Team
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Deserae Cota
Role: Personal TrainerEducation: Bachelor of Arts in psychology
Certifications:
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
AED/CPR
Specialties: Strength, Conditioning, Muscle gain and toning, Functional training, Cardiovascular endurance, Core strength, Agility
Experience: I was a member of the women’s track and field team for eight seasons at New Mexico State University. Exposure to several coaching styles and techniques over a lifetime as an all-around athlete has given me a greater understanding of the importance of individualizing training to reflect clients’ personal goals and to prioritize their health.
I have applied this understanding to empower personal training clients to achieve their goals as well as while coaching youth basketball, track and field and volleyball. I maintain a coach mentality because I believe in motivating clients to achieve their personal bests while pushing past their comfort zones.
Why Personal Training: I am a personal trainer because I believe in the power of movement as therapy. I use sports and working out as a form of moving meditation. I encourage clients to get out and move and to take advantage of the many ways that the world provides to keep active – from the gym to playgrounds, to stadiums, to park benches.
Maintaining an active lifestyle has shaped my life in many constructive ways, and I have witnessed others transforming their lives too after implementing physical activity and healthier habits. The same habits that you develop to push past your limitations in the gym or weight room carry over into your personal life and create a greater ability to overcome and a new sense of resilience. Seeing clients whom I have trained and athletes whom I have coached demonstrate this is beyond gratifying.
Why Body Mechanix: I train at Body Mechanix because I love the community of people. From the first afternoon that I set foot in Body Mechanix, I observed everyone greeting one another and saw an environment in which people came to work and to be put to work.
This gym offers equipment that ensures a dynamic workout each session and the space to utilize all its fun tools. As longtime members and/or clients affirm that Body Mechanix offers some of the best trainers and facilities, I am proud to be part of a team that is so highly regarded by its community.
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Armando Fonseca
Role: Personal Trainer/Fitness Coach
Education: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology: Exercise and Movement science, San Francisco State University
Certification: NASM CPT
Specialties: weight loss, conditioning, mobility and therapeutic/rehab exercise
Experience: I grew up around a training great named Marlon Gomez my entire life, so fitness and exercise in my blood. The Fitness/Kinesiology field is my passion I played baseball and basketball in middle school and high school, developing a fascination with how the body operates. I had the goal to become a physical therapist, but through internships and experience at the university I worked with all kinds of patients and clients. One of my fondest memories was working with children with disabilities in the city furthering my knowledge of how the body works and how to help it.
Why Personal Training: There’s no better satisfaction than when someone comes up to you and says you made a difference in their life, while studying for my degree the most gratifying experiences were working with individuals whether injured, disabled,etc and helping make their day. Fitness has been great to me and I hope to reach people, to show them how great fitness is.
Throughout various points in my teens especially from 16-20 I was lifting but it didn’t become a passion until I was 22 coming back after a break started from injury. Working out is a necessity in life and a celebration of what the body can do, it took me years to break the belief of physical activity as punishment because working out is the greatest feeling in the world.Why Body Mechanix: I grew up going to the gym, mostly the kids club in the younger years but I’ve been around this gym be it in San Leandro or Castro Valley for 7 years. Body Mechanix is family the crew in Castro Valley is family, it was here I found the passion for fitness. I was here when we struggled and was here when we rose the camaraderie never changed, glad to be part of the Body Mechanix family.
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Margaret Sohm
Role: Personal trainer
Education:
Bachelor of Arts, California State University, East Bay
Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, California State University, East Bay
Certifications:
Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine
Self-Myofascial Release, Body Mechanix University
Corrective Exercise Specialist, National Academy of Sports Medicine
Certified Functional Strength Coach, Level 1, Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning
Qualified Group Trainer, TRX
Senior Fitness Specialist, NASM
Specialties:
Functional strength training
Injury rehabilitation
Group training
Experience: I have served as a personal trainer and group instructor at Body Mechanix since 2013.
Why Personal Training: Like many people, I struggled with being overweight for my entire life despite trying various diets and workout programs. Although I was able to lose weight, I always regained it because I fell into my old, unhealthy habits.
After I gained an excessive amount of weight, my son, who was a high school varsity athlete, dragged me to the gym. It was time to make major lifestyle changes to improve my health. By consistently exercising and making healthy nutritional choices, I was able to lose over 75 pounds, to build lean muscle mass, and to become a well-conditioned athlete. Now I am in the best shape of my life and continue to embrace and to practice a healthy lifestyle.
During this transformation, I also discovered my passion: fitness. I decided to become a personal trainer to share my passion and knowledge with others so that they could achieve their fitness goals and could improve their quality of life. I am excited to be in a position in which I can help others to learn how to be healthy and to enjoy life to its fullest.
Why Body Mechanix: I choose to train at Body Mechanix because I love the supportive community atmosphere created by and for the trainers, clients and members. Body Mechanix values continuing education, and the collaborative learning environment helps me to improve my training and coaching skills constantly in order to provide an excellent program tailored to my clients’ individual needs.
