Semifinals Athlete, Gym Owner Hollye Henderson Dedicated to Fighting the Statistics in Jackson, Mississippi

Having grown up in Mississippi, Hollye Henderson is somewhat unphased by the challenges those living in Jackson face. Not only is Mississippi notoriously the state with the highest Type-2 diabetes and obesity rates in the country—40 percent of its population considered obese—crime rates are also a big concern, and for the second straight year, in 2022, Jackson experienced more homicides per capita than any other major US state. “It’s definitely getting to a point where people are starting to feel more and more unsafe,” said Henderson, the owner of CrossFit JXN in Jackson. This content is available exclusively to Members Become an member and start enjoying full access to all our community and sports content, and an ad-free experience. PROMO Exclusive content Ad-Free web/app experience Comments on articles Exclusive 15% WIT discount $1 per month for the first 4 months, $8 each month after Get Started for $1 Exclusive content Ad-Free web/app experience Comments on articles Exclusive private Facebook Group Regular coffee breaks hang outs Exclusive 15% WIT discount Get Started $5/month billed annually Already a member? Log In. And from a health standpoint, 34-year-old Henderson explained quality nutrition, as well as nutrition education, is seriously lacking. In fact, even clean water is even a big concern in Jackson. “We have had a water crisis for the last couple years (and) this past year, we went without clean water for about a month,” Henderson said. “We weren’t even supposed to wash our dishes (or) shower. There were some people with literally brown water coming out of their facets.” Nobody would blame Henderson—a three-time Regionals, and two-time Semifinals competitor who is competing at the upcoming North America West Semifinals in Pasadena, CA—if she packed up and left the city altogether. Educated with a masters degree in exercise science she certainly would have the means. But Henderson, who is coached by Brute Strength Training’s Dex Hopkins, has chosen to do just the opposite. She has decided to double down and commit herself to Jackson to fight to change the statistics by helping people turn their lives around through health and fitness. Fighting the Good Fight in Jackson Though Henderson’s personal goals are lofty performance ones—her ultimate dream being to punch her ticket to Madison, WI this summer—her greater mission for her clients is far more impactful than achieving elite fitness. Henderson’s greatest passion is taking on clients with lifestyle diseases—obesity, Type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure—and educating them about quality nutrition and exercise. It’s something she has been doing since she was in college, when she worked for a coach who received government grants to fund fitness for people who were “severely overweight” but couldn’t afford fitness, Henderson explained. “That’s kind of when I really fell in love with helping (this demographic). Not people who are naturally gifted, but the ones where just walking is a challenge,” she added. As a gym owner in Jackson, Henderson admitted that she, too, faces big challenges, one of them being that poor nutrition is so entrenched in her people’s way of life. “When you go (to) other places, people connect by spending time with each other, doing things outdoors, whereas here the only way there is human connection is over food. It’s very much a cultural pastime. Food is how we gather. And also the education here in terms of nutrition and health is very very poor. People do not have the knowledge,” said Henderson, who does a lot of nutrition coaching with her clients. Another big challenge she faces is a financial one. “It’s a lot more difficult to get clients here (because) part of the problem is that with obesity also comes poverty. It’s tough. There are a lot of people who just can’t afford it. And as a business owner I want to help everybody, but I also can’t just lower my rates because I have to run a business at the same time,” she added. Still, Henderson has chosen to soldier on, and since opening her gym in 2015, she has helped dozens of clients lose 20 pounds, 30 pounds, even 50 pounds, as well others put their diabetes into remission or reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Doing this excites her a lot more than helping elite athletes. “I don’t really care if someone can do 10 unbroken muscle-ups versus five,” Henderson said. But “watching people come in through my doors, learn the CrossFit way of life, and make the changes outside the gym, that’s what’s so fun for me to see.” And while Henderson knows she could do this anywhere in the world, she can’t help but be drawn to the people of Jackson. “I love helping people in this community because they want to be helped… This is my baby and I love my people.” she said. “We take care of each other.”

Semifinals Athlete, Gym Owner Hollye Henderson Dedicated to Fighting the Statistics in Jackson, Mississippi

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