Meet Candice Jabur: Polefitness Instructor & Nurse

We had the good fortune of connecting with Candice Jabur and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Candice, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from Indianapolis, Indiana. My family and I moved to Plano, Texas when I was 10 years old. I was a gymnast growing up. I went to World Olympic Gymnastics Academy and trained with Olympians, Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin. My coaches were Russian and the gym’s motto was “Train Hard or Go Home.” The environment was very strict. Very structured, and disciplined. I trained 7 hours a day with a 3 hour break for home school in the afternoon. If you cried, you were sent home. If you messed up a skill multiple times, you were ordered to do rigorous conditioning and then return to the skill. If you continued to mess up, you were sent home sometimes for days. This rigged, perfectionist environment brought out my OCD gene which stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I became so anxious about performing perfectly for my coaches that I formed rituals to cope. I had hundreds of rituals ranging from wearing certain leotards on certain days to putting chalk on my hands a particular way to touching, tapping, and repeating words in multiples of four. I felt that if I simply touched the beam four times or turned on my light switch four times, I would execute my skills perfectly. My dream was to become an Olympian and I was promised by my coaches that this would happen. When the OCD got out of control, my parents pulled me out and I received therapy. I never returned. I went onto competitive Cheerleading and became a three time National Champion and a two time World Champion with Cheer Athletics. I then cheered for my college, Texas Tech University. We placed 2nd at the Collegiate National Championships in Daytona, Florida. I then pursued a career in Nursing. I became an ICU Nurse at Baylor Dallas. Currently, I am in Pediatrics studying to be a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at the University of Texas Arlington. I also compete and teach Polefitness in my spare time as a hobby. I learned many valuable lessons from Gymnastics that carry with me today such as hard work pays off. It takes dedication and commitment to achieve anything big. Team sports taught me that group effort is just as important as individual effort. To be a winning team, you must learn to trust one another and to lift each other up. Because when one team member fails, we all fail. To achieve one common goal, a team must be unified and connected in a unique way which takes time and effort. Lastly, I learned how to overcome a mental illness.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I discovered Polefitness in 2016 at a studio in Huntersville, North Carolina called PolefitCarolinas. I fell in love immediately and decided to become an instructor after a couple months. The sport reminded me so much of my former passion, Gymnastics. The athleticism, strength, and flexibility which happened to be my strengths growing up. I picked it up pretty quickly but the real challenge was learning how to teach it to others. I loved teaching so it became a new passion. I watched several great instructors run their classes and learned alot about teaching styles, students, and patience. I started out teaching flexibility classes and then moved onto Intermediate and Advanced. I also taught at SkyHighStudios in Massachusetts as well as Altitude Aerial Arts & Fitness in Frisco, Texas. I also competed a few times with USPDF, and PSO. My latest achievements include 1st place at the PSO Northeast Championship Professional Division in 2018 and 4th place at the PSO Nationals in 2019. I created my brand name PoleGrace as a reminder of the most influential person in my life, God. Grace stands for God’s love and mercy given to us by God. We have done nothing to earn it. It is though His grace alone, that we are loved. I believe in loving all people through teaching and inspiring. Nothing brings me greater joy than to inspire people to pursue their passions and dreams.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Since lake days are always one of my favorite things to do. I would take them to Lake Lewisville for a boat ride during the day. Catch some rays and just relax on the boat. I would also take them to Top Golf, a super fun atmosphere, great food, and a fun way to spend your day with friends or family. It’s also a fun game to play especially if you are competitive like me. Maybe some shopping at the Shops of Legacy. If your looking for a quaint, cozy coffee shop, downtown Frisco is an awesome place to chill. For dinner, Waters Creek in Allen is a beautiful, family friendly plaza filled with awesome restaurants with all types of food. If you’re looking for more of a lively atmosphere, McKinney Avenue in Dallas is a great spot!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are several people that contributed to my success. First off, my parents Brooks and Jerry Martin. My mother, Brooks sacrificed her time home schooling me every day for several years so that I could be a part of the Olympic Training Program at WOGA. She quit working and devoted her time to providing me with an education. My father, Jerry worked hard providing the financial means for me to continue pursing my dreams as a gymnast, cheerleader, and nurse. Secondly, my husband Tiago. He has been the most supportive, loving, and patient person in my life. He has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams by assuring me that everything will always work out. We work well together as a team problem solving and managing our time effectively. The one thing that I admire the most and contributes to my success is how calm he is when things go unexpectedly. He never panics in any situation. Considering my past struggles with anxiety, this trait of his has helped me tremendously. I view life differently now and I have him to thank for that. Lastly, the single most influential person in my life has always been God. I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart when I was just 10 years old. There have been many ups and downs, but God’s love for me has never changed. My personal relationship with Christ has stayed strong through many trials and tribulations. The more I prioritize God and read in His Word, the more fulfilled I become. I don’t seek the world for satisfaction as it is quick to fade. I seek Him. I give Him all the glory for every single achievement. He is my guide, my strength, my hope, and my comfort.

Instagram: polegracebycandi
Youtube: https://youtu.be/YaN5vo5HRaw

Image Credits
GettyImages Robert Rhode