Meet the Coaches
Coach Max Aita
As Head Coach and namesake of the gym, Max is in charge of programming and helping his Weightlifting and Powerlifting athletes improve their technique.
He has studied and trained under many highly successful coaches, including Ivan Abadjiev, Steve Gough, and Glenn Pendlay. Max is a USA Weightlifting Club Coach and has trained national medalists, as well as National and PWA record-holders.
In the gym, you can usually find him sitting in a yellow chair with his head tilted watching a lift, eating food out of tupperware, or making wise-cracks at whoever might be listening.
If given control of the music, you will notice that Max has an unhealthy obsession with Katy Perry, but does his best personal lifts when Enya is cranked to 11.
Max coaches the Weightlifting Team and Powerlifting Club.
As Head Coach and namesake of the gym, Max is in charge of programming and helping his Weightlifting and Powerlifting athletes improve their technique.
He has studied and trained under many highly successful coaches, including Ivan Abadjiev, Steve Gough, and Glenn Pendlay. Max is a USA Weightlifting Club Coach and has trained national medalists, as well as National and PWA record-holders.
In the gym, you can usually find him sitting in a yellow chair with his head tilted watching a lift, eating food out of tupperware, or making wise-cracks at whoever might be listening.
If given control of the music, you will notice that Max has an unhealthy obsession with Katy Perry, but does his best personal lifts when Enya is cranked to 11.
Max coaches the Weightlifting Team and Powerlifting Club.
Coach Jo Ann Aita
The saying goes that “Behind every great man is a great woman.” In this case, Max is behind Jo Ann, spotting her as she back squats some seriously heavy weight.
Despite starting weightlifting in her early thirties and rehabbing two shoulder surgeries in 2010, she was able to come back with Personal Record lifts at the Olympic Trials in 2012, placing 5th overall against many competitors half her age.
At the 2012 Women’s Pro-Am meet, Jo Ann went 9/9 setting a New World Record Powerlifting Total in the Raw category. She also broke the American Raw Deadlift record, which had stood since 1981.
She is a Senior National Medalist and currently holds Snatch, Clean & Jerk & Total Records in the Pacific Weightlifting Association. In 2014, Jo Ann broke (4) US National Master’s Records in CJ & in Total, (6) Pan Am Master’s Records in Snatch, CJ & Total, & (1) IWF Master’s World Record in the Clean & Jerk. She was also honored with the Women’s Grand Master Award (best female lifter by formula) at the 2014 Pan American Weightlifting Championships in Toronto.
She is a USA Weightlifting Certified Coach and has been getting lifters strong for the past 5 years. Jo Ann rarely takes over as gym DJ, but if given the chance, she would favor the likes of Slayer or Dio.
Jo Ann coaches the Women's Strong School, Weightlifting Team, and Powerlifting Club
The saying goes that “Behind every great man is a great woman.” In this case, Max is behind Jo Ann, spotting her as she back squats some seriously heavy weight.
Despite starting weightlifting in her early thirties and rehabbing two shoulder surgeries in 2010, she was able to come back with Personal Record lifts at the Olympic Trials in 2012, placing 5th overall against many competitors half her age.
At the 2012 Women’s Pro-Am meet, Jo Ann went 9/9 setting a New World Record Powerlifting Total in the Raw category. She also broke the American Raw Deadlift record, which had stood since 1981.
She is a Senior National Medalist and currently holds Snatch, Clean & Jerk & Total Records in the Pacific Weightlifting Association. In 2014, Jo Ann broke (4) US National Master’s Records in CJ & in Total, (6) Pan Am Master’s Records in Snatch, CJ & Total, & (1) IWF Master’s World Record in the Clean & Jerk. She was also honored with the Women’s Grand Master Award (best female lifter by formula) at the 2014 Pan American Weightlifting Championships in Toronto.
She is a USA Weightlifting Certified Coach and has been getting lifters strong for the past 5 years. Jo Ann rarely takes over as gym DJ, but if given the chance, she would favor the likes of Slayer or Dio.
Jo Ann coaches the Women's Strong School, Weightlifting Team, and Powerlifting Club
Coach Zac Hunter
Zac competes as a Master's Athlete at 94kg. In addition to a bag of dried prunes, he brings years of coaching experience as a USAW Sports Performance coach and Pendlay Level 1 coach. Prior to becoming a dedicated weightlifting enthusiast, Zac was head coach of a Bay Area CrossFit affiliate holding multiple certifications and led classes ranging from weightlifting and strength training, to CrossFit, bootcamps and TRX.
Being an old man, Zac brings a unique perspective and certain grouchiness to coaching and training along with his aches and pains. Emphasizing the fact that he out lifts you at nearly 40 years old, he is pretty sure you aren't too tired for that last set of RDLs. Please get off his lawn.
Zac coaches Weightlifting Team, and Powerlifting Club.
Zac competes as a Master's Athlete at 94kg. In addition to a bag of dried prunes, he brings years of coaching experience as a USAW Sports Performance coach and Pendlay Level 1 coach. Prior to becoming a dedicated weightlifting enthusiast, Zac was head coach of a Bay Area CrossFit affiliate holding multiple certifications and led classes ranging from weightlifting and strength training, to CrossFit, bootcamps and TRX.
Being an old man, Zac brings a unique perspective and certain grouchiness to coaching and training along with his aches and pains. Emphasizing the fact that he out lifts you at nearly 40 years old, he is pretty sure you aren't too tired for that last set of RDLs. Please get off his lawn.
Zac coaches Weightlifting Team, and Powerlifting Club.
Coach Alex LaChance
Alex LaChance is a Former All American gymnast and scholarship athlete for the University of Arkansas (2005-2009). As a National Elite and Level 10 Gymnast she was a 5-time USA Gymnastics National Championship Competitor, and accumulated 5 State Championship gold medals, 10 Regional Championship gold medals, and 25 other Level 10 State, Regional, and National Championship medals.
She became a published fitness writer and model, with a M.S. in Exercise Science (University of Arkansas, 2012).
Alex went on to win the 2014 North Central CrossFit Regional, and qualified for the 2014 CrossFit Games in her rookie year competing as an Individual CrossFit Athlete.
She was a Professional GRID Athlete with the Phoenix Rise from 2014-2015, and then with the two-time League Champion DC Brawlers in 2016.
Alex is now a nationally ranked weightlifter placed 3rd at the 2018 USA Weightlifting National Championships in the 75kg division.
She is a USA Weightlifting Certified Coach and a CrossFit Level 2 Coach, and offers gymnastics and weightlifting seminars as well as crossfit, gymnastics and weightlifting coaching online.
Alex LaChance is a Former All American gymnast and scholarship athlete for the University of Arkansas (2005-2009). As a National Elite and Level 10 Gymnast she was a 5-time USA Gymnastics National Championship Competitor, and accumulated 5 State Championship gold medals, 10 Regional Championship gold medals, and 25 other Level 10 State, Regional, and National Championship medals.
She became a published fitness writer and model, with a M.S. in Exercise Science (University of Arkansas, 2012).
Alex went on to win the 2014 North Central CrossFit Regional, and qualified for the 2014 CrossFit Games in her rookie year competing as an Individual CrossFit Athlete.
She was a Professional GRID Athlete with the Phoenix Rise from 2014-2015, and then with the two-time League Champion DC Brawlers in 2016.
Alex is now a nationally ranked weightlifter placed 3rd at the 2018 USA Weightlifting National Championships in the 75kg division.
She is a USA Weightlifting Certified Coach and a CrossFit Level 2 Coach, and offers gymnastics and weightlifting seminars as well as crossfit, gymnastics and weightlifting coaching online.