach.
Roach was always drawn to the images she would see in her father’s fitness magazines growing up and aspired to look like the women in those pictures. Roach shared, “I decided I was going to attempt my first bikini show after I had my children, which probably sounds crazy because most people wouldn’t think of exposing their body like that after having children. But I did, and I did quite well for my first competition. My first show was at the North Coast Championships that took place in Akron, Ohio. I ended up taking the overall win for that show.”
Despite growing up in a fitness minded home, being fit her entire life, and having recently taking the overall win in her first bikini competition, Roach shared that she still didn’t quite have her confidence up where she liked. Shortly after her first competition, Roach decided to enter the Julie Palmer NPC Ultimate Showdown, which is a bigger named bodybuilding competition that includes a bikini division. Roach ended up taking the class win as well as the overall. This qualified Roach for nationals held in Pittsburg, PA where she placed 16th in the nation.
Body building was certainly a disciplined and demanding lifestyle for Roach. She enjoyed it; however, Roach came to the realization that perhaps that lifestyle wasn’t the path she wanted to take in life and decided to change directions. Shortly after competing in her last competition, Roach found herself working as a dietary supervisor at Kings Daughters Medical Center as well as a dietary supervisor for the nursing home. Roach shared that she quickly came to the realization that she wanted to do more to help people. Roach explained, “I wanted to feel like I was making a difference in the lives of others. What body building did for me was provide me with the credibility to be able to show prospective clients that I know what I am talking about, and I know what I am doing.”
Over the course of the next few years, Roach did just that…touching the lives of others and paving the way to a healthier tomorrow. In 2018, Alicia Eldridge became Roach’s client. After about a year had passed, both Roach and Eldridge found themselves discussing the possibility of opening gym. In 2019, that discussion turned into a reality and together, Roach and Eldridge opened The Gym, which is located at 7707 US Route 60.
Yes, you read that correctly. They opened a gym called “The Gym.” Roach stated, “You know you always hear people say, ‘I’m going to the gym,’ so I thought why not call it The Gym since that’s what it is.” The name was catchy, and the support for it was astronomical. The partnership between Roach and Eldridge and the formation of the Gym has allowed Roach to touch countless lives from all around the Tri-state. The Gym is a community-centered fitness program designed to empower women of all ages, shapes, and sizes to embrace their strength and potential. Through a combination of personalized training sessions, group classes, and nutritional guidance, Roach has worked tirelessly to help her clients achieve their fitness goals and unlock their full potential. Roach has strived to create a space where every person feels valued and accepted regardless of her starting point or perceived limitations.
One of the ways Roach has accomplished this is through the annual Miss Barbelle Competition. which is a ten weeklong competition. Each week, clients are given one fitness challenge to complete. At the end of the ten weeklong competition, results are tallied up and a winner is chosen. The winner is then announced at the Miss Barbelle Banquet. The banquet provides Roach, her clients, trainers, and business partners the opportunity to get all dolled up and come together for a night of fun, laughter and celebration as the new Miss Barbelle is crowned. This event is highly anticipated by all. Fitness is not one-size-fits-all… It's about finding what works for you and celebrating the progress, no matter how small.
The popularity of Roach and her uncanny ability to lead others down a successful path of fitness has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. Because of this growth, Roach has been able to expand to a second location that she opened with business partner Jodelle Yount called “The Basement.” The Basement is located at 1510 Winchester Ave. Roach explained that what she does is not simply a job. “I am fortunate to be one of the few people in the world that get to do something they love everyday. For me, this isn’t a job. It’s just something I truly love.”
Roach has no plans of slowing down now. In fact, Roach hopes to keep the momentum rolling as she sets her sights on the possibility of opening a third location sometime in the future. She shared, “I feel like we have a really good thing going here. This is just something that is too good to keep hidden from other women.” With her vision, dedication, and passion, Roach has created a real sisterhood in the world of fitness.