Special Advertising Feature by Candy Feliciano
For Variety
JOHN Jimeno doesn’t do things halfway. Walk into his special education classroom at Koblerville Elementary School, and you’ll find a teacher who brings the same energy to helping students as he does leading a packed Zumba class at Gold’s Gym. He’s a guitar player, a former bodybuilder, and a Zin leader. But ask him what fitness really means, and he’ll tell you fitness is not just about how the body looks, but about how the heart is lifted.
For John, a healthy lifestyle isn’t a rigid destination but a rhythmic evolution. His journey started in bodybuilding, where health meant discipline, structure, and physical transformation. It was grueling work, sculpting the body through consistency and sacrifice. He pushed through days of exhaustion and hunger, learning that real progress “didn’t come from motivation, it came from showing up anyway, sticking to the plan when no one was watching, and trusting the process even when results felt slow or invisible.”
But there was a cost. John is remarkably honest about what that extreme focus took from him. His friend Shawn Fleming pointed it out once “sure, you look fit on the outside, but the exhaustion both mentally and physically… makes it hard sometimes to reciprocate those compliments.” John realized the truth about the purely aesthetic side of fitness: “you may look great on the outside but inside tells a different story.” That realization became the catalyst for his shift toward a more holistic, joyful approach to health.
The breakthrough came when Marcus Taisacan introduced him to Zumba Fitness. This shift moved his definition of health toward movement with joy, connection, and sustainability. Where bodybuilding was inward-focused and individual, Zumba became an outward celebration. It was no longer just about the weight on the bar, but about “how the body feels, how the heart is lifted, and how movement brings people together.” He found a version of health that felt expressive, healing, and inclusive.
From a healthy lifestyle perspective, Zumba is a powerhouse of benefits that go far beyond the dance floor. It’s a workout in disguise, providing a total-body experience that hits every major muscle group. Because it’s an aerobic-based activity, it significantly improves cardiovascular health, helping to lower blood pressure and improve circulation. The interval-style training boosts metabolic rate and builds incredible endurance.
But for John, the most vital health benefit is the mental release. The combination of high-energy music and synchronized movement triggers a massive release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals are essential for managing the high-stress environment of modern teaching. This exercise-induced euphoria is a natural defense against anxiety and burnout, making it a perfect supplement for anyone with a demanding career.
Drawing on his background as a guitar player and his years advising the award-winning Koblerville Glee Club, John uses rhythm to turn fitness into an emotional experience. He understands that music has its own intention and structure. In his classes at Gold’s Gym, Marianas Powerhouse, and Latte Built, this musicality creates a space where participants can lose themselves in the joy, release, and connection that rhythm provides. Alongside fellow instructors like Rhine Russell and Richelle Pascual, John has helped foster a community where fitness feels like a family reunion. He credits Rhine as his mentor in Zumba and thanks both instructors for their support and knowledge-Richelle as a reliable colleague who’s been there through it all.
This sense of harmony extends directly into his career as a teacher. Leading a glee club to international competitions in Guam taught him that “success came when they stopped singing next to each other and started singing together.” He carries this spirit of teamwork into the studio, understanding that a healthy life requires lifting others up. Whether he’s helping a student find their voice in the classroom or encouraging a participant on the dance floor, John finds his greatest reward in “seeing growth among my students…reaching a goal they didn’t think was possible.”
How does a man with such a demanding professional life stay so vibrant without burning out? The secret lies in his non-negotiable approach to wellness and his ability to balance grit with grace. He doesn’t wait for the perfect hour or the perfect energy level. He understands that passion over perfection is what builds momentum. He integrates small pockets of health into his daily routine early morning prayer, a quick stretch between lessons, even a small Zumba routine practice while waiting between sets at the gym. “It doesn’t feel like a chore,” John says. “It feels like investing in myself so I can give my best to others.”
At the heart of it all is his faith. “I make time for God and I thank him everyday for the opportunity to be able to wake and do things like fitness, teaching Special Education, and Zumba.” He looks back on his journey with no regrets, believing every experience led him to exactly where he is today. He encourages others to stop viewing health as a punishment, and start viewing it as a celebration of life.
John Jimeno is living proof that a healthy lifestyle isn’t about perfection. It’s about the courage to show up, the discipline to stay consistent, and the joy of finding your own rhythm.
Join Zin John’s class
Monday – Saturday
8 a.m., Latte built
Tuesday-Friday
6 p.m., Gold’s Gym
M-W-Thu
6:30 p.m., Marianas Powerhouse
