Our trainers are both fun and highly-qualified. They specialize in giving you not only an effective workout, but a safe one too. Girl Fight has a stringent set of requirements to ensure that only the best trainers in the area are taking care of our members.
Amanda was voted 2020's Best Personal Trainer and 2021's runner-up by The Daily Gazette's "Best of the Capital Region" people's choice awards. Her journey in fitness began after college, when she had gained the Freshman 15 (and then some!) and decided to make a healthy lifestyle change. She is an Elite Trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association and holds multiple specializations.
In addition, Amanda is schooled in Israeli Special Forces Krav Maga, a devastating martial art used for self defense and hand-to-hand combat. She is a published author and summarizes her philosophy on nutrition in The 80/20 Plan. Amanda has also completed an Ironman endurance triathlon, consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run -- all in one day! She combines all of these skills to create fun, fast, and effective workouts.
Stacey obtained her personal training certification through ACE and has assisted clients individually and in group settings. Notably, she managed and instructed at ILoveKickboxing in Clifton Park and then later at Girl Fight Fitness in Latham. However, her focus now is ensuring a seamless transition from “curious, excited, and maybe nervous” potential new member to “empowered and READY” new member.
Stacey is also a Certified Life Coach, specializing in helping women to “let loose their roar” to create a bad-ass life, with a strategic focus on improving self-confidence and the building of healthy, lasting habits.
In her spare time, you can find her with her wife and pets. Stacey also enjoys the outdoors - kayaking, hiking, and biking - as well as creative ventures of writing and candle-making.
Sami has been a NASM-CPT for over 10 years. She has her BA in Fitness, Exercise, and Nutrition and her MS in Applied Nutrition with a focus on ED Prevention and Obesity.
She is passionate about helping others in every way imaginable to help get them on a healthier path, whatever that looks like! Her focus in fitness is all about functionality for now and into the future. Her nutrition focus is all about enjoying food and her mental focus is all about neutrality.
In Sami’s spare time, you’ll find her baking delicious goods, trying all the matcha lattes in the Capital Region, and going for walks with her dog, Toast.
Brandi’s journey into fitness instruction began with a Zumba class and a Groupon. After a few Zumba classes, she learned that Zumba instructors could hold fundraisers to benefit local charities and she was sold on becoming an instructor. She wanted to help a local pit bull rescue and education group, Out of the Pits, Inc., and have fun while helping others get fit. She holds a Zumba-based fundraiser for them each year!
Brandi holds an AFAA certification in Group Exercise and is a licensed Zumba Toning instructor. Brandi also has been licensed to teach Core De Force and R.I.P.P.E.D. She thoroughly enjoys helping women become strong physically while empowering them mentally in their workouts -- and particularly enjoys kickboxing and HIIT workouts because they encourage positive changes in both those things.
Brandi started taking classes at Girl Fight as a member first. She discovered a love of using the punching bag for working out and found that the students and instructors were very welcoming. It wasn't long before she decided she wanted to teach at Girl Fight as well! Brandi is a stickler for form and is always pushing herself and her students to practice better form in their workouts for maximum benefit. Her motto: "You don’t have to kill yourself to get a good workout!" Sometimes slowing down forces the body to work harder.
Brandi works full-time in Information Security in Vulnerability Management, loves her two fur baby mutts, and enjoys helping however she can when it comes to animal welfare causes for pit bulls.
Mike was previously a Sr. Certified Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Trainer with the Southern Saratoga YMCA team since December of 2018. Mike’s certification in training is with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Mike is also certified through NASM as a Group Personal Training Specialist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, and has been trained with TRX. Additionally, he is certified in CPR, AED, and First Aid.
Mike has been involved in health and fitness for over 40 years. Mike’s passion is to assist others in reaching and identifying their fitness goals and maintain a healthy lifestyle by providing his insight, technical knowledge, and experience to people of all ages. Mike specializes in strength training, weightlifting, sports-specific training, core and functional movement training.
Mike’s training philosophy is: “The biggest limitations we have are in our mind, commit to change in your mind and heart and the body will follow. It has to be about inspiration before it comes down to perspiration.”
Megan started out at Girl Fight with a one-month pass as a Christmas gift and never looked back! Not only did GFF provide a great (and enjoyable) workout, but also built confidence and a network of strong, empowered women that Megan wanted to be a bigger part of. So, even by balancing her job as an elementary school counselor, Megan earned her Group Fitness Instruction Certification to help other women like her become strong and confident!
Along her fitness journey Megan has run countless 5Ks, a bunch of obstacle races, a couple half marathons and one marathon. As one who bounced from workout style to running to something else along her fitness journey, they all felt like a chore until she found Girl Fight.
When not at school with her little nuggets, Megan enjoys spending time with her husband and two teenage daughters. They spend time at their lake house, make their own hard cider, and taste snacks from around the world. Megan is also a true crime buff and a beach lover. When she's not teaching, you'll probably see Megan taking classes herself!
Donna became acquainted with the Girl Fight community in October of 2018 when she purchased an introductory pass to "mix up" her fitness routine and never looked back.
Donna has extensive coaching experience in youth sports (soccer, softball) and has coached at recreational and competitive levels. She had coached ages ranging from 4 to 17. She is a seasoned runner, racing at the 5K, 10K and Half Marathon levels. She has served as a running buddy for Girls on the Run and a running mentor for the American Heart Association's Couch to 5K program.
