Custom coaching built around your life — not the other way around. In Rockville, or fully online.
"It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable."
— SocratesI used to be over 300 lbs. I know what it's like to be out of shape — and what it takes to get strong. Most trainers only know one of those.
Almost 15 years under the bar, 3 of them professional, 4,000+ coaching hours logged. I played college football and rugby, lost the passion, and rebuilt it — so I know how to get the will to train back.
I've torn my shoulder and both knees and rehabbed them myself. I don't coach from theory. With a background in philosophy and cognitive science, I coach for self-efficacy — I don't want clients for life, I want clients who learn to run their own training.
I've coached people from 13 to 90 — teenagers building their first base, clients staying capable in their later decades, and women training through pregnancy and postpartum. The fundamentals don't change; the programming does.
Programs written from scratch, met with consistency. Click any story for the full breakdown.
"The secret is Zach."
Read case study →"Like training with a friend."
Read case study →"The right coach makes all the difference."
Read case study →"Your health is an investment."
Read case study →5-star Google reviews from clients who train with Zach at Gene's Fitness Center.
"I continue to be impressed by how knowledgeable and detail-oriented he is. Every time I visit, Zach has a challenging new workout designed with my goals in mind, and I've been making tangible progress after a long period of not making any headway training on my own… he's just a blast to work with—always upbeat and full of energy."
"I've been working out… with Zach for about four months and it is the best decision I've made in years. Zach is wonderful and the workouts are very challenging but fun. I wish I could go more than twice a week!… 10/10 recommend!"
"My trainer, Zach, is fantastic. He's motivating, encouraging, and always brings great energy to our workouts. He knows how to push me without overwhelming me, and he makes the sessions fun while still challenging… Since I started, I've gotten noticeably stronger and feel more confident. Highly recommend!"
"He is knowledgeable, experienced, and provides challenging and effective workouts that allow for noticeable progress, but perhaps just as important, he is kind, friendly, and fun to be around… Zach's confident expertise, lively encouragement, and warm personality make the whole heinous endeavor substantially more bearable."
"Workouts are tailored to what you need, which is great for me as I am prone to injuries, postpartum, and generally don't love working out, but it's also great for my sports loving husband. Zach is a fantastic trainer, a super great guy, and will really get you results while keeping a strong focus on form. Can't recommend enough if you're looking to invest in your health!"
"Doing more with less. The most with the body you were given."
— ZachA process built to make you autonomous — not dependent on me.
History, goals, limitations. Anything outside our scope gets flagged before we touch a barbell.
Written from scratch around your skill level, goals, equipment, and injuries. Never a template.
Train. Check in weekly or bi-weekly. Progressions adjusted on the fly as your body responds.
The goal is autonomy. Stay as long as you like — but you'll leave able to train yourself for good.
"Break your own self-imposed limits, and the ones the world sets become easy."
— ZachSide-by-side coaching at Gene's Fitness Center. Warmup, mobility built around you, then the day's strength and conditioning.
Session-by-session or packs of eight — covered on your intro call.
Start in person →The same from-scratch programming, anywhere. Built for schedules that don't fit a standing appointment — not a PDF and a pat on the back.
Month-to-month, 3-month, or 6-month — covered on your intro call.
Start online →"A strong mind is more easily built on a strong body."
— ZachTell me where you are and where you want to be. I'll reply within a day or two — honest assessment, no script.
Thanks — Zach will get back to you within a day or two.