Meet Our Ballston Trainers
Joanne Anderson, Operations Director
Joanne is an accomplished fitness professional with a Masters in Health Promotion & Exercise Management from the Univ. of Cincinnati and an ACSM Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, as well as a soon-to-be certified nutritionist.
She has worked in corporate fitness for several years managing multiple fitness centers for a federal law enforcement agency, helping her members stay active at work and fit for duty. Joanne has a passion for strength training the benefits it provides, and she has even participated in bodybuilding competitions! Our favorite thing about Joanne is the structure she brings to the Training Ground organization!
A passionate trainer who is driven to help people accomplish their goals, Joanne does it all!
Reggie McFail, lead trainer
Simply put, Reggie’s clients LOVE him. He delivers results, makes it fun and most importantly, he has that intangible we love - he cares.
Both an experienced trainer and nutritional coach, Reggie has the well-rounded background that gets results to create happy clients! He got into training when he realized that combining his active lifestyle with his passion for helping people could be the right ingredients to make an awesome trainer. He was right!
He’s specializes in athletic performance, fat burning and weight loss, and even once trained a family of 4, which is no easy task!
Chris Crockett, Lead trainer
A 12-year career in personal training sprouted when knee surgery after knee surgery led this three-sport athlete to find himself over 100 pounds overweight. It was then that Chris decided to dedicate himself to health and fitness.
He earned his personal trainer certification and graduated with a 4-year degree in Exercise Science, all while losing over 130 pounds and doing pain-free squats on his surgically repaired knees!
He is known as a fun-loving coach with a results-focused mindset. Ask his clients if they’re happy with Chris and they’ll sing his praises for hours!
Rahim Olds, Lead trainer
Rahim’s love for people drives his passion for helping others reach their fitness goals. With a vast knowledge of training and nutrition, Rahim can create personalized training programs that cater to your unique needs, ensuring that you receive the attention and support necessary to succeed.
Rahim’s experience with several injuries throughout his eight-year fitness journey, including severe knee sprains and a broken foot, have taught him the importance of injury rehabilitation, incremental progression, flexibility, and mobility.
Rahim’s commitment to personalized training programs means that he understands the importance of taking a holistic approach to fitness. He recognizes that everyone has unique needs when it comes to training and nutrition, and he tailors his programs to address those needs.
Pablo Limpias, Trainer
It’s easy to tell what a great trainer Pablo is when you see how much his clients love him! Nothing makes Pablo happier than helping someone have an experience that makes them feel pleased, confident, and strong. In other words, he is the type of person who derives his own happiness by making others happy! It's that type of motivation that makes Pablo a perfect fit at Training Ground.
Not only a personal trainer, Pablo has been a head trainer for a local HIIT and Kickboxing studio. On top of that, he's also a physical therapy assistant AND he is currently studying to be a nurse!
Jen Houser, Trainer & nutrition Coach
Jen grew up playing multiple sports in Connecticut where she gained her passion for fitness. She graduated college with a career in Marketing, but (like many of us) quickly learned that a 9-5 desk job wasn't for her. Through college, Jen gained valuable experience as a small group trainer and group exercise instructor. She decided to take a leap of faith and leave her marketing career behind to pursue personal training. She now is a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Nutrition Coach with NASM.
Whether you are a trained athlete, a hard worker looking to take your fitness to the next level, or maybe you just want to learn some new things and take your health into your own hands, Jen is the coach for you! Teaching others how to improve self-discipline, happiness, and balance is Jen's main priority and why she’s a perfect fit at TG!
Lila Roades, Trainer
Lila has always been motivated by fitness and movement, as she grew up playing competitive soccer. When she first picked up weights in high school, she knew she had found her passion. During her time studying history at Loyola Marymount University, she realized she wanted to pursue personal training.
After becoming a certified trainer, Lila worked with clients of all ages and backgrounds to achieve a range of fitness goals. She has experience with group and individual fitness, and specializes in strength training. Lila believes that fitness is about building long-term habits to better both the body and mind, not just numbers on a scale. Remembering her experience as a shy teenager in the weight room, she is driven by the desire to help others feel safe, confident, and empowered in the gym!
Kevin KorniEk, Trainer
Kevin is a Collegiate Athlete with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. Growing up playing sports, Kevin became more involved in fitness to improve his game. In our experience, collegiate athletes can make excellent trainers, which Kevin exemplifies.
What sets Kevin apart is his knack for understanding the “why” behind each client's goals, which helps him deliver an optimal and efficient training experience. He also has a specialization in Kettlebells and continues to gain information to will help his clients. Living a healthy, active lifestyle, Kevin also enjoys healthy cooking and playing basketball, hockey and pickleball.
Whether it’s preparing for an athletic competition or just wanting to move through life pain-free, Kevin is dedicated to improve his clients each and every day!
Corey Hobbs, Trainer
Corey's fitness path started early, doing pushups, pull-ups and jump rope before he could ever join a gym. Once he was old enough, he was hooked. He now has had multiple successes with clients to show for it, including a client who hit their goal of losing 40 lbs as well as a client who more than doubled their deadlift strength.
