Teddy Gaines, Manager

Teddy has been in the fitness industry for over 20 years. He began his personal training journey as an Airman in the USAF, 18th Medical Group, where he developed exercise routines while tracking body composition to ensure the squadron met mobility and promotion standards. After transitioning to the professional arena working in the technology field for Deloitte, Teddy was called back to PT as fellow employees began asking to be trained. The personal fulfillment of assisting clients achieve their goals led to the decision to become a full-time personal trainer.

Teddy specializes in weight loss, body recomposition, functional strength, disabled senior training, and athletic performance to name a few. He holds NASM CPT, and Fitness Nutrition Specialization Certification from NASM. Teddy is very goal oriented trainer, and loves to develop programs for clients to help facilitate them achieving those goals!

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. Our favorite part of her background is that she started with us as a Next Phase coach!

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!

Jennifer Houser, Trainer

Jen’s passion for fitness started early, growing up playing multiple sports in Connecticut. She graduated college with a focus in Marketing, but quickly learned that a 9-5 desk job wasn't for her. Over the years, Jen gained valuable experience as a small group trainer until 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!

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!

Lisa Carome, Trainer

Lisa’s passion for fitness first began when learned how to lift weights in high school. While her background was in competitive swimming, she fell in love with lifting and the feeling of being strong. She became a Personal Trainer while attending Virginia Tech, where she trained students in addition to teaching cycling and HIIT classes. Out of college she worked as an independent trainer and spent some time shadowing Physical Therapists, where she learned about injury rehab.  

During her time training, she has worked with clients of every age and background. She understands firsthand that every client has unique circumstances that call for a unique approach! While getting results is always a priority, it’s important to her that you have fun throughout the process. Lisa believes that fitness is not just about the physical results; it’s about becoming the most confident and strongest version of yourself!

Rahim Olds, 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.

Riley McMenamin, Trainer

A NOVA native, Riley has been committed to fitness and performance training since early high school. He has trained under many different disciplines including powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting, but now focuses on longevity and wellness through weightlifting.

Riley attended the College of William and Mary where he received a BS Science in Kinesiology and Health Sciences with a concentration in Allied Health. For his senior year, he interned at a physical therapy practice where he discovered a love for helping people through their injury rehabilitation journey. Riley intends to carry over this success into the gym setting through the use of evidence-based protocols to develop comprehensive and thoughtful routines.

Outside of fitness, Riley has an immense love for music and enjoys hunting for and collecting vintage vinyl records. He also enjoys spending time with his friends, family, and his cat, Shadow.

Ange Wanteu, Trainer

Meet Ange (pronounced like “Orange” without the “Or). He’s an ACE certified personal trainer with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science, with a focus on both exercise science and healthy lifestyle. His main focus is calisthenics workouts, weight loss, nutrition plan, boxing, muscle gain, plyometric and strength training. 

Ange combines this knowledge with a deep passion for sport as a soccer player, love for tennis, and dedication to make sure his clients achieve their goals. In his free time, Ange enjoys soccer, tennis, pool, reading and learning new languages. Speaking of, he’s got a pretty cool accent while he pushes clients towards their goals!

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! :)

Ronald Simmons, Trainer

Ronald's fitness journey commenced in 2015 following a knee dislocation that necessitated surgery and subsequent physical therapy. Initially, the injury eroded his confidence in his body; however, through the healing process and physical therapy, he regained trust and developed a passion for assisting others facing similar challenges. Since then, Ronald has embarked on a path of mastering both physical and mental understanding. He has explored diverse disciplines including Martial Arts, Gymnastics, Thai Yoga Stretching, and Reiki practice, ultimately becoming a certified personal trainer.

Ronald specializes in calisthenics, functional movements, and emphasizes the importance of strength, conditioning, and foundational training. If you seek a trainer dedicated to helping you achieve your fitness goals and enhance your overall health and well-being, Ronald is your ideal choice!

Abby Bernhardt, Group coordinator

It’s hard to find someone more caring and motivating than Abby! She loves motivating others to live active and healthy lifestyles, and every student in her classes has the fortune of seeing how genuine and true that statement is. She knows her students as well as she does any of her family and friends.

In Abby’s mind, there is nothing more inspiring than to see people challenge themselves in order to reach their fitness goals, and she has a knack for getting to know how to get the best out of all of our clients!

Abby is now the mother of two beautiful girls and is excited to be able to continue her passion for fitness and helping others while being an amazing wife and mother to her growing family!

CARSON NJOKU, Trainer

Carson is a former track & field athlete who graduated with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, Pre-Physical Therapy. He then pursued a career in the field, becoming a physical therapy technician, chiropractor assistant, rehab specialist, and health and fitness specialist.

Carson's profound background in exercise science and fitness has been a guiding force in his life, instilling in him essential values of dedication, hard work, and motivation that he applies diligently each day. His training expertise encompasses a diverse range of disciplines, including functional movement training, weight loss and strength training, circuit training, rehabilitation techniques, kettlebell training, dynamic training, and methods to enhance explosive performance.

For those seeking a committed professional who embodies these principles and specializes in various aspects of fitness and rehabilitation, Carson is the perfect choice.