I can hardly believe it’s been over 20 years since I walked into my first gym in Maryland. I had no idea what I was doing. I managed to figure out some machines and some dumbbell exercises and I really enjoyed taking Cardio Kickboxing classes. In 2000, when I was asked to teach Kickboxing, I thought, “Why not?” Eager to learn more, I started teaching at a martial arts studio in exchange for Tae Kwon Do lessons. By 2005, I knew I wasn’t cut out for a desk job. I quit my day job and enrolled in massage therapy school. I was a massage therapist until 2008 when a painful cyst in my wrist forced me to give it up.
Life (i.e. a guy!) brought me to Charleston, SC and a new gym, I starting teaching Indoor Cycling class. I was still strength training but wasn’t fully satisfied with the results. The pain and fatigue at the end of a workout caused me to limp out of gym some days. I thought if I’m working out to look good and feel good, something’s wrong. Something was missing. I noticed that the Pilates instructor had beautiful posture and she walked through the gym with such grace. I knew Pilates was what I needed. I began taking her classes, fell in love, and started teaching Pilates too.
I had also been taking Yoga/Pilates fusion classes. One day, the Power Yoga instructor subbed, and I got my first real yoga class. As an avid exerciser, I fell in love with the lunges and the bridges and all the other things that she was saying even though I had no idea what any of it meant. I became a regular.
In 2007, I moved to Hawaii and went deep into my yoga practice: Power Yoga, Ashtanga (Primary and Secondary Series), and Iyengar classes. I also added more classes to my teaching schedule: Pilates, Core, Bootcamp, and TBC (Total Body Conditioning). I was humbled and honored the day my Power Yoga instructor asked me to sub for her. When I told her I didn’t teach yoga, she replied, “You should,” and gave me the details of an upcoming yoga teacher training. With her encouragement, I signed up for my first YogaFit teacher training in 2006 and began teaching Vinyasa Yoga in 2007.
I’ve been in Virginia since 2008. At first, I taught all the formats at every gym I could. Teaching classes was a blast, but it was taking its toll, especially the high-impact cardio. In 2011, a gym manager asked me, “Why don’t you become a personal trainer?” I received my Personal Training Certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine in 2011. I began training full time. I progressed quickly to become the number one trainer at my gym while teaching to packed classes: yoga, bootcamp, Spinning, and Pilates. To better help my clients, I added to my skills with TRX and Kettlebell certifications.I also completed my 200-hour (2012) and 500-hour (2017) Yoga Teacher Training.
As a yogi, my own practice grew to include a greater focus on mindfulness, breathing, self-study, energy work, and aspects of yogic philosophy that can be practiced daily off the mat. I started to deeply understand the healing benefits of yoga and exercise. I studied trauma-informed yoga (YogaFit’s Warriors program) and learned how to help students and clients with visible and invisible injuries through the Crossroads Adaptive Athlete training. In looking for even more ways to help my clients find balance, in 2014 I studied Thai massage (also known as Thai Yoga Massage, Thai Stretching, and Thai Yoga Stretching). Adding to my holistic approach to personal training, I received my Wellness Coaching Certificate from AAAI, and Fitness Nutrition Specialist certification from NASM.
I started my own business in 2014 where I could combine all the holistic services I offered to best serve my clients’ needs: And the learning didn’t stop! In 2015 I became a USA Weightlifting Coach, in 2017 I received my Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification from NASM. In 2019, I became an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Coach and a NASM Behavior Change Specialist. In 2020, I received my certificate in Stress Reduction, Relaxation, & Meditation and also launched my On-Demand Library!
Certifications
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist
NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist
NASM Behavior Change Specialist
E-RYT 500, Yoga Alliance
YogaFit Ayurvedic Lifestyle Coach
YogaFit Warriors
Mad Dogg Spinning
AAAI Wellness Coach
AAAI Pilates Phases 1-3
AAAI Stress Reduction, Relaxation, & Meditation
USA Weightlifting Coach
NPTI Kettlebell
TRX
Thai Massage Practitioner
Crossroads Adaptive Coach