He coaches OTF classes in the area, and he enjoys being able to focus his attention on just his client at TG.
That's not all! He also plays the guitar and drums in his spare time, making him quite possibly one of the fittest musicians in the area. :)
Bri Wynn, Trainer
A physical therapist as her day job, Bri's a rock star trainer when she's not in the clinic. She’s always had the passion for helping people live a healthier, pain-free life, but it was her physical therapy patients suggesting she do personal training that started her on her path.
Bri works with sports medicine patients, has both her USA Weightlifting Level 2 cert and Barbell Rehab Method cert, and will even be adding a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist to the mix...as if her current education wasn't enough!
Oh, and she also practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, so her clients and patients know they better do as their told :)
NIck flynn, trainer
A passionate personal trainer with 20 years of personal fitness experience, Nick’s fitness journey is truly inspiring, as he battled childhood obesity from age 8 to 17, shedding over 125 pounds by the end of high school. This transformative experience ignited a lifelong commitment to exercise and well-being.
Beyond physical fitness, Nick has been a self-studied student of personal development and goal setting for over a decade. This unique perspective allows him to delve into the underlying reasons for your fitness goals, making lasting changes possible.
Nick is more than just a trainer; he's a living example of what's possible through dedication and resilience. With Nick as your guide, you'll not only find the motivation but also the unwavering support you need to reach your fitness goals. His mission is to assist clients on their personal fitness journeys, recognizing that fitness is a deeply transformative experience.
Joe Dattoli, Trainer
Joe has all the elements of a great trainer - passion, experience and education. His mantra in life is "Make a difference in someone's life every day," and he's been doing that for over 27 years in the fitness field!
Joe is also not your typical trainer, aside from having close to 3 decades of hands-on experience. He can work with any type of client, from sports performance to injury rehab! Better yet - he also lives what he preaches. In addition to his numerous PT certs, he's currently working on his IronMan Triathlon Coach certification - not an easy task!
Robin Lewis, Trainer
Robin is a certified fitness professional specializing in Women's Health & Pre and Postnatal Fitness. She is dedicated to supporting individuals during one of the most significant chapters of their lives. With a deep understanding of pregnant and postpartum individuals' unique physical and emotional needs, she strives to create a nurturing and empowering environment for those she works with. In fact, over 2 years ago, Robin sold all of her belongings to move across country for a Pre/Postnatal Internship - talk about dedication!
Robin's approach is centered on building a strong rapport, understanding individual goals, and creating customized fitness plans. She prioritizes open communication and a judgment-free atmosphere to ensure all feel empowered and confident throughout their fitness journey.
Michael Symanski, trainer/Coach
Michael’s clients can attest that he has a knack for getting that extra ab work via laughter during sessions or classes. His ability to blend his sense of humor with motivating, positive energy is what makes Michael a great instructor. What stands out with Michael is how much he cares and how dedicated he is to his clients’ health, fitness and overall happiness.
Coming from a family of 10 kids(!!!), a fit and active lifestyle was instilled upon Michael at an early age. He played college football and baseball, and coached high school football and track. Needless to say, motivating others to be active comes naturally to Michael!
Richie Ellebie, Trainer
Richie comes from a unique background, playing professional football in Japan for 4 years before answering the call of moving back to the States to pursue a career in personal training. Exercise and fitness have longtime been staples in Richie’s life, and he has a knack for sharing his knowledge with his clients, in addition to keeping them motivated and accountable to reach their goals. What Richie’s clients love best is his funny, caring personality that keeps clients engaged throughout their session.
He also can work with any type of client, from sports performance to injury rehab! Professional athletes can make phenomenal trainers, so if you’re eager to see results, give Richie a try!
Darren Ayar, Trainer
Darren is a passionate trainer who focuses on strength training and overall holistic wellness while delivering results to his clients. With a deep-rooted belief in the importance of mental health and a passion for fostering balance in our fast-paced world, Darren has dedicated his career to helping individuals understand the importance of growth that comes outside of one's comfort zone. With a never-ending urge to learn and grow, Darren is excited to accompany anybody who is ready to take the first step on their fitness journey! Outside of the gym, Darren loves hiking, experimenting in the kitchen, and traveling the world. He also has a background in wrestling and track and field with sprinting, discus, and shotput!
Christian Christoffersen, Trainer
Christian was once a licensed optician before he switched from helping eyes to helping strength, health and reaching overall fitness goals! He started off with a degree in Sociology and his interest in human behavior is what helps him stand out as a personal trainer. Once he committed to a career in personal training, he quickly added additional specializations to his base of knowledge. He now is also a Senior Fitness Specialist, as well as an Integrated Balance Training Specialist! He is committed to helping clients of all ages reach their goals and live long, healthy, pain-free lives! Best of all, his clients love him! If you’re interested, we’d love to share some of their testimonials with you! :)
Andy Schaefer, Owner
Andy opened Training Ground in 2017 so that people of all fitness backgrounds could have access to top tier personal trainers in a comfortable, supportive environment and without the need for a contract or membership.
Andy’s goal is for Training Ground to be the happy place for all the clients that we are fortunate enough to have in our community!