Ashland Strength Studio - Ashland, Oregon

Serena M.

Tess is a superb trainer and has cultivated such an accepting and encouraging space in their studio! I've never been in a gym space where I've felt so comfortable asking questions and moving at my own pace. Tess genuinely cares about creating a workout that caters to each individual's abilities, body, and goals. Would recommend Ashland Strength Studio to anyone of any experience level - Tess will make sure you feel welcomed and will teach you to love strength training!

Colin C.

I started training with Tess when she was living in Seattle. I had never done strength training before, had a lot of complex feelings about movement and exercise, and I was not super comfortable in my body.

Tess and I worked together in-person for a year, and I learned to love strength training, the feeling of getting stronger and more comfortable in myself, and the simple joy of lifting (and swinging) heavy things. I also just got to know my body better than I ever have before, which has made movement in all areas of my life more conscious, intentional, and joyful.

After Tess moved down to Ashland we started training virtually, using my home kettle bells. It has kept me moving, growing, and just feeling good.

I would highly recommend Tess as a movement/strength coach, virtually or in-person. I can only envy the folks that get the chance to join her in the new Ashland space!

Laura J.

I'm delighted to have connected with Tess shortly after she opened her Ashland studio. I was looking for an enthusiastic, knowledgable partner in overcoming years of inertia, and getting ready for adventure. Tess is all that and more! HELL YEAH!
No mirrors in the studio, which pushed me to connect with my inner body awareness, and learn techniques based on the way they felt. I wholeheartedly recommend Tess.

K. K.

With my recent health challenges & dwindling desire to go to dance, I’ve been struggling for a couple years now to get enough exercise. I’ve finally found a class and trainer/instructor who inspire me. Tess Ball is knowledgeable, skilled, trauma-sensitive, patient, fun, and nerdy in all the best ways.

A few months ago, I tried working with a trainer who has a home gym a block from my house. So convenient, right? Yeah, except that person pushed me to keep doing something even when it hurt, and the workout ended up tweaking my whiplash & giving me a monster headache.

Tess, on the other hand, takes my injuries very seriously and is working with me to strengthen and realign my body slowly, so that my body doesn’t go through more trauma as it tries to heal.

Tess can tell from my feedback exactly which muscles we need to target, and she has modifications when something doesn’t work. Her focused attention helps me get the most out of the workouts, and is increasing my body awareness (which I’d already thought was pretty high).

In short, she’s phenomenal. I couldn’t recommend her more, for one-on-ones or small group training. She’s just the best.

UPDATE: Fast forward a few years, and I still think Tess is amazing. We’ve done some workouts over Zoom during the pandemic, and even from far away she was able to see my posture and give me helpful suggestions as I went through my exercises. She tailors a plan not just for my body’s needs overall but for where I’m at that specific day. She’s one of the best things to happen to my life and worth her weight in gold.

Nick B.

Tess is with doubt the best fitness coach I've ever worked with. Her knowledge of the body and how it works with and around injuries is immense. She combines her knowledge with attention to detail, and working with her I'm finally making progress on a 15 year old injury that never healed, and by carefully watching how I moved, she's prevented several more by finding alternative exercises and movements. Even so, she in no way goes easy on you, and working out with her remain challenging and immensely satisfying. As an Acupuncturist who treats hundreds of people per year who've been injured by bad trainers, I would not hesitate to recommend Tess to any of my patients. She is truly exceptional at what she does.

Michelle L.

Tess is authentic, fun, honest and I trust her wholeheartedly to keep my wellbeing the utmost priority while using her comprehensive and varied blend of knowledge and tools to be my movement coach. My experience with her also gives me full confidence to recommend her to anyone who might be dealing with an injury, unsure of where to start with fitness or anyone really who is looking for someone who is very observant, with an emphasis on quality of movement, practicality and play! She challenges the ideas of what we "should" be doing and encourages exploration of what feels good.

Hillary P.

We stumbled on Tess' class with her 3 classes for $3 each deal and are so happy we did. She's created a beautiful gym space with an inclusive environment, and we felt so welcomed in spite of popping in on vacation. Her kettlebell and yoga classes were a fantastic workout but able to be tailored for any fitness/mobility level. Looking forward to going again next time I'm in town.

Brit M.

Tess is simply amazing. Not only does she have a wonderful soul, she's so incredibly knowledgeable about the human body. Whether working on strength, movement or active recovery, Tess is a wealth of knowledge and is an amazing teacher. She truly changed my life and helped me work through some difficult body issue in a number of ways. I'm forever grateful to have crossed paths with her.