Today we’d like to introduce you to Cara Turnquist.
Cara, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
PUSH was born out of a need I experienced firsthand. During my first pregnancy, I struggled with significant pelvic floor issues and quickly realized how little support existed for women who wanted to stay strong, active, and connected to their bodies through major life changes. I started PUSH to fill that gap—to create a place where strength training could be inclusive, intelligent, and adaptable to real bodies and real life. What began as a response to my own experience has grown into a rich, diverse community of people who come to PUSH not just to get stronger, but to feel empowered, supported, and at home in their bodies.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Building a business that is small enough to give people truly personal attention, but big enough to pay the bills, has been one of our biggest challenges. PUSH started in my garage during the pandemic, and that little space became the foundation for something much bigger than I ever imagined. Now we’re at a point where we’re ready for the next chapter: finding a larger space where we can expand, grow our community, and offer more—without losing the personal connection and individualized attention that made PUSH what it is.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What Sets PUSH Apart
PUSH is known for meeting people where they are and helping them become stronger, more capable versions of themselves—without asking them to fit into a one-size-fits-all fitness model. We specialize in thoughtful, individualized strength training, with a particular focus on women’s health, pelvic floor function, menopause, mobility, and training for bodies that don’t always fit the traditional fitness mold. What we’re most proud of is the community we’ve built: strong, welcoming, weird, diverse, and deeply supportive. We care about the person behind the workout, not just the numbers on the barbell. That combination of expertise, personal attention, and genuine connection is what makes PUSH different.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I’ve always believed there’s a little bit of luck involved in finding work that feels like it matters. I feel incredibly lucky to get to do what I do—to help people feel stronger, more confident, more capable, and more at home in their bodies. But I also know that luck is only part of the story. PUSH has been built through years of hard work, taking risks, learning, adapting, and showing up for people again and again. I feel lucky to have found this path, and even luckier that so many incredible people have trusted me enough to walk it with them.
Pricing:
- $100-$500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thepushfitness.com
- Instagram: push.fitness.salem
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/push.fitness.salem
- Youtube: @pushfitness-ki5dq
