COACHES

Chris's CrossFit career began 15 years ago after 18 years as a martial arts instructor and tournament fighter. After his first CrossFit workout he decided this was the activity for him. 15 years later he is still working out and coaching others. Chris has trained thousands of people throughout the years including United States Army and Marines. Chris designed and developed the strength and conditioning program at Huron Valley Volleyball club and has worked closely with several area other schools in sports specific conditioning and injury prevention. Wolverine Strength is his home away from home. Some say that his favorite animal is steak, and that he once hospitalized a brick! All we know is, If you ever need anything, just ask Chris. He knows a guy...

A fitness professional since 1999, Mike O'Brien's mission is to serve the community by providing coaching, programming and customer service of the highest quality. He demands continuous improvement in these areas, from himself and his staff. Mike has coached over 100,000 athletes and has logged over 100,000 hours training others. To develop and refine his skills as a fitness trainer, Mike has worked with over twenty established personal trainers, group fitness instructors and coaches. But Mike has never settled in his study-he is always working to learn new coaching skills, new methods of injury prevention and new ideas for fitness programming. Prior to his career in athletic training, Mike was an early childhood educator for a decade, until a back injury inspired him to learn about human physiology. That study ignited a passion to teach others about injury prevention, and prompted Mike to shift his educational focus to athletics. His keen interest in injury prevention has never died, and Mike is known for taking great interest in his clients' injuries, demonstrating specific stretching and strengthening techniques to assist in recovery and developing modifications of exercises to allow clients to continue making fitness strides without exacerbating existing injuries.

Achievements:

• CPR and First Aid
• CrossFit Level 1 and 2
• CrossFit Coaches Prep Course
• CrossFit Endurance
• CrossFit Gymnastics
• CrossFit Kettlebell
• CrossFit Kids
• CrossFit Powerlifting
• USAW Level 1

Jason started CrossFit in 2013 while he was stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA serving in the Marines. Jason has a very athletic background, playing football and lacrosse while he attended Brighton High School. He started CrossFit to help him prepare for the different vigorous challenges the military had to offer. CrossFit quickly went from just another workout, to a whole new lifestyle for Jason. While stationed on Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, HI, Jason joined his first CrossFit gym. From that point on one of his goals was to become a CrossFit coach and help others go through the same experiences that he has. Several years later Jason continues to better himself and the community around him. Jason currently attends Washtenaw Community College as he works for his goal of becoming an Engineer.

Achievements:

• CrossFit Level 1
• CrossFit Flexibility
• CrossFit Gymnastics

Kirstin wandered into a CrossFit box in October of 2011 and has never looked back. Having had a series of health complications throughout her early life, she had virtually no athletic history (other than a brief stint as the slowest swimmer on a high school JV swim team and a pretty amusing foray into high school JV shot put). She never dreamed that anyone would ever refer to her as an “athlete!” Kirstin’s experiences have translated into a passion for working with the members of the Wolverine community to discover and develop their athletic abilities, regardless of their starting point. As a coach, her favorite moments are when an athlete surprises him or herself by accomplishing something they previously thought was impossible.

Achievements:

• CrossFit Level 1
• CPR/AED
• CrossFit Flexibility

Landon began coaching youth sports of hockey and baseball to give back to the sports he played. Landon played collegiate hockey while earning an Accounting degree from Iowa State University. After stepping away from playing, Landon began coaching CrossFit in 2014. He became familiar with CrossFit in 2009 in high school as a way to train for athletics. His passion for athletics led to a position at a local CrossFit gym that flourished into coaching. Landon worked his way to head coach and then operator at Max Oxygen CrossFit, in Ames, Iowa before moving to the Ann Arbor area. His wife, Danielle, coaches gymnastics at Eastern Michigan University. They enjoy working out together, spending time with their dog, Moose, and friends.

Landon's passion lies in improving lives. He is motivated watching people cautiously walk in the door, thinking they "can't" and watching them break out their shell months down they road as they realize they "can" do the things they never thought possible. Whether your goal is to play with the grandkids or win a local compeition, Landon is there to support and help make it happen. CrossFit has given Landon an outlet and he uses it give an outlet to each athlete who walks through the doors.

Relevant Certifications:

• CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (2017)
• CrossFit Gymnastics (2019)
• CrossFit Level 1 (2014)

Sarah’s first CrossFit workout was the Memorial Day Murph in 2013. Murph – a 1 mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air-squats, another 1 mile run, all while wearing a 20# weight vest - is a traditional hero workout that many athletes agree is the toughest WOD of the year. Rather than turning the newbie away, the coach that day convinced her to stay and showed her how to scale the workout so she could complete it right alongside those completing it RX. From that moment she was hooked and has been crossfitting ever since.

Sarah is passionate about CrossFit because she believes its elite training methods work for everyone - no matter where they are in their fitness journey. Want proof? Just ask to see her 6th grade school picture.
Favorite workout: Fran
Favorite movement: Burpees

Achievements:

• CrossFit Level 3 Trainer
• CrossFit Gymnastics
• CrossFit Flexibility
• USAW Sports Performance Coach

Alex started his fitness/wellness journey with a desire to live a healthy lifestyle after some family health issues made him concerned about his own health in the future. He came to find out about CrossFit while at a traditional gym, learning about it from one of the trainers, who also happened to be a member at a CrossFit gym in the Toledo, Ohio area. He jumped right in and fell in love with everything, changing his life in a way a lot of members of the CrossFit community have come to understand. That led him to pursue his CrossFit Level 1 Certificate with the hopes of bettering himself as an athlete. In doing so, it led him to realize he had a passion and desire to help others along the same journey to health and wellness. He was lucky enough to coach part time at the gym, but he still felt unsatisfied in his career in the sports marketing world. When the opportunity to coach full-time became a reality it was one he wouldn't pass up. Even though he was a little scared at the prospect of a major career/life change it was a change and opportunity that he is grateful for each and every day and has helped shape his life and future in such an amazingly positive way!

Achievements:

• CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
• CrossFit Flexibility Trainer
• USA Weightlifting - Sports Performance Coach
• CrossFit Gymnastics Trainer