Meet the Fishers YMCA Trainers

Certifications:
AFAA Certified Personal Trainer
AFAA Primary Group Exercise Certification
TRX Certified Group Instructor
Schwinn Certified Cycle Instructor
SPINPower^® Certified Instructor
LesMills RPM™ Certified Instructor

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Being able to help others on their wellness journey and seeing them accomplish milestones.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? A fitness routine is not the only step. There are several key “ingredients” to a successful wellness quest. It’s important to set realistic goals in stages along this journey.

Areas of interest: Pre- and post-natal training, triathlon training, cycling, youth and active older adults.

Favorite exercise: The lunge.

What do you do outside of the Y? I love spending time with my family and friends. I also love to bike, compete in triathlons, travel and watch live sports.

One interesting fact about you: I completed a half Ironman when I was 19.5 weeks pregnant!

Certifications:
ACE  Certified Personal Trainer

Hometown: Peoria, Illinois

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Helping people help themselves and seeing people break through their mental barriers.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? It’s a marathon, not a sprint.  Rome wasn’t built in a day but with consistent effort, you can build better health.  Enjoy the process!

Areas of interest in training: High intensity interval training, resistance training, and motivation.

Favorite exercise: Running.

What do you do outside of the Y? I work in state government and have a family.

One interesting fact about you: I love music and played the saxophone in school.

Certifications:
NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Hometown: Albion, Michigan

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Helping people achieve things they thought might not be possible.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? There are so many ways to get fit, try new things… or invest in a Personal Trainer.

Areas of interest in training: I like to use free weights and functional equipment with my clients. I enjoy training teens and adults who are willing to do their best every day.

Favorite exercise: Rowing machine and functional workouts.

What do you do outside of the Y?  I also work at the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

One interesting fact about you: I threw discus, hammer, weight and shot put at Western Michigan University.

Certifications:
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
TRX Certified Group Instructor

Hometown: Anderson

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Differences in personalities and needs/limitations. It stretches me as I try and want to meet people “where they are.”

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? The physical component cannot be separated from the heart and soul of who we are.

Areas of interest in training: Active older adults and teens and adults with special needs.

Favorite exercise: Walking, hiking, running with my treadmill classes and TRX!

What do you do outside of the Y? Quiet times reading & quiet walks. Time spent with people in my life. These are the gifts the Lord has given to me!

One interesting fact about you: My four wonderful daughters, three sons-in-law and nine precious grandchildren.

Certifications:
ACSM Certified Personal Trainer
ACE Group Fitness Instructor
Senior Fitness Specialist
TRX Suspension Training Certification
Moving for Better Balance instructor

Hometown: Indianapolis

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Helping people achieve things they thought might not be possible.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? I like to work on making progress instead of perfection. We all have a starting point to begin from and improvement is an ongoing effort.

Areas of interest in training: Beginners, runners, active older adults, functional movement, mobility and balance, and positive reinforcement/motivation.

Favorite exercises: Leg presses, TRX and hula hooping.

What do you do outside of the Y? I enjoy being outdoors, running (road and trail) and doing things with family and friends.

One interesting fact about you: As a high school senior, I was a state champion. Can you guess which sport?

Certifications:
AFAA Certified Personal Trainer
NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
TRX Certified Group Instructor

Hometown: Carmel

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Seeing people accomplish goals that lead to a lifetime of wellness.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? Stretching after your workout is key, your muscles can shorten without it.

Areas of interest in training: Weight loss, core strength, motivation and pre/post natal.

Favorite exercises: Rollerblading on the Monon Trail.

What do you do outside of the Y? I raise my two boys.

One interesting fact about you: I used to weigh 220 pounds.

Certifications:
AFAA Certified Personal Trainer
TRX Suspension Training for Personal Training

Hometown: Boston, Indiana (near Richmond)

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Helping people achieve goals and feel happy with themselves.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? Fitness isn’t easy but it isn’t cutting out every ounce of fat and sugar or eating only certain kinds of food or exercising hard every waking moment…moderation is key.

Areas of interest in training: Seniors and young adults.

Favorite exercise: Burpees…it’s a love/hate relationship.

What do you do outside of the Y? I spend most of my time driving, coordinating calendars and trying to figure out what is for dinner for my family  of four active kids.

One interesting fact about you: Everyone always asks about my name…my mom had a 4th grade classmate named Jere’ and she fell in love with the name.

Certifications:
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist
NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
TRX Certified Personal Trainer

Hometown: Indianapolis

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: When my clients finally develop body awareness and figure out where they’ve been making mistakes in the past.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? Overuse injury sites are not the problem, there is something else going on in the body that has led to the injury.

Areas of interest in training: Beginners, runners, active older adults, functional movement, mobility and balance, and positive reinforcement/motivation.

Favorite exercise: Lunges.

What do you do outside of the Y? I am a mom!

One interesting fact about you: I was engaged to my husband 3 months after we met.

Certifications:
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
NASM Weight Loss Specialist
NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist
NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
TRX Group Fitness Instructor

Hometown: Indianapolis (since I was 8 yrs old)

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: I love helping people find a love for exercise and achieving results.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? With a well focused plan, a good trainer can take you safely to new levels you might not have thought possible or even tried on your own. Form is my sticking point!

Areas of interest in training: Sports performance, weight loss, teen fitness, resistance exercises, core and stability training.

Favorite exercises: Hamstring curls in the TRX and a stability ball plank with knee drive.

What do you do outside of the Y? I spend as much time with my family as possible, staying active and keeping them active. Leading by example is super important to me.

One interesting fact about you: I like to dress broccoli florets as “Little House on the Prairie” characters.

Certifications:
NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
NASM Youth Exercise Specialist

Hometown: Bright, Indiana (near Lawrenceburg)

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Constantly evolving.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Areas of interest in training: CrossFit, functional movement, and strength training.

Favorite exercises: Kettle swing.

What do you do outside of the Y? I have my hands in multiple faucets.

One interesting fact about you: USMC veteran.

Certifications:
ACSM Certified Personal Trainer
NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist
LIVESTRONG Instructor
Diabetes Prevention Facilitator

Hometown: Dublin, Ohio

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: I am able to empower clients in becoming strong and confident individuals in regards to their health, body and mind.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? Personal training is as much about the body as the mind.

Areas of interest in training: Active older adults, those new to exercising and those interested in weight loss.

Favorite exercise: I run, which allows me to center myself and focus on what is important in life.

What do you do outside of the Y? I enjoy family time and growing in my faith.

One interesting fact about you: I backpacked through Europe for a month.

Certifications:
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
NASM Senior Fitness Specialist
ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist

Hometown: Carmel

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Helping others achieve their goals.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? Any area of fitness needs to be tailored towards that specific person and their goals/needs. One program will not work for everyone.

Areas of interest in training: Seniors and Physical Therapy patients.

Favorite exercise: Any shoulder exercise.

What do you do outside of the Y? I work part-time as a legal assistant for a law firm, and I have been in the Army National Guard since 2011.

One interesting fact about you: I compete in NPC Bodybuilding shows.

Certifications:
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Titleist Performance Institute Golf Fitness Professional
Spartan SGX Coach

Hometown: Long Island, NY

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Helping others achieve their highest level of physical, mental and emotional wellness.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? It boosts self-confidence, productivity, and brain performance.

Areas of interest in training: Sport performance, Spartan obstacle training, strength training, functional training, flexibility and mobility, weight management, and behavior change.

Favorite exercises: Plyo push-ups.

What do you do outside of the Y?  I love being outdoors, competing in Spartan Races and spending time with my wife, Kim, and Golden Retriever, Buckshot.

One interesting fact about you: I worked at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY.

Certifications:
ACE Certified Personal Trainer

Hometown: Carmel

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: I really enjoy learning new things about health and fitness.  Every client and situation will be different, so no day will be the same as the one before.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? Fast is easy, slow is hard! Proper form and execution are more important, and effective, than speeding through movement with improper form.

Areas of interest in training: Functional training and corrective exercise.

Favorite exercises: Planks! There are endless variations, can be done with or without equipment and is an excellent comprehensive exercise for the upper body and core.

What do you do outside of the Y? I work, spend time with my son, exercise, and enjoy spending time outdoors.

One interesting fact about you:I never played or watched sports and was never athletic growing up.

Certifications:
AFAA Certified Personal Trainer
Spin U Certified Spinning Instructor
Stages U Certified Power Cycling Instructor

Hometown: Logansport

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Introducing people to the overall wellness benefits of exercise and the many facets of life it improves, if done consistently

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? You CANNOT out-train a bad diet

Areas of interest in training: High intensity interval training, functional fitness, indoor cycling, strength training, weight loss

Favorite exercises: Anything involving body weight, dumbbells, kettlebells, and cycling

What do you do outside of the Y? Outdoor cycling, traveling, enjoying great food, and chasing around my toddler, Lucas

One interesting fact about you: Retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 24 years in the U.S. Army

Certifications:
ACSM Certified Personal Trainer
ACE Functional Aging Specialist (FAI)
TRX Suspension Training Certification
TRX RIP Certification
Kettlebell Level I

Hometown: Indianapolis

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: I love seeing quality of life improve, including mental well being, confidence, and energy level.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? It’s the little things you do daily that make a difference! By working with a personal trainer your goals can be customized based on your abilities to help you become your best self.

Areas of interest in training: Working with active adults and those new to fitness.

Favorite exercises: TRX single leg squat to single leg hip hinge.

What do you do outside of the Y? I read, enjoy the outdoors, spend time with my family, enjoy good food, and play hand bells for my church.

One interesting fact about you: My mother introduced me to my husband. After six months of dragging my feet, I went on a date with him and three months later we were engaged.

Certifications:
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach
ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist
ACSM Physical Activity in Public Health Specialist

Hometown: Indianapolis

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: I love seeing people feel better physically and  their confidence rise as they continue to improve.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? Achieving a fitness-related goal takes time. Being patient is crucial to conquering health goals.

Areas of interest in training: Core strengthening, circuit training, weight loss, sports conditioning, and functional training.

Favorite exercise: Lunges.

What do you do outside of the Y? I love being outside and keeping up with my four kids.

One interesting fact about you: My basketball team won a NAIA National Championship title for Indiana Wesleyan University

Certifications:
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
ACTION Certified Personal Trainer
Kettlebell Athletics Certification Level 1
TRX Suspension Training Certification

Hometown: Seattle, Washington

Favorite thing about being a Personal Trainer: Seeing the results people obtain. I really enjoy helping people get healthier.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about fitness? Personal trainers can show you all the exercises and what to do with them but without good nutrition, fitness is all for naught.

Areas of interest in training: Circuit training , TRX and strength training.

Favorite exercises: TRX atomic pushup & squats.

What do you do outside of the Y? I spend as much time as I can with my family.

One interesting fact about you: I like to go and watch movies all by myself.