Donna works full time as an Information Technology professional for a large, multifaceted, health care organization. In addition to fitness, she is passionate about animals, nature, music, photography and adores her feline fur babies.
Donna is a Certified Group Fitness Instructor through ACE.
Karen’s fitness adventure began about 10 years ago when, in order to keep up with her active toddler, she went from couch to 5k to 15k to half marathon to triathlon in just under a year. She has also completed 4 Ragnar races in Cape Cod. What Karen loved most about racing was not the competition, but the community developed along the way.
Over the years, she began to pursue other interests, including becoming a Level 2 Reiki practitioner, and in 2020 was ordained as an Interfaith Minister.
Yoga teacher training was a journey of self love so that she could live her vow to embody love. Teaching yoga combines Karen’s gifts for sharing, healing and grace with others, with guiding students toward the authentic expression of their best selves – mind, body, and spirit.
Karen works full time in health care-human services, specializing in caring for vulnerable populations. She lives in Glenville with her amazing children and their beloved cats, Sophia and Butters.
Angela received her Zumba license in 2013 and that was the start of her fitness craze. Since then, she has been taking trainings and has obtained several certifications/licenses.
Angela’s motivation to pursue teaching in fitness was from her own fitness journey. Having suffered significant knee and back issues, she struggled to find a consistent routine to keep her in shape. She also found her discomfort and pain were getting worse and worse. She finally committed to a healthier routine; she began taking Zumba classes and started the slow process of changing her eating habits. She also found a wonderful instructor who encouraged her to pursue her own fitness certification.
Not only did she find these new healthy habits erased her chronic knee and back pain, but she wanted to continue her fitness journey and became a licensed Zumba instructor.
Angela is always taking classes to build her knowledge base to assist all, including active older adults, and help them achieve and maintain healthy and active lifestyles. As we age, we start to lose more of our ability to exercise properly which leads to no exercising. Angela’s goal is to not only work with and help the participants in her classes wherever she teaches but all active older adults she encounters.
Angela is also certified in Pedaling for Parkinson’s, Yoga, and many other fitness styles that allow her to help people of all ages and abilities achieve a better quality of life, more mobility, increased strength, and more energy and confidence.
Kirsten’s love for fitness started at a young age when her parents enrolled her in soccer and softball. Once she got to high school she joined the Marine Fitness team, which is a sport based off of the Marine Corp physical fitness test.
Ever since then, KJ has always made fitness a priority of hers and has tried out so many different work outs; kickboxing being her favorite! A close friend who studied Muay Thai taught her some kickboxing basics in college and she was immediately hooked. This started her search for a kickboxing gym, and luckily she found Girl Fight Fitness!
KJ joined as a member in March 2021 and appreciated the empowerment and support she received from all her trainers and the other members. She hopes to continue that trend and encourage other members to find their love for kickboxing and fitness as well!
Kirsten works at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in the Division of Water writing discharge permits, and is always weirdly excited to talk to people about wastewater treatment. In her spare time, she enjoys watching soccer, hanging out with college buddies, and hiking with her husband and dog.
Paula finally realized that the countless starts and stops of at-home exercises and videos just weren’t cutting it anymore. She needed something that would hold her accountable and keep her engaged. So, she decided to try a trial with Girl Fight Fitness in July 2018 and, since then, it has become a habitual part of her life.
Although she is a home body, Paula enjoys attending plays, traveling, and getting her "Rock On" at concerts with her family. She believes music in all its forms can really speak to one’s soul. And just like music, Girl Fight is an outlet to escape everyday pressures.
When not at Girl Fight, Paula work as an Accounts Manager for a local General Contractor and has worked in the construction industry for over 20 years. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, drawing, catching up on Netflix, and sometimes channeling her inner child by breaking out the crayons and coloring books.
Francesca (or Franny) has always had an interest in fitness and health. Whether it be a Zumba class, boxing, or a hike in the mountains, being active has always been one of her ways to de-stress! She worked front desk for a gym in Rochester, NY throughout her time in college and felt she wanted to be more involved in a new fitness community after graduation.
After moving back to the Capital Region, she found Girl Fight Fitness and fell in love with everything the gym stood for. She took some classes and later noticed a job opening for an instructor. The rest was history!
In her free time, Francesca is an avid black diamond skier in the winter and loves kayaking in the summer. While she is new to the fitness instructor game, she is always up for a new adventure and is thrilled to be a part of the Girl Fight Fitness Team!
Carolynn has been active in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years. She started kickboxing in 2004 and earned her Masters Degree in Adaptive Physical Education in 2015 at Sonoma State University in Northern California. Currently she teaches adaptive physical education at the Center of Disabilities in Albany, NY to children with special needs.
She is a CrossFit Level 2 trainer and has a certificate in Autism Fitness. She loves functional fitness workouts that include CrossFit, gymnastics, kickboxing, swimming, running, weight training and yoga. She enjoys programming workouts that are always changing and adapting, so people stay challenged and don't get stuck in a training "plateau."
Call: 518-321-3524
Email: info@girlfightfit.com
Girl Fight Glenville 126 Saratoga Road (Route 50) Glenville, NY 12302
Girl Fight Latham 959 New Loudon Road (Route 9) Latham, NY 12110
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