Julian

Kaufman

Owner

Julian Kaufman earned his B.A. degree in Health and Exercise Science from Furman University. He went on to earn a master's degree from Covenant College in Curriculum and Instruction. Julian is certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). The NSCA (www.nsca.com) is the world's leading authority on strength, conditioning, and fitness. The NSCA distinguishes itself from the hundreds of other certifying organizations because its foundation is rooted in scientifically reliable research. The NSCA bridges the gap between the lab scientist and the fitness practitioner. Julian also holds certification from USA Track and Field.

Julian has worked in several diverse health-related fields in Chattanooga since 1993. His technical experience includes working alongside exercise scientists in human performance (vital capacity, stress test, heart rate, blood pressure, body composition, flexibility), exercise physiology (max VO2, O2 deficit, hydrostatic weighing, anaerobic threshold), biomechanics and motor development. Currently Julian serves as a strength and conditioning coach, wellness teacher, fitness instructor, football coach and track coach at the Baylor School. 

Julian's personal philosophy is centered on the idea that health is holistic in its nature. Spiritual, intellectual, emotional, relational and physical health should be viewed in an integrated manner. As an individual deals with the physical aspects of their health, they should also be careful to care for the other, more complex components of their overall health. As the physical is worked on and developed, it must focus on substance versus image. This substance is whole health with the goal of preventing disease, increasing potential for longevity, and improving and maintaining quality of life.

 

Adam

Lozano

Forte Partner / Manager/ Coach

Adam Lozano was raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After high school he and his family moved to Chickamauga, Georgia. Following in his family’s footsteps, he became a Firefighter in Walker County Georgia. One thing he knew was that he was meant to serve others, but after two years as a fireman he felt called to be a part of something greater. As a fireman, he only saw people at their worst and never had the opportunity to see the journey of recovery. He knew he wanted to be a part of that journey. His passion is people. As a trainer, his goal for every person he sees is improving quality of life however that looks to each individual. He has been a trainer in Chattanooga for the past several years. He took a break from training to follow a calling to serve in the U.S. Army as a Combat medic and is now working towards his degree in Nursing. He strongly believes he has found his home in Forte Fitness and looks forward to being a part of each and every life changing journey.

 

Ryan

Hutchinson

Forte Partner / Coach

Ryan holds certificates with the ISSA: Personal Trainer and certified nutritionist. Functional Movement Systems: Functional Movement Screen & Y Balance Test.  Ryan graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science.

Ryan is an accomplished calisthenics athlete.  He was WSWCF National Champion in 2017 and competed in a World Championship in Moscow, Russia.  

Due to Ryan’s unique approach in personal training he has achieved successful results with his clients, along with lasting friendships. Ryan has worked with a wide range of clients spanning from teenagers to those in their nineties. Ryan is incredibly gifted with rare cases as he’s trained many clients that struggle with muscular dystrophy and scoliosis. 

He also has recently recovered from an ACL injury that had complications during surgery.  His knee is now fully recovered as a result of his personal specialized training methodology. Ryan’s injuries as an athlete have provided him a unique perspective from a client’s point of view.

Alice

Caldwell

Forte Partner/ Coach

Alice is a born and raised Chattanoogan. She has over 16 years of personal experience with performing high and low intensity style exercises. She has years of combined experience with running, gymnastics, CrossFit (including Olympic weightlifting) and a triathlon. She continues to exercise 6 days a week and has first-hand knowledge of what it feels like to work hard and get results. Alice was in competitive gymnastics from the age of 7 to 16, winning several regional, state and even national championships. After 9 years of gymnastics, practicing 4 hours a day for 5 to 6 days a week, she took a 12-year break from exercising, gaining 80 pounds in the process and feeling a long way from where she was upon ending gymnastics. Alice began turning her life back around in 2016 after her oldest sister's son, who was only four years younger than Alice, died of an overdose. This changed Alice's perspective on life and drove her to bring herself out of the slumps and back toward a healthy lifestyle.

Alice has spent the last 7 years regaining everything she lost, including her love for exercising. During her return journey, Alice has completed several half-marathons, long distance ruck races, a half-ironman, and has been working toward becoming an elite level CrossFit athlete for the past two years, with her gymnastics and running background giving her an advantage to excelling in the sport. Alice also taught a group dance fitness class at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee for 3 years prior to being sent home and the gym closing during the pandemic, but it was during her time working from home that Alice realized she wanted to make health and wellness a career rather than just a hobby and passion.

Alice has personal experience with knowing how it feels to start over, and she is passionate about helping others do the same. Alice is also ready to help people who feel stuck in their current level of progress get to the next level and to help them reach their goals. Alice is a firm believer in mobility, stretching and strengthening of the joints, because a healthy and strong body helps to lead a healthy and strong life without the feeling of constant limitations and pain. So, if you're interested in moving around easier through everyday life, or if you're just getting started and aren't sure what to do, or if you want to take your training to the next level, Alice is excited and ready to move on the journey with you towards reaching your goals.

