Josh

Personal Trainer (he/him)

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Western Washington University with a minor in Women’s Studies

Certifications: CrossFit Level 2 Trainer, CrossFit Weightlifting Trainer, Spin Certified

Personality: Welcoming, supportive, energetic, reflective

Proudest athletic achievements: I was voted captain of my high school football team and got to lead the team on the field every Friday night, and I completed an Iron Triathlon and a marathon on an assault runner and competed with CrossFit games athletes.

I’ve always been drawn to service. I worked for 7 years as a violence prevention advocate and then 15 years as a personal trainer and coach. After years of violence prevention work and survivor advocacy, I struggled to find a job where I could be most impactful in people’s lives that also met my natural skills and passion. One day, I joined a gym again and through working on myself found an amazing level of self respect and confidence and realized I wanted to share that experience with others. I got my NASM certification and started training people a few months later.

I love my job because I love reminding people they are more powerful than they believe. In personal training, we consistently work on our struggles, which means each day I get to help people overcome things they thought were too hard. When people practice this over and over, they build a natural response to face challenges rather than avoid them. I want my clients to be their strongest selves, and that is just as much mental as physical.

My favorite personal training story comes from my time owning and operating a CrossFit gym. I had the great pleasure of working with the Max Higbee Center, a non-profit providing recreational activities for adults with developmental disabilities. After a few months of working with the group, I organized a special “Strongperson” games where the group could flip tires, pick up heavy stones, pull sleds, and, my personal favorite, push a truck across the parking lot. I’ll never forget the cheering and smiles of everyone as they pushed that truck across the parking lot. At first, it wasn’t easy. You could see each person wonder if they really would be able to do it and once they got that rig moving, you could see the joy and pride build in them with every step. The gym provided a space for them to try new things and overcome challenges each workout. It is easily my greatest success while owning the gym.

My ideal client is someone seeking lifelong fitness. Ability, age, or experience in the gym doesn’t matter to me. Come ready to practice all areas of wellness! Together, we will build a plan that manages pitfalls, reinforces your “why,” and helps you manage all your needs outside the gym so our time in the gym serves you well.

In the gym, my clients work on their fitness through a variety of methodologies. At first, it’s going to be body weight work (i.e., TRX, bands, and core work) that helps me learn how you move to address any imbalances and keep you pain-free. Over time we’ll increase your resistance work using dumbbells, cable machines, and all the other fun equipment at Hyatt Strength + Wellness, including the stuff that gets your heart rate up!

When not in the gym, I want my clients to have a plan. Nutrition, sleep, water—these things have to be prioritized but can be hard to manage well. That’s where I want to help. At the end of each session, my clients and I break out calendars and plan the rest of the week, bedtimes and all.

Specialties

Endurance and strength training, injury prevention, rehabilitation, weight loss, muscle gain, and sports-specific training.

Philosophy

Make an effort every day to improve your health and wellness. Breathe and move.

When you work with me, you’re entering a judgment free zone. The mistakes you’ve made, I’ve made them too. We’re all working to better ourselves, and I am grateful to be a part of your journey.

Outside the gym

I am from Bellingham, Wash., and now live in Dayton, Ore., with my wife and two kiddos. In my spare time, I build LEGOs with my kids, golf, cook, hike with my dog and save whatever time is left to go on dates with my wife!