BIO

CREDENTIALS

EARLY YEARS

I played sports all while growing up. Mostly soccer and some baseball and tennis. Despite playing multiple sports, I always struggled with weight fluctuations, mostly from eating WAY too much of my parents' expert cooking and being lazy. My only form of exercise was regular sports practice.

After graduating high school and a summer of working at an ice cream shop, I was packing on the pounds. Once I got to college and was independent, I realized I had to get my act together. Like most people, my first instinct was to start running. I had no idea what I was doing and was just upping my mileage each week. Eventually I started to have knee issues. This is what motivated me to out how the body really works.

TRAINING

Once running started to hurt, I decided to start using the machines in the gym. This routine on for a few months and got real boring really quick. So I decided to try other things I had never done before; Krav Maga and swimming. Krav and swimming regularly showed me how much fun fitness can be. They also showed me so much about human movement, so I then started to play with the free weights at the gym.

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I quickly realized I had no idea what I was doing and needed to find some coaching. This is what led me to CrossFit. I was lucky enough that the gym that had Krav also had a CrossFit program and a great coach. With emphasis on form and quality I was able to make great progress without injuries. Very soon into my CrossFit journey I found I had a knack for the Olympic movements. The challenge of the balance of technique and strength lead me to take a break from CrossFit and focus on Weightlifting.

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My weightlifting "career" culminated in qualifying and competing at University Nationals. That achievement was something that I never thought was possible for me, and the experience of training and competing was irreplaceable. After weightlifting, I transitioned my training focus towards Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

COACHING

Early in my fitness journey I knew I wanted to help pass on my increasing knowledge to others. I've had several inspiring coaches over the years that helped guide me in continuing to refine my skills.

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My nerdy tendencies served me well with fitness coaching because once I was hooked, I dived into the deep end. I found myself constantly putting off studying or work to read articles and watch videos on all things fitness. Not the "motivation/get hyped" type videos, but the 30-60 min ones, backed by research, on how to do movements . I quickly burned through what was available online at the time.

Once I decided that this whole coaching thing was for me, I started to invest in actual education and instruction. I took courses and certifications in CrossFit, Weightlifting, mobility, endurance, gymnastics, etc. University courses in anatomy, physiology, and psychology have also been eye opening in my continued work with various athletes. Having this vast array of resources and experience has been crucial in helping and identifying with a wide range of athletes.