Hi, I’m Michelle “Vera” Schofield!
Flexibility and Strength Coach. Level Two Fascia Stretch Therapist. Founder of the BLOOM blueprint, The Garden. Host of The Body Talks.
Aside from my knowledge about houseplants, I know a lot about two things:
1. How to make flexibility training work for different bodies
2. How to find peace in your body wherever it’s at
In 2017, I threw my back out from another attempt to make my body smaller by waist training. It got bad enough I went to the ER in Toronto, Canada for the doctor to say “congratulations, you have back pain like the rest of the world”. As someone who grew up plus-size, inflexible, and disliked fitness, I was at a loss for what to do next. It was after almost a full year of pain and saying woe is me, I decided I needed to do something about it.
I signed up for my first pole dance class, followed by a splits class after seeing a video that introduced me to Roz the Diva, a plus size pole instructor. I fell in love with moving my body, but there was still discomfort in my appearance as a plus-size person in a studio of smaller bodies.
View all my credentials here.
It became clear to me that I needed to respect my body where it was, rather than get upset at it for not being what society pushes on so many of us.
Over the next few years, I went to pole dance, burlesque, and flexibility classes. My back pain still hung onto me, but it became so much more manageable. Through burlesque, I got the nickname “Vera” and found ways to enjoy my body as it was, how it moved, and how to respect it as it exists in this world.
By 2020, during the pandemic, I went through the XPERT Fitness Flexibility Flow course and taught my first virtual class, Flexy Fatties. The name Vera stuck due to social media, and Flexibility with Vera was born and started gaining traction, and it became plain as day that people needed to stretch more, and in a way that worked for them.
Now, as a Certified Personal Trainer through canfitpro, Level Two Fascia Stretch Therapist through Stretch to Win Insitute, and Master Flexibility Trainer through Flexibility Research, I am constantly educating myself and striving to meet people where they’re at in their fitness journey. Whether they’re beginners with hypermobility or already on their fitness journey but need some help shifting their mindset around their body.
Click here to check out how I can help you get flexible and strong.
You deserve to find movement that works for your body, no matter your current abilities. And that’s what I want to help you discover.
Let’s get personal!
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Stop comparing yourself to those Y2K magazines, they’re beyond unrealistic. You deserve to be happy, and enjoy playing with your friends instead of worrying about your size.
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about flexibility training?
Flexibility training is not just for contortionists, it’s not yoga, and yes it is important. Flexibility training is intertwined with all forms of movement and fitness, whether or not we realize it.
What motivates you when you’re feeling stuck?
If I need a push, I try not to focus on the pain I had when my chronic back pain was at it’s worst. Instead, I focus on when I’ve felt my best, when I couldn’t feel any stiffness or pain in my body, which was always after I had a good stretch session – and I push myself to aim to feel that way on a more consistent basis.
What’s one thing you always have in your bag?
I always have a hair tie in my bag, even if my hair is already up. You never know when you have to put your hair up, or offer a hair tie to a friend!
What’s a decision you made that brought you more peace?
Protecting my peace, whether it be blocking an account online, or walking away from a unproductive and harmful conversation.
What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?
This definitely depends on what season we’re in, if it’s cold out, catching me skiing (I finally came back to it after a 12-year break in 2025), or curled up on my couch with one of my three cats (if not all!) and a warm drink. If it’s warm, you’ll either catch me hiking on a trail or elbow-deep in my veggie garden.
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