Who I am
"The difference between the possible and the impossible is the determination and strength that lies within each of us." - Anonymous
I am a fervent student of the art of physical culture and a serious fan of the iron game. I have been training for a total of 44 years and I practice what I preach. I began lifting weights 36 years ago and today I am just as passionate about the art and science of strength and muscular development as when I started. For me, weight training is a way of life. It satisfies a deep-rooted hunger in my heart; it delights my spirit and is the medicine that keeps me from going haywire.
I began my career as a Certified Personal Trainer in San Francisco back in 1993 and I have been certified as a Fitness Instructor ever since. Currently I am certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and you can find my certification number 1231079922 on their website.
In my early teens I began my athletic career as a long-distance runner. After training for a few years with the goal of taking first place in competition, I used the power of the mind to win my first marathon in 1981. Before I competed, I saw myself winning and knew that I was going to succeed. This experience taught me the power of visualizing a goal during training.
I also have competed as a professional bodybuilder. A few years after I moved from my native land, Venezuela, to the U.S, I began training with the single-minded goal of winning my first contest. As a result of my discipline, tenacity, and sheer determination,
After this event, due to the overwhelming demands on the body required for competition of this caliber, I decided to stop competing professionally and transition to a more sensible lifestyle. I continued to train regularly with all of my passion, evolving as a student of the iron game and as a well-rounded trainer.
After working for several years in a commercial gym as an independent personal trainer, I found myself in an unprofessional, uninspiring, and stagnant environment. I grew tired of being surrounded by abusers of performance-enhancing drugs, and by people that were not serious about their training goals. I decided to leave that unhealthy atmosphere and expand my horizons and my stature as a fitness professional. Shortly thereafter I became interested in kettlebell training.
I began training with kettlebells in 2005 and received first-hand instruction from top-notch strength coach Mike Mahler. After experiencing the myriad benefits and possibilities of kettlebell training, I decided to study this training modality in more depth.
In 2006 I became a world-recognized Russian Kettlebell Certified (RKC) instructor under former Soviet Special Forces physical training instructor and master of sports, Pavel Tsatsouline, the man responsible for the modern kettlebell revival. In fact, I was the very first Russian Kettlebell Certified (RKC) instructor in the city of San Francisco. The RKC was the First Russian Kettlebell Certification program in existence and is the world's best and most rigorous kettlebell certification, demanding the most extensive background in kettlebell training and the highest standards of their instructors.
In 2008 I had the distinct pleasure of being invited to assist legendary strength coach and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu World Champion Steve Maxwell at one of his fantastic kettlebell seminars in San Jose. Steve is noted for having taught the first kettlebell classes here in the U.S. and for bringing the famed "Turkish Get-Up" move to the RKC system.
In 2009, two years after I became an RKC instructor, I had the honor and opportunity of being invited to assist Pavel Tsatsouline at his Russian Kettlebell Certification seminar in San Jose.
Although I do not currently compete in other sports, I continue to train with the heart of a lion and, having utilized innovative and intelligent methods from the pre-steroid era, I am stronger today than I was when I competed as a professional bodybuilder. As I evolve into this new level of fitness, I constantly research and study the history and the present state of the iron game. I am continually testing the effectiveness of innovative training methods.
And there is never a time when there isn't a new or rare book
related to health and strength in my hands. Presently, I am immersing myself in new physical challenges and developing new motor abilities to become a better athlete and a better instructor. Suffice it to say, I am a dedicated trainer who not only "talks the talk" but also "walks the walk." I am not just a personal trainer - I am a teacher who strives to educate my clients in structuring healthy methods of physical and mental strength conditioning. Besides being certified by highly reputable organizations and learning from legendary strong men and top international coaches, I have also learned from empirical self trials based on my research.
This is why I am always in great shape,
always on the cutting edge, and consistently expanding my knowledge in all aspects of health and fitness- so that I can share with you a goldmine of invaluable new information and hard to find effective training methodologies from the golden era of Physical Culture.