Before graduating with a degree in Sociology and Psychology from Union College, David developed a love for fitness as a two sport student-athlete. After college he was introduced to CrossFit in 2013 where he discovered Olympic Weightlifting and found a love for coaching and motivating others.
I am a father first, then a provider, coach, motivator and whatever else I need to be.
It’s not common to have the opportunity to share one’s life’s work, Lion’s Pride Weightlifting / Wellness (LPW) is your One Stop Shop for Health and Wellness. LPW is a culmination of life’s lessons transformed into the vision for our community. That vision is love and support for one another – with access to a top-notch facility to train the body and mind. Mobility, movement, and mental training is our approach. My dream is for you to walk away from your time at LPW feeling confident, having had fun, and learning something new.
Fatherhood changes you.
Whether you want it to or not, fatherhood has a special way of creating a new drive in you. Almost 6 years ago when I found out that I was going to be a father, I knew that I had to get my life together. On the outside, I was the fun – loving, athletic comedian that always seemed to fit in and add value. On the inside though, I was still a scared little boy wondering why his father was never around. These feelings led to life -long issues with anxiety and ultimately depression after my father’s untimely death. The birth of my son caused me to finally seek help to deal with these issues and the results were astounding. For once in my life, I felt like I was present and ready to live life through my own views and dreams. Not those which had been projected onto me or unrealistic expectations that I placed on myself based on my personal trauma.
Finding my why.
As I looked around, trying to realize the major components in my life that had helped me stay afloat, I asked myself questions such as, “what helped me cope with all the pain I was feeling inside” and “which parts of my life do I truly enjoy?” The first answers were community, education, and fitness. The best parts of my life always included lifelong friendships made participating in sports or fitness related activities. Whether it be competing in gymnastics, the love I will always have for the brothers who I won a State Championship with at Purcell Marian High School, or friends and family I’ve made coaching and competing in CrossFit and Olympic Weightlifting. It never mattered what the sport or event was, my friends became my family and these bonds always allowed us to push each other to new heights mentally and physically.
Healing myself.
I searched long and hard for therapeutic guidance and other methods to heal myself. What I realized was that exercise and movement can be a very important component for recovery and healing. I leaned into all the pain I had felt at various times in my life and began allowing it to guide me to all the answers I had been searching for. Those answers turned into the facility know as Lion’s Pride Weightlifting/ Wellness.
Why Lion’s Pride?
Prides are family units – that hunt together versus individually. We are built on the philosophy of creating a community where people can choose from a variety of options for training, recovery and/or nutrition. I am so excited to share this vision. With hard work, positivity and attention to the detail, we would be honored to assist you on your fitness and overall wellness journey.