Jason

Wright

Forte Partner/ Coach

Jason grew up in Soddy Daisy where he became an avid sports fan which led to him being a 2-sport athlete in college. During his college career he sustained injuries and created a passion for performance enhancement training and injury prevention. This led him to work in the physical therapy field to help others avoid his experiences.

 Jason has over a decade of experience with sports performance, injury prevention, gait analysis, jumping analysis and baseball, softball, golf hitting and throwing analysis.

Jason has worked with hundreds of clients and multiple sports teams in Chattanooga and Nashville area. He is currently the performance coach for Soddy Daisy high school softball program. Jason has multiple certifications including ACE, sports metrics, TPI, on base university, Opto jump, BFS, K vest.

Jason’s philosophy: Everyone is different, but all can improve their life by implementing strength and wellness to improve movement patterns and behavioral changes. His favorite quote is “Strength masks pain”

Emme

Rhodes

Forte Partner/ Coach

Emme grew up in Clarksville, TN and after high school she attended UT Chattanooga where she earned her B.S. in Exercise Science. She was an athlete growing up, playing soccer and earning a state title as well as being a state-contending pole vaulter.

 Her favorite aspect of personal training is that it’s just that — personal. She loves getting to know her clients and learning how she can best encourage them to live a healthy life, where they’re able to move well and achieve their goals. She enjoys training every population from young athletes to geriatric individuals, and her programming style focuses on progressive overload.

 Emme’s hobbies include running, strength training, hiking, and snowboarding in the winter. She also coaches high school soccer at Boyd Buchanan.

Emily

Odeh

Forte Partner/ Coach/ Volunteer Bldg

An athlete throughout her youth, Emily understood the value of movement early on. Over the years, she has explored various paths, from half marathons, to yoga, to a love for strength training.

With each experience, she gained knowledge of the human body and found there is no one way in health; each of us have unique qualities, and we must find what works for us. She strives to help her clients with this self-discovery so they can build sustainable, healthy lifestyles. Her passion lies in empowering others to realize their capabilities and providing the resources and support for them to feel good in their own bodies.

A music enthusiast, Emily enjoys running, hiking and kayaking with some good tunes. On a rainy day though, you can find her in a yoga class or reading with her husband, Karim, and pup, Zeppelin.

NASM- Certified Personal Trainer

Will

Frierson

Forte Partner / Coach

A Chattanooga native, Will began his fitness journey at a young age in order to gain a competitive edge in middle and high school sports. After realizing the benefits that come from consistent exercise, Will has developed a passion for fitness and helping others experience these benefits.

Will especially enjoys working with clients who may be new to fitness or want to return to a more active lifestyle. He takes a well-rounded approach to training clients by focusing on mobility, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness and improving overall functional strength. 

Will believes in improving his clients’ quality of life by encouraging them to embrace healthy eating habits and instilling confidence in how to move their bodies in the most efficient way possible.

After attending Baylor School, Will went on to study sports management at the University of South Carolina. He is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.   

Ashley

Webb

Forte Partner / Coach

Ashley Webb is a Chattanooga native. Having grown up in an athletic family, she pursued the game of soccer since she was just three years old. Her passion and dedication to the sport led her to playing four years of D1 one soccer at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. As a student athlete, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science. She then went on to achieve a Master’s Degree in Public Health while aiding the Women’s Soccer team as a graduate assistant.

Because she had to maintain her fitness and nutrition for much of her life, Ashley understands the importance of physical activity accompanied by proper nutrition. Always appreciating a good challenge, her pursuit of personal training developed out of a love for programming and creating workouts for herself and others.

Ashley believes that every individual is fearfully, wonderfully, and uniquely made, and that there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach when it comes to achieving a healthy lifestyle. Understanding this, she desires to: listen to her client’s and meet them where they’re at, determine her client’s needs and goals, help provide the necessary guidance, tools, and methods that will establish confidence in her client’s, and ultimately help her client’s achieve a better quality of life.

Along with personal training, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, Lucas. She is also an avid runner, so you can probably find her going for a run around the beautiful Scenic City or finding a game of pickup soccer to join.

Sarah

Bandy

Forte Partner/ Coach

Sarah was born and raised in Ringgold, Georgia. She is certified through the International Sports Science Association (ISSA) as a Certified Personal Trainer, Nutritionist, Specialist in Strength and Conditioning and Online Coaching. She is also a Certified Specialist in Exercise Therapy and Exercise Recovery. 

 Being an athlete for the majority of her youth and playing basketball at the collegiate level, she understood the importance of strength and keeping the body healthy at all times. After multiple injuries throughout her athletic career, she found a love for kinesiology and the science of the human body. With intent to finding a career in emergency medicine, she later realized she wanted to help people build a strong and functional foundation both mentally and physical through creating a healthy lifestyle. Sarah’s ultimate goal isn’t just to help to people achieve their desired fitness goals but to teach each and every person the most she can so that one day they can have the ability to train on their own and have confidence to do so. 

 Outside of personal training, Sarah has her own fitness goals to one day step on a competition stage and compete in Women’s Physique. She also has aspirations to one day own a gym that she and others can call home, one that can be a safe space for anyone no matter where they are in their fitness journey.