Originally from Boisbriand, Alexandra Laforest is a kinesiologist and BMX coach at the National Cycling Centre in Bromont. She plays a key role in the athletes\u2019 physical preparation while contributing to the development of the CNCB BMX Club. Throughout her career, Alexandra has embodied an accessible and motivating approach to sports, where pushing one\u2019s limits, consistency, and the joy of movement take center stage. In this interview, she reflects on her journey, shares her vision of training, and explains why staying active\u2014regardless of one\u2019s skill level\u2014is essential.<\/p>\n
My name is Alexandra Laforest, and I\u2019m a kinesiologist and BMX coach at the National Cycling Centre in Bromont. Here at the CNCB, my role involves physical training, managing the BMX club, and also working on a few BMX freestyle projects. I\u2019m originally from Boisbriand and moved here for work when the freestyle area opened.<\/p>\n
Honestly, I enrolled in college and didn\u2019t really know what kinesiology was. I was heading toward sports medicine and thought to myself, \u201cThis will be a stepping stone to boost my grades and get into medical school later.\u201d But eventually, I realized, \u201cIt\u2019s fun to coach people, to help them push past their limits.\u201d \u201d So at first, I was really just doing physical conditioning, and then when I started riding BMX, I came here and took part in the opening of the *freestyle zone*. After that, they told me they were looking for a kinesiologist, and that\u2019s how I became a bike coach.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s really the atmosphere. You come in here and you see kids learning the basics on the pump track, older folks playing pickleball, people on the track, and in the freestyle zone. So it brings together all the cycling communities in one place, and all communities in general. There are also people walking on the track and all that. So, it\u2019s really the atmosphere that made me want to work here.<\/p>\n
Yes, there\u2019s performance and all that, but also injury prevention. In all sports, there\u2019s a repetitive movement pattern, so if you don\u2019t do strength training, you\u2019re constantly activating the same muscles. So physical conditioning is about working the whole body, and after that, we\u2019ll focus on performance by optimizing movements within those patterns. If you come to see me for kinesiology, at first, it\u2019ll really be about overall strengthening, stabilizers, and all that, to make sure you\u2019re not compensating in your everyday life, and to age well. Yes, it\u2019s important to perform well in your sport, but for most people, they\u2019re not going to the Olympics. So it\u2019s about being able to move well in your daily life, and then continuing your hobbies and sports for the rest of your life.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s new this year that, for BMX racing, we\u2019ll be incorporating physical conditioning. During the class, we split the group in two, so half the time we do strength training at the gym on Wednesdays. The rest of the time, we do more functional training on the track. As for the younger kids (ages 5 to 10), I don\u2019t have them do weight training\u2014it\u2019s more like play\u2014but through play, they get plyometrics, jumping, balance, and core work. So they don\u2019t realize it, but they\u2019re getting an introduction to strength training through games, and the kids really love it. It also adds a bit of discipline to the whole thing. The fact that we spend half the class doing strength training keeps us more focused, and then for the other half, we\u2019re on the pump track\u2014it adds a bit of seriousness to the workouts.<\/p>\n
Every Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., we have access to the track at the Bromont National Center. We come to walk for an hour or less\u2014it\u2019s really at your own pace, and there\u2019s no pressure. There\u2019s always a kinesiologist\u2014either me, an intern, or someone else at the center\u2014who\u2019s there to answer your questions. So if you ever have back pain, knee pain, or anything else, we\u2019re here to listen to you, give you exercises, and all that. It\u2019s walking, with on-site kinesiology services, and it\u2019s free\u2014always free!<\/p>\n
It\u2019s really the community that\u2019s quietly forming. A lot of people come, and they talk to each other throughout the walk, getting to know one another. Also, it\u2019s the same group that sticks together, especially during the community lunches on Fridays, so it\u2019s often the same volunteers who are together. It\u2019s fun to see how it keeps them active.<\/p>\n
My number one piece of advice is to prioritize consistency over perfection. So choose something you\u2019ll actually do and feel confident you can stick with. For example, if you enjoy walking, start by taking 15-minute walks every other day. Then, as you stick to that goal, you\u2019ll be able to increase your exercise time and add other types of activities. Start with something you enjoy, something \u201ceasy,\u201d and then, once the habit is established, you can build on it, and it\u2019ll just become second nature.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s really about pushing yourself to the limit, and also not being afraid of being bad at something. In the sense that when you start a new sport, you won\u2019t be the best at it right away. I\u2019ve been cycling for about two and a half years now; I\u2019d never done it before, and now I coach BMX. My goal with this is really to show that I\u2019m a girl and that I can start a new, predominantly male sport without being afraid of being worse than the others and giving it 100%. I see it with the BMX race girls, it lights a little spark in them: \u201cOkay, Alexandra hasn\u2019t been doing this for very long, but she\u2019s actually doing well and more importantly, she\u2019s pushing herself, going beyond her limits, and she\u2019s not afraid of being less good than some 15-year-old boy.\u201d When it comes to physical training, it\u2019s about demonstrating healthy lifestyle habits and staying active in all areas, not just weight training, for example.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the variety of my clients\u2014the fact that I get to train athletes, young people, older adults, and both private and group sessions\u2026 I really have a great mix. Personally, I\u2019m the kind of person who gets bored if I do the same thing all the time. So having such a diverse clientele keeps me motivated and engaged\u2014it means I\u2019m constantly reflecting on my approach, and that\u2019s what I love most about this job.<\/p>\n
Through her career and her involvement with the CNCB, Alexandra Laforest embodies a vision of accessible sports, where pushing one\u2019s limits, consistency, and the joy of movement take center stage. Whether through physical training, BMX, or the initiatives she launches, she helps guide people of all ages toward a more active lifestyle. With her warm and motivating approach, Alexandra reminds us that what matters isn\u2019t being perfect, but simply getting started\u2026 and keeping at it.<\/p>\n
To watch the interview video, click here!<\/p>\n