Tribe (n.) a group of people with a common character or interest
Hi, I'm Sam.
Welcome to the Tribe.
To be successful, you need a Tribe around you for support, and that's exactly why I'm here. I'm a fitness nerd, and I've spent my whole adult life helping people get stronger, move better and find out exactly what they can accomplish.
Why "Tribe"
Trust. Connection. Fun.
At the beginning of my fitness career, I didn't understand how important the relationships with my clients would be. Years later, I'd argue those friendships and the trust between us are what's most important in achieving fitness goals.
Trust
"Buying in" to a program requires that you trust the person whose mouth it's coming out of.
Connection
Staying consistent enough to significantly improve your health requires a connection with your trainer that's strong enough to endure.
Fun
Most importantly, showing up every day with a great attitude requires that we have fun (otherwise, what's the point?).
My story
A fitness nerd who enjoys athletics.
If you asked my wife Kinsey, she'd say I'm energetic, enthusiastic and sometimes a little loud. If you ask me, I'm just a guy that's excited about life and what I get to do in it.
Fitness began for me in 8th grade at our local YMCA. I had always been involved with sports, so my older brother dragged me in for a workout to show me the ropes. I don't think he knew the Pandora's box he opened, because from that day on I never stopped going to the gym. By the time high school rolled around, I was lifting five days a week and reading up on exercise physiology by myself.
Slowly, I went through a paradigm shift. I realized that I wasn't an athlete that liked fitness.
I was a fitness nerd that enjoyed athletics.
With that understanding, I earned my first personal training certification at age seventeen and started working with clients. I immediately fell in love with training people, which changed my future major from Engineering to Kinesiology.
From that point on, you could say the rest is history. I continued working in gyms as I earned different degrees and certifications, refining my practice and learning what actually works. Fitness became the driving force in my life, and it led me to some beautiful experiences, most significantly, meeting my wife at the athletic club where we used to work.
Looking back and planning forward, fitness is the greatest gift I have in life. It's the ultimate tool to improve mental, emotional, and physical health, and it teaches lessons that last a lifetime. It allows you to find out exactly what you're made of, and provides an opportunity to build on that. I'm incredibly grateful that I found exercise, and I'm excited to share that experience with you.
Education & credentials
Trained to coach every body.
- M.S. Applied Exercise ScienceConcordia University Chicago
- B.S. KinesiologySan Diego State University
- Certified Strength & Conditioning SpecialistNSCA
- Certified Functional Strength CoachMBSC
- Pain-Free Performance SpecialistDr. John Rusin
- Corrective Exercise SpecialistNASM
- Movement & Mobility SpecialistMobility|WOD Institute
- Functional Movement Screen, Level 2FMS
- Prenatal & Postnatal FitnessFit4MOM
- Certified Personal TrainerACE
- BJJ Blue BeltEaston Training Center
- Lead InternSDSU Fitness & Recreation
Training philosophy
Fitness with a real-life "why."
The primary goal of fitness should be to better your body's functional capacity. To me, that means three things:
Do more
Increasing your ability to perform physical tasks.
Hurt less
Decreasing musculoskeletal pain and the potential for injury.
Live healthier
Improving your body's metabolic state of health.
To achieve this, I utilize a plethora of different modalities. Naturally, strength and conditioning are significant pillars, but we'll also incorporate aspects of balance, coordination, nutrition, mobility, and a whole bunch of other ideas that might bore you here.
The biggest idea to understand is that this philosophy has a tangible "why" behind it. Sure, six-pack abs and rockin' arms are fun in the mirror, but what's the point if your low back hurts and you can't ski more than two runs in a row? Or snowboard… if you're into that kind of thing…
Training should transfer into your real life.
Simply put, the work you do in the gym should give you confidence to perform activities and feel healthy outside of it. I guarantee that working together, you will become more capable, less injured, and most importantly, healthier than you've been.
Get an in-depth look at my ideas on the blog →I train too
My 2026 fitness goals
- 2x bodyweight back squat
- Train 6 days per week
- 200 lb at under 15% body fat
- Earn one new certification