Cassandra Riddle used to scream for a living, she says.
These days she earns her living by making others scream - or at least grimace.
An Emmy-winning international opera singer turned fitness guru, Riddle earned a prestigious training certification last month that she is using to help Chattanoogans - from aspiring 5K runners to the serious athlete - get fit.
"I tried to find this kind of training in Chattanooga, and I couldn't," said Riddle, who taught choir at Girls Preparatory School before foraying full-time into training last year. "I wanted it, so I just started it."
Her appointment-only gym, Bloc1440, opened in its new location Monday just off of East Main Street, where Riddle is operating as the only certified Gym Jones instructor in the southeast.
She is one of just four women in the world who are certified through the invitation-only facility in Salt Lake City that counts professional athletes and movie stars among its clientele. She applied for the Gym Jones certification program three and a half years ago, a process that culminated with a month-long internship in Salt Lake City.
"You can go through all that and still not become certified," Riddle said.
But everything worked out for the 49-year-old Riddle, who is rising to popularity among local endurance athletes -though she is quick to clarify that her training caters to anyone with enough motivation.
Bloc1440 is appointment-only, and potential members go through a one-hour screening with Riddle where their goals, schedule and pricing are discussed.
"The common thread among everyone here is the will and motivation," she said, "You can't teach that."
Motivation is no question for 48-year-old Jimmy LaMance, who is a two-time Ironman. But the scowl on his face and the gasps he let out while executing backward bear crawls under Riddle's direction at the gym on Wednesday made his discomfort clear.
"She will kick your butt," LaMance said, while catching his breath between repetitions. "As you get older, you become more injury-prone and this is a way to push that back."
LaMance said Riddle's diverse fitness background allows her to tailor a workout regimen specifically to his needs.
Riddle came to Chattanooga in 2007 for its climbing scene several years after her retirement from show business.
"When I was 15 years old, I knew I wanted to be an opera singer," said Riddle, who is from Statesville, N.C. "I don't know why. I hated opera but I actually liked singing it. So that was my trajectory and I knew it early on."
Riddle traveled the world for her opera career. Her most memorable show came in Geneva, Switzerland, where she sang Spanish opera while flying through the air on cables in a harness and doing flips.
"I had reached some pretty good goals," Riddle said. "The lifestyle is pretty hard, and there was an athlete in me from high school that was stopped when I was singing opera, and she was crying to come out. It was clear, so I started training for a marathon."
Over time, she developed an appreciation for fitness training, eventually deciding to open her own gym.
Riddle said she was able to support herself during Bloc1440's first year at the gym's original location on Adams Street. With her new facility and new certification, she is turning to the next page in her career.
Just like she did when deciding to get out of the opera business.
Riddle blasts upbeat dubstep music over the speakers at Bloc1440, not opera.
"I've been there and done that," she said. "The neighbors wouldn't like it."
Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.