Personal Training

Susan Gard

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer

I help people improve their relationship with their bodies.

My approach is based on a simple idea: your mind and body aren’t separate systems. How you move affects how you feel, and how you think, react, and pay attention affects how you move. Training gives us an opportunity to work with all of it.

I combine functional strength training with yoga principles and poses, body awareness, and an understanding of the nervous system to help people become stronger, move with greater confidence, and better understand what their bodies are telling them.

My goal isn’t simply to help people perform exercises. It’s to help them build a body they know how to use, trust, and adapt with—both in the gym and in everyday life.

Don Hickling

Swimming & Aquatic Training

Don Hickling is a Bay Area native, born in Castro Valley with deep roots in this vibrant region. His childhood was spent in Hayward, where he graduated from Hayward High and later earned a degree in Kinesiology at Cal State Hayward (yes, it will always be Cal State Hayward to him). Don has a unique connection to the Bay Area — two sets of great-grandparents migrated here in the 1880s, settling in Oakland and San Francisco.

Over the years, Don developed a knack for connecting with people from all walks of life. His interests are vast: coaching swimming, baseball, and basketball, fitness and wellness training, education, current events, technology, philosophy, history, food, and wine — only to name a few. Whether it's coaching, skiing, cooking, or imitating cartoon characters, Don brings dedication and quality to everything he undertakes.

Don has served as a board member for a men's shelter and the Hayward Education Foundation. He's coached a swim team in San Leandro, been a ski instructor in Lake Tahoe, and has been a homeowner in the Lake Shore Area of Oakland for over 25 years. Calm, relatable, and solution-oriented — as Don would say, “What I do, I do well.”

Anna Johnson

Strength Training & Powerlifting

Growing up in Wisconsin, Anna has always embraced an active lifestyle, playing soccer and softball throughout school. In college, Anna discovered a passion for weightlifting and is now actively pursuing powerlifting. With a degree in Environmental Engineering from Michigan Tech and three years of experience in the demanding marine construction industry, Anna deeply understands the challenges of balancing a busy work life with personal fitness goals.

As a personal trainer, Anna emphasizes practicality and adaptability. Fitness doesn't have to mean lifting the heaviest weights — it's about incorporating functional movements that promote health and an active lifestyle.

Edith

Wellness, Nutrition & Weight Loss

Edith is a master trainer and has been working in the fitness and health field for over 6 years. Her experience as a trainer, wellness, and nutrition coach has allowed her to support members in reaching their goals in areas ranging from weight loss, muscle development, and nutrition.

She is a certified wellness coach, diabetes prevention coach, and is currently pursuing her dietetics master's degree at San Francisco State. In her free time Edith enjoys cooking, traveling, photography, and playing guitar.

Sérgio Silva

Mobility, Flexibility & Longevity

With over 36 years of experience, Sérgio Silva is a movement specialist and world-class athlete who has been training clients professionally since 1995. A former World Champion in Submission Wrestling and a current high-level competitor in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sérgio holds a degree in Physical Education from Brazil with a focus on biomechanics and human movement science. He specializes in mobility, dynamic flexibility, and longevity, helping adults and athletes achieve a pain-free range of motion through an intelligent, performance-driven approach.

Beyond traditional personal training, Sérgio is an expert in self-defense, Verbal Jiu-Jitsu, and mindfulness, with extensive experience training law enforcement and private security. His coaching background spans all age groups and includes specialized programs for individuals with special needs and multi-sport athletes.

Julie Wu

Powerlifting & Olympic Weightlifting Coach

With over 20 years of experience in strength training and conditioning, Julie brings a lifelong, multi-sport background and a coaching philosophy grounded in sportsmanship, teamwork, and empowering people to take care of their bodies.

A former competitive sprinter, swimmer, and basketball player, Julie later expanded her athletic journey into CrossFit, yoga, and competitive powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting. She is a Certified Powerlifting and Weightlifting Coach and continues to compete in both sports.

As a personal trainer, Julie believes training should be built around the individual—not the other way around. She works with clients to understand their goals, meet them where they are, and create training that is challenging, rewarding, and fun. Whether someone is new to strength training or looking to take their lifting to the next level, she aims to make every client feel supported, capable, and excited to move.

Eric Chun

Personal Trainer

Eric brings energy, focus, and a practical approach to every session. Whether you're new to the gym or working toward a specific goal, he meets you where you are and builds a plan that fits your lifestyle. His training emphasizes clean movement, consistency, and sustainable progress — helping you feel stronger and more capable both inside the gym and out.