CONNOR REESE

I came to fitness through the world of dance my Freshman year of college. I was pursuing a degree in Musical Theatre and Dance, and as such movement played a vital role in my education. I was a fairly unathletic person growing up, made even worse by the fact that I was tall and clumsy… a great recipe for a dancer! After realizing that strength training had huge benefits to my growth as an artist, I started learning to lift using Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength. After getting that first exposure to the world of fitness I wanted to explore all it had to offer. This led me to begin training at a CrossFit affiliate to try to develop a well-rounded training program to help me be the best me I could. 

 

While training at CrossFit I learned much about foundational movements, basic theories about programming, the fun and competitive side of fitness, and how to use exercise as a crucible for change in your body and your life. It was also while training at a CrossFit box that I discovered my biggest passion in fitness. Weightlifting. (Also sometimes called Olympic Weightlifting) I had inadvertently discovered a new means of training that seemed to be the perfect blend of dance and lifting, a symphony of movement! Since then I have dedicated myself to using the tools and skills learned in my certification in weightlifting to share the best pieces of it with my clients and share with them my love of fitness! 

 

Prior to working at IF, I had been working in NYC as a personal trainer and Assistant Fitness Manager at Crunch Fitness! While there I worked with all types of clients from many walks of life. I was fortunate enough to train Rockettes, CEOs, competitive powerlifters, and more! But my favorite type of client far and away was someone who was just starting off in their fitness journey. Nobody in my family taught me the importance of healthy movement, proper nutrition, or even how to have a healthy relationship with food, so I wanted to be that source of positive encouragement for people who may have never had it before either. My single biggest goal with training is to help people lead healthier lives and be able to have the ability to do the activities they love now and for decades to come. I personally believe that through fitness and physical health all other things become possible!