OUR TEAM

Ugo Okeke

Health is Wealth. Fitness is a lifestyle and has to be sustainable. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. Fitness has more mental dynamics which makes personal development a necessity not an option. The mind is a supercomputer and our self-talk is a programmer; therefore we must be intentional about our mindset and how we speak to ourselves.

Areas of Focus:

• Fat Loss
• Aesthetics
• Bodybuilding
• Personal development & Confidence
• Cardiovascular Endurance & Conditioning, for athletes

Certification:

• International Sports Science Association (ISSA)
• Goodlife Personal Training Institute (GLPTI)
• Purple Belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Self Defense)

Josh Diesel

Josh Diesel is the Head Coach of Valhalla Strength, a Club that specializes in Olympic Weightlifting, Powerlifting, Sport Development, and Bodybuilding. He has been in the fitness industry for 15 years.

As an athlete, Josh competed in Olympic Weightlifting for 8 years, and has multiple Provincial and Westerns Gold Medals, as well as a Bronze and Silver at Nationals. He also holds the +105kg Provincial Records in Snatch, Clean and Jerk, and Total (153kg, 187kg, and 340kg respectively). As a coach, his athletes hold multiple Provincial and Westerns Medals and Best Lifter Awards, Bronze and Silver at Nationals, and held Provincial records in their weight classes. He has developed athletes up from novice to competing internationally for Team Canada.

He works with athletes of all levels and abilities and is passionate about working with people dedicated to improving themselves physically and mentally.

Credentials:

NCCP Competition Introduction Certified

Chek Institute Core and Back Certified

Brielle Ferguson 

Brielle is a young dedicated professional graduating in 2024 with a Bachelor’s in Health and Physical Education, specializing in Physical Literacy Studies. With an impressive decade-long journey in junior provincial-level volleyball, and spending five years in both provincial and university-level rugby, she has learned and practiced valuable leadership skills. Currently, she is a weightlifter, personal trainer, and coach, holding an NCCP certification in weightlifting and is a proud member of CSEP. Brielle’s passion lies in guiding individuals to achieve their fitness aspirations, with a focus on developing physical literacy skills and fostering strength and conditioning in sports like weightlifting, rugby, and volleyball. 

Areas of Focus:

• Olympic weightlifting coaching
• Sports performance: Rugby & Wrestling 
• Youth Athlete Development 
• Physical Literacy 
• Injury Prevention

Certification:

• Bachelor of Health and Physical Education (BHPED)
• CSEP Certified Personal Trainer (CSEP-CPT)
• NCCP Olympic Weightlifting Coach Certified

Jessica Leemans

Jessica Leemans is a Strength and Conditioning Coach specializing in injury prevention and rehabilitation. She was a two sport NCAA DI athlete, has pursued an undergraduate, two master’s degrees and due to results in key performance indicators and her injury prevention work has most recently been brought in to complete her Doctorate in Elite Performance.

Jessica’s work focuses on the coordinative imbalances and postural weaknesses around the lumbar spine and pelvis that lead to chronic and acute injuries. Not only does this focus in her practical work lead to reduced injuries and comprehensive rehabilitation programs, but addressing these issues improve athletes’ agility and ability to accelerate. Athletes return to play faster, stronger, and more explosive.

The unique focus of Jessica’s doctorate has massive implications for all; whether you are an athlete looking to perform beyond what you believed possible, a weekend warrior, rehabbing an injury or just starting out on your fitness journey.

Josh Strate

Josh graduated from Alberta College of Massage Therapy’s 2200 hour RMT diploma program. Josh began his career as a Personal Trainer in the year 2011 and has trained a variety of clients from professional athletes to the average gym goer. He has a background in MMA and Muay Thai as an amateur fighter. He uses his experience being an athlete to help understand what his clients need most when it comes to recovery.

Josh’s passion as a RMT is to help the rehabilitation of sports related injuries as well as the everyday wear and tear that may occur. Josh is a big believer in continuing education so he can constantly improve as a therapist and so his clients have the best treatment possible.

Areas of Focus:

• Rehabilitation
• Recovery
• Dynamic Cupping

Certification:

• ACMT Massage Therapy 2200 Hour Diploma
• Certified SFH Dynamic Cupping Therapist
• Movement & Performance Therapy Specialist
• Pain-Free Performance Specialist
• Mobility Fundamentals for Prehab and Performance

Myles Stetch

Myles has been a certified Personal Trainer since 2013. His area of expertise is in Pain-free Performance, guiding his clients through exercise programs that avoid injuries while improving their strength. If you want to be able to push, pull, carry, squat, deadlift and lunge with great strength and virtually no pain, Myles is the ideal trainer for you. Online training is also available.

Certifications/credentials:
– PPSC: Pain-free Performance Specialist
– Eleiko Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting Certified
– Darby Training Systems Low Back Specialist Certified
– Mobility WOD Level 1 Certified
– TRX Suspension Training Course

Area of Focus:
– Pain-free Performance
– TRX
– Hypertrophy
– Strength
– Technique Training

Austin Van Dam

I have been a certified personal trainer since 2017. My clientele is comprised of a variety of fitness levels, ranging from strength athletes to a first-time gym-goer. While helping my clients unlock their true strength potential, physically and mentally, I practice what I preach by setting goals in my own training and expanding my knowledge by utilizing continuing education, mentorships, and seminars.

Certifications:
– Bachelor of Science Degree (BSc) at Mount Royal University
– CanFitPro Personal Training Specialist
– NCCP Trained Olympic Weightlifting Coach
– FRC Mobility Specialist

Areas of Focus:
Strength and Conditioning, Olympic Weightlifting, Body Composition, Functional Range Conditioning (mobility), Life Coaching.

Rogan Reid

Rogan started his athletic career and in the fitness industry at the age of 10 in the sport of Ski Jumping. He competed in Canada, the US and across Europe in multiple Jr. World Championships & National championships.

Rogan has been involved in coaching for more than 10 years. As a former elite athlete, and current Olympic Weightlifting athlete, he is always striving to learn more about strength and fitness to get the best out of his clients, and give them the best service he can deliver.

He is passionate about strength, fitness & health, and is always trying to put the same love and passion he has for the gym into his client’s hearts. He takes joy in teaching his clients how to move properly and avoid injury while leading them to achieve their fitness goals. Rogan brings his high energy personality to every training session and ensures his clients leave feeling like they have worked their best and are on the right path to achieve their goals after every session. 

Justin Lalonde

Formerly a fine dining chef in the heart of Ottawa, I transitioned into the fitness industry almost 3 years ago. This transition occurred due to my simple love of sport. Before beginning my career as a strength and conditioning coach, I played lacrosse at the Junior B level and competed nationally in track & field as a 400m sprinter. Fast forward a few years to when I discovered the sport of OCR (obstacle course racing). Dedicating the last few years OCR I am now competing at the elite level and have competed in the 2019 Spartan Race World Championships & 2022 OCR World Championships.

Through my own journey, I have discovered we are truly all capable of greatness. I have a mission to help others discover their true potential and an understanding behind the process and benefits of intentional training.

My philosophy therefore is to train every aspect of the human body; from strength to the metabolic energy systems, all while placing a huge emphasis on mobility, stability and recovery.

Areas of Focus:

• Strength & Conditioning
• Pain free Performance/Movement
• Hypertrophy
• Mobility

Certification:

• Can-Fit Pro
• PPSC: Pain Free Performance Specialist

Dan Balsom

Dan Balsom hails from England, where he was exposed to a variety of sports and life experiences, which all led him to eventually find his true career passion as a Sports Performance Coach.

In his youth he swam competitively for 9 years, while playing soccer from youth level, up to representing his University in England for 3 years. During his years at the University of East Anglia, Dan gained a Law degree and then a Masters in Marketing. The key factors behind his decision to become a Sports Performance Coach, being the opportunity of a profession filled with helping athletes and clients achieve their dreams and reach sporting levels which he himself had aspired to.

Since joining the industry in 2013, his experience has included the following:

-Worked with national and professional athletes in multiple sports, as well as grassroots athletes as young as 7. 

-Currently completing a Doctorate in Elite Performance, specializing in agility.

-5+ years mentoring and developing coaches.

-Experience in many complex rehabilitations related to back, knee, hip, shoulder and many other injuries.

-Overseen the performance programