Doug Fioranelli
MA, CSCS, RKC

In the summer of 2008, I accomplished my lifelong dream by opening: RISE ABOVE PERFORMANCE TRAINING. Mentally and physically pushing my body to the limit has always been a major part of my life. I was a promising high school athlete with dreams of playing college soccer. Unfortunately, I was forced to give it all up due to multiple injuries sustained on the field resulting in a series of complicated surgeries. Unwilling to abandon my dreams entirely, I shifted my focus towards helping others achieve their goals. I thought if I could understand what had happened to me and how to overcome it, I could train other athletes to reach their maximum potential while reducing their risk for injury through proper strength training and conditioning.

In college I spent much of my time in the Exercise Physiology Laboratory conducting research on different effects various training equipment has on muscle activation, strength and endurance. I hold a Master's degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science from San Francisco State University. My Master's thesis, "The Influence of Bar Diameter on Neuromuscular Strength and Activation: Inferences from and Isometric Unilateral Bench Press," was published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research."

While obtaining my Master's, I also became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), a Certified Olympic Weightlifting Club Coach through the USA Weightlifting Association (USAW), a Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor under Pavel Tsatsouline (RKC), and a Certified Sports Nutritionist from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (CISSN). In addition, I have years of experience in athletic rehabilitation training and have helped coach many clients and athletes from high school to Olympic and professional levels.

With the latest in sports and nutritional research, I will help you get stronger, faster, and healthier by personally developing a program that will help you RISE ABOVE!

AJ Lee
NASM, RKC

I pride myself in finding the right people to train and work with and AJ's knowledge and 13 years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach lives up to the RISE ABOVE standards. AJ's dedication to building individuals' overall conditioning and health has provided an invaluable service to the gym. He is passionate about helping individuals become stronger and faster. AJ strongly believes in "old school" training and is confident that with some hard work, individuals will see real results. He is also responsible for establishing RISE ABOVE as the place where police, firefighters and military professionals can come to train.

AJ holds certifications with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). AJ's innovated training ideas also inspired me to join him in becoming a Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor (RKC).

I can't think of anyone I would recommend more to help individuals RISE ABOVE. I am proud to have AJ as a trainer and friend. If you are able to train during any one of his sessions, you will not be disappointed-it is seriously hard-core!