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Rick Garcia
Role: Boxing Coach
Education: Practicing Boxing since 1989. Practicing Muay Thai since 2005.
Specialties: Boxing, Muay Thai
Experience: First competed in the 82nd Airborne All American week in 1989. Trained and Competed in Muay Thai and Boxing.
Why Personal Training: I am a personal trainer because I've been fortunate enough to learn from former and present champions. My style of teaching is how I was taught. And that's preparing for a fight-- and to have fun and get a great workout while doing so.
Why Body Mechanix: I train at Body Mechanix because I love the people and appreciate the opportunity to expand the boxing lineage that I'm so passionate about. -
Robert Gomez
Role: Personal trainer
Education:
National Personal Training Institute
National Academy of Sports Medicine
Certifications:
Complete Personal Training, National Academy of Sports Medicine
Corrective Exercise Specialist, National Academy of Sports Medicine
Specialties:
Program design
Athletic conditioning
Weight loss
Strength and endurance training
Proper movement patterns
Experience: With 14 years of fitness experience, I have worked my way from manning the front desk at a corporate gym, to running a staff of fitness professionals, to becoming a fun and motivating personal trainer.
My National Personal Training Institute program included 100 hours of basic nutrition, 200 hours of practical application of personal training, and 100 hours of anatomy and physiology.
Why Personal Training: I am a personal trainer because of my passion for helping people. The excitement of seeing clients touch their toes for the first time in years, the drive they display while pushing toward a goal, and the knowledge to help them with injuries make personal training amazing. Overcoming obstacles, creating new goals and constantly pushing forward make personal training fun. If you put in the effort, the results will follow. By learning something new in each workout and progressing properly, we get better.
Why Body Mechanix: I train at Body Mechanix because our fitness community is strong. We work out, learn and grow as a team. Regardless of whether we work with members or clients directly, we still know everyone’s names in the community. That is what makes Body Mechanix special. -
Joseph Concillion
Role: Personal trainer
Education:
Nutrition
Functional Athletic Movement
Group training
The AXIS or Fascial Meridians aka (Slings of the body)
Certifications:
•National Academy of Sports Medicine:
1)Certified Personal Trainer
2)Corrective Exercise Specialist
3)Behavioral Change Specialist
4)Sports Performance Specialist
5)Nutrition Specialist
•Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning:
1)Certified Functional Strength Coach, Level 1,
•1)Functional Movement Screen Level 1
2)FMS Selective Functional Movement Assessment level 1
•1)TRX Certified Instructor
•Boxing Coach
1)Fundamentals
2)Footwork
3)Defense
4)Combinations & punching power
•Functional Patterns
1)Human Foundations Practioner Level 1 2) Human BioMechanics Specialist
•1)Precision Nutrition level 1
Specialties:
Advanced program design (strategic, progressive, altered, modified training program)
Fitness cross-training (strength training, conditioning, weight loss, muscle toning, muscle building, sports performance)
Corrective exercise (functional movement) physical therapy
Functional Patterns (Body’s AXIS)
Myofascial release (mobility training)
Metabolic nutrition consultant
Lifestyle coaching
Outdoor excursions
Experience: I have been living the fitness lifestyle since 1990. I have focused on the importance of nutrition since 2004. I have been working as a fitness professional for 8 years.
Why Personal Training: I am a personal trainer because I know firsthand how exercise affects your well-being and improves your quality of life from my consistent engagement in it. Exercise is a positive outlet and a therapeutic activity. The physical strength, mental clarity and emotional confidence from training create one of the best feelings. I am confident that I can help clients with their specific needs.
Why Body Mechanix: I train at Body Mechanix because of the atmosphere that we provide for our clients & ourselves. We offer community, friendships, encouragement and accountability. I like being apart of a team & more then that, we’ve become a family. #BMFit
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Nico Obado
Role: Personal trainer
Education:
Currently Majoring in Kinesiology at Cal State University East Bay
Certifications:
Rotational Movement Training WeckMethod
Landmine University - Level 1 & 2
Pre & Post natal Built for Birth
Specialties:
Fat loss
Muscle building
Sport-specific training
Corrective exercise
mobility/flexibility
Pre & Postnatal Pregnancy Training
Boxing/KickBoxing Training & Conditioning
Experience:
Years in the Industry: 3 years
A major milestone that shaped my training approach was working at a Physical Therapy Clinic for 1 year, where I guided and assisted patients in exercises and rehabilitation from injuries, surgeries, and other conditions. I also studied, practiced, and successfully trained individuals with cerebral palsy. This experience helped me develop tailored training routines for each individual. Additionally, I have about 5 years of football experience, 2.5 years of kickboxing experience, 8 months of wrestling, and 1 year of boxing, further enhancing my expertise in training and conditioning.
Why Personal Training:
I enjoy showing people how to do things that I am passionate about and assisting in revealing the hidden potential an individual has, both in and out of the gym.
Why BodyMechanix:
I train at BodyMechanix because the community here is unlike any other you have experienced. The diversity of everyone's different fitness journey is motivating and heartfelt. You can really tell that members here have the drive to become better day by day.