About

About The Trainer

• B.S. Kinesiology
• NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
• ACE Certified Personal Trainer
• FMS Level 1 Certified Professional

My name is Erika and I’m excited for your visit to CoachErika.com! I am a Massachusetts native. I attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst where I stumbled upon my Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology despite never thinking I would EVER major in a science. I then jumped head first into my obsession with fitness and wellness. I became a certified personal trainer in 2010 and have been working in the field ever since.

My Start in Fitness

I was always active as a littler girl. I just had to go play outside every day, whether or not my dad wanted to and whether it was raining or snowing. My parents always signed me up for activities such as soccer, dance, karate, and so on, but I think the most exercise I got out of those activities was my kicking and screaming to get out of going. As I grew older, I found competitive swimming. I LOVED swimming and it became my main sport. I eventually got into running and cycling as well when I decided to do my first sprint triathlon when I was 17 years old.

My Interest in Movement

When I entered college, my exercise became whatever didn’t hurt. I was prone to chronic injuries and researching causes, rehabilitation, and preventative measures became my main focus in fitness. I spent hundreds of hours in physical therapy offices for my own rehab and as a student observer. I spent another 200 hours as an athletic training intern and a full year after college as a physical therapy aid. I thought I knew a decent amount about how to work around injuries.

Training Philosophy

It wasn’t until I went to physical therapy for a rather debilitating (for a fitness professional) injury called Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome that I really learned about a more holistic approach to movement and injury. This injury was, and is, the most frustrating career set-back I’ve had, but it has also been the most educational experience. Because of these academic and personal learning experiences, my training philosophy is heavily geared towards injury care and prevention. My top priority is maintaining function and quality of life. Everything else comes second. Physique, athletic performance, or goals such as running a marathon should always come second to your quality of life. I find that when people make their personal wellness their main priority, the rest will fall into place more easily and they will have more sustainable results. For that reason, I urge everyone I work with to prioritize wellness.

Nutrition Philosophy

I think I was very lucky growing up in a skinny-obsessed culture with a healthy appreciation for food as a fuel source. My swim friends and I never did shy away from any particular food or quantity thereof. Food was energy. Food was nutrients. Food was an element of performance. I ate my fair share of Goldfish and icecream before practice, but I also ate my fruits and vegetables and all of the whole wheat pasta my workouts called for. As I entered adulthood, the quality of food I chose changed but the mentality stayed the same. I believe in indulging from time to time GUILT FREE. One bowl of icecream, or a slice of cake, or a cookie, or whatever is not going to make or break your health, physique, or your performance. I can attest to that. I don’t think I go a single day without a bit of chocolate. What you do, day in and day out, with consistency will determine your outcomes. If you are being mindful of what you are eating and consistently (as in, most of the time) providing your body with the quality food it needs, you will be so happy with how your body repays you!

My Mission at Coach Erika

While my main gig is personal training, Coach Erika is my manifesting my goal to reach more people that enjoy my fitness approach. My goal is to provide my knowledge and skills to help encourage a culture of wellness. I want to provide you with as much quality material as I can and see where that takes us! I hope you will be a part of it.

Enjoy!

Erika