Academic Certifications
- Associate’s degree in Fire Science
- Currently attending a University for an undergraduate degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Other Certifications
- CrossFit Level 1
- Ace Personal Trainer Certification
- Peer Fitness Trainer Certification
- Arizona State Fire One and Two
- Arizona State Certified Emergency Medical Technician
- CPR
Seminars Attended
In the realm of fitness, I have attended several CrossFit and Peer Fitness Trainer Seminars.
What is your fitness story?
My fitness journey started later in life because I didn’t begin training until I was 18 years old, out of high school, and decided to become a firefighter. The first time I took a physical agility test for the fire department, I was out of shape, and it showed. After the test, I vomited in the parking lot and felt like I had just been hit by a bus. After this reality check, I decided I needed to change, so I joined a local Golds Gym and went every day after work. Initially, I wasn’t sure what I was doing and would attempt to copy what I read and saw in the muscular and development magazine. I was introduced to several firefighters who were going to the same gym as me, and they invited me to work out with them and started showing me what they did to get in shape.
Fast forward several years into my career as a firefighter, and I was introduced to CrossFit by a fellow firefighter, and I was immediately hooked. I started to research all I could regarding CrossFit. I was following the Workout of the Day (WOD) with three days on and one day off on the CrossFit main site. I was working out in the garage of my home at the time when I was invited to a local competition at CrossFit Works. I competed with fellow firefighters and joined the gym shortly after that. Around that same time, Christopher Gartrell was hired as the head coach for the gym, and we hit the ground running, trying to melt our faces off every chance we got. Within the next couple of years, I was competing with the gym in the state of Arizona. I competed with the gym’s performance team on a regional level for five years. At that same time, I obtained my CrossFit level one certification to begin coaching at the gym and also attained my Ace Personal Trainer Certification to become a Peer Fitness Coach with the fire department. I’m still a coach today for both 244 and the fire department I work for, and I love it. Helping people recognize the potential they have within them while they are in the gym brings me fulfillment and keeps me coming back.
What is your favorite movement?
I would say my favorite movement would have to be push-ups. I have good pushing strength and volume, so when I see push-ups in a workout, I feel confident in pushing the pace.
What is your favorite quote?
Picking just one is a challenge. But in the current moment of my life, the quote that speaks to me daily is…
“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”
~ Friedrich Nietzsche
Advice for beginners?
Find a physical activity that truly brings joy and purpose, and stay consistent with it. Consistency is the foundation of success, and staying consistent is much easier when you’re having fun.
