A leader in health and fitness Donny Shankle is a three time national champion and world team member in the sport of weightlifting. He is the only weightlifter in the United States to defeat in competition a defending world champion in over 30 years. At the 2007 annual Arnold classic Donny was named the country’s most inspirational weightlifter. He is the only American weightlifter to have trained both as a resident athlete at this country’s regional Olympic training complex and under the tutelage of the world’s greatest weightlifting coach and teacher Ivan Abadjiev. Donny is a marine corps veteran of the Iraq war and resides in San Ramon, CA. He is currently in pursuit of the London Olympics and is a full time personal trainer with more than eight years experience certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Ernie Hernandez MS, CSCS, PES, HLC, PICP
Ernie has worked with clients of all ages and abilities over the past 4 years. As a personal trainer in the San Ramon, Danville, and Alamo area his philosophy on health is to prevent disease instead of treating symptoms, and his broad range of skills and experience allow him to assist clients with every aspect of their life in order to optimize their results. Ernie can work with everyone from young athletes who are looking to improve athletic performance, to elderly people who are interested in a more holistic approach. He draws on his experience as a lifelong athlete, and the knowledge he has gained as a never-ending student of health to help people achieve their ultimate health goals.

Anthony Jones was born in Oakland California and attended Oakland high school where he played both football and baseball. After graduating from high school he went on to Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California where he continued as a two sport athlete. Anthony received a full scholarship to attend San Francisco state university  for baseball, and after one season  he was drafted in the 10th round by the San Francisco Giants as a centerfielder.  After his professional baseball career Anthony signed a contract to play football as a Quarterback  in the  Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Edmonton Eskimos.   Being a former professional athlete he was passionate about training Athletes, and individuals with weight management concerns and became a certified performance enhancement specialist  through  the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

2010 Pan Am Team Member and Olympic hopeful Jon North is a professional athlete who competes in the sport of Olympic weightlifting. Jon personal trains clients and other athletes in San Ramon and the surrounding area at California Strength. Jon's unique attitude inspires and motivates other athletes from all sports from weightlifting, to crossfit, football, and even weight loss. Currently Jon is the number 1 ranked lifter in his 94kg weight class in the USA. Having only been competing in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting since 2008, he is rapidly growing in strength and success.

Max Aita has been practicing Olympic Weightlifting as both an athlete and coach for over ten years. Max has studied under many highly successful coaches, including Ivan Abadjiev (the former Bulgarian national coach), previous Olympians, and some of the most successful US Coaches, such as Steve Gough and Glenn Pendlay. He currently trains and works in San Ramon, CA and is a USAW Certified Coach. He teaches Olympic Weightlifting at United Barbell in San Francisco, and hosts group classes at California Strength. Max has trained several national medalists, as well as national record-holders, and has experience teaching Olympic lifting techniques to both beginners and veterans alike.

Jo Ann Arnold has been competing in Olympic Weightlifting since 2003. She is a national medalist and currently holds both Snatch and Clean & Jerk records in the Pacific Weightlifting Association. She was a Track & Field and Cross Country athlete for over a decade and competed for UCLA. Jo Ann is a USA Weightlifting Certified Coach and currently teaches the Olympic Weightlifting class at CrossFit Oakland. Jo Ann is also a Certified Massage Therapist and has been practicing in the Bay Area for 12 years. She specializes in numerous forms of massage, including Deep Tissue, Shiatsu, Trigger Piont and Sports Massage.