Jason David

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In 2007 Jason David had a scary Doctor appointment. He was 32 years old, nearly 250 lbs at 5′7″ his cholesterol was high, his blood pressure was high and he was on pace to develop diabetes. In addition he was smoking, and drinking more than he should. His first step to a new life was to quit smoking, and get back in the gym. As he started to feel better, and see some results, he began researching other ways to get healthy and fit. In the spring of 2008 he found CrossFit.

CrossFit isn’t new, but its fast growing community of people focused on health and fitness very much appealed to Jason and his new lifestyle.

Since discovering CrossFit Jason has also significantly changed his eating habits – gone are the daily chili dogs and french fries, and in their place he is eating a balanced diet of vegetables, lean meats, nuts, fruit. He has the chili dog once in a while, but overall he has cut out sugar and refined foods and replaced them with fresh healthy choices.

To date he has lost 70lbs, gained muscle and has gone from a size 46 jeans to a 32. His energy is unbelievable, and he is like a new person. When he started he couldn’t do a single pullup, and now it’s not uncommon (as is the case for most CrossFitters) for him to do 100 of them in a workout. In July Jason was CrossFit level 1 certified. Since that time he has become a part owner of Motor City CrossFit, and trains classes there 6 days a week.

You’ll meet a lot of trainers that have been in shape their entire life – Jason isn’t one of them. He has a different perspective on things and loves helping people meet their fitness goals regardless of their current level of health/fitness. Jason has just about hit rock bottom and wants nothing more than to help others in the same situation.

CrossFit Level 1 Certified
CrossFit Kids Certified

CrossFit Kettlebell Cetified

Vincent Palazzolo

Vinny is currently a shift Lieutenant and a SWAT team commander with a Suburban Detroit Multi-Jurisdictional SWAT Team. He is a certified SWAT, Firearms, Defensive Tactics instructor and an Army Infantry Combat Veteran (OIF). He has a strong and lengthy background in organized group physical training and motivation. Given the nature of his career, it is important to maintain a high level of fitness in an effort to be prepared for any obstacles his job may present. To achieve this high level of fitness, he has chosen CrossFit.

Certified CrossFit Kettlebell Trainer
Certified CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certified
Certified First Responder/CPR American Heart Association

Matt DeMinico

Matt DeMinico is one of only three CrossFit Level 2 certified instructors in Michigan. He started Motor City CrossFit in his tiny garage back in 2007. With a regular 9-5 engineering job, he doubles as our behind-the-scenes tech guy when he’s not running classes. He and his wife have five kids, and they are very active in their Church.

Matt came across CrossFit when he was looking for a good strength and conditioning program to supplement his speed skating training, and someone said to look into “that CrossFit thing”. Up to that point, he had been doing the standard off-ice training that most speed skaters do, including strength, bodyweight, and bike work, mixed in with interval training. He switched to Crossfit, and after three months of Crossfit training, felt twice as good on the ice compared to the previous year and a half of other training methods.

CrossFit Level 1 Certified
CrossFit Level 2 Certified
CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certified
CrossFit Gymnastics Certified
Red Cross CPR/AED Certified

Yvette Lepore

Yvette spent  over 10 years as an automotive professional before deciding to make a career change to pursue her passion in fitness.  Sports and fitness have been a part of Yvette’s life for as long as she can remember.  She was snow skiing, water skiing, and riding dirt bikes as a small child, and running cross-country and track in school.  She took up distance running after college, and has several respectable marathon finishes to her credit, including 2 Boston marathons.

Yvette got involved with weight training in 2006. She was instantly intrigued and became an ACE certified personal trainer in 2007. She left her automotive career in early 2008 to pursue a career in fitness.  She moved to the St. Louis area and became a full-time trainer and fitness manager of a large globo gym.  She trained a diverse clientele of one-on-one and small group clients in functional training, strength training, nutrition and weight loss, and injury rehab.  Yvette has guided pregnant women through an active and healthy pregnancy, as well as help high school football players put on size and strength, Jiu-Jitsu fighters win an important fight, and senior citizen diabetics get off of their medications.  “One of the best feelings in the world is helping people push themselves to reach a goal they never thought possible.  I never felt anything like this in the corporate world.”  Yvette quickly became a self-proclaimed “gym rat” and a self taught expert in everything fitness.  She became involved in powerlifting, as well as bodybuilding and physique competitions. At 40, she competed in and won her first figure competition. She went on reach National level qualification before discovering Crossfit .

Yvette was ready for a new challenge and was looking for something fun and different.  What she found was not only fun, but much, much more. Yvette joined MCCF in April, 2010.  “The people at Motor City Crossfit quickly became my family, and Crossfit my passion.  I thought I loved working out before…..that was nothing.  I have never been so happy in a gym in my life!”  Yvette received her Crossfit Level 1 Certification in July, 2010 and has never looked back.  “I am stronger, leaner and more fit than I have ever been in my life.  Crossfit works. Period.  In all my years in this business, I have never found anything that makes more sense or gets the results that Crossfit does.  The results got me addicted….the community will keep me here forever.”  Yvette has been a trainer at MCCF since mid-2010, and is amazed and rewarded every day by the incredible spirit and strength of its members.  “I love training these people, and I’m proud to call them my box-mates.”

Crossfit Level  1 Certified

Crossfit Kettlebell Certified

ACE Certified Personal Trainer

CPR/AED Certified

Chad Cox

After doing burpee intervals and being asked: “Are you doing crossfit?” I looked up this “crossfit” thing, was intrigued, and began attempting WODs in Iraq in 2009 with dumbbells, sandbags, and a jump rope. I was a “part timer” hopping back and forth between mainsite workouts and Ross Enamait’s training style. Once I was back in the states, I joined a box in Houston TX in 2010 and knew that there was no turning back from it. In 2011 while in Afghanistan I returned to my crossfit origins this time with a set of gymnastic rings added to the mix.

CrosFit Level 1 Certified

Kat Calandra

My name is Katherine Calandra (everyone calls me Kat).  I have gotten to know quite a lot of the athletes at  MCCF, but for those of you who don’t know me I’m the girl usually working out with my daughter Lyla in the jogger stroller.  Fitness has always been a huge part of my life. Growing up I played pretty much every sport there was. Once I got out of high school I knew I wanted to make fitness my career choice.  I decided to become a personal trainer and worked in a one-on-one training facility for many years. During that time I obtained multiple fitness certifications including: group fitness, SPIN, zumba, kickboxing, piyo (a mix of pilates & yoga), TRX as well as ketlebell. During my years as a trainer I always sought out different ways to not only improve my own fitness capacity  but mainly new ways to make sure my clients got the most out of their workouts. And then I discovered it, Crossfit!  I fell in love with CrossFit the moment I tried it and I have never looked back.  It is by far the best training modality I have ever taken part in, and I am so excited to be training with everyone at MCCF. Everyone at the box I feel is an extension of my family because we all share the same passion for fitness. I recently obtained my  CrossFit Level 1 and I am looking forward to not only training at MCCF but also being part of the coaching team.  ~ Train hard!

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer

CrossFit Kettlebell Trainer

AFAA Personal Fitness Trainer

AFAA Group Fitness Instructor

TRX Trainer

CPR/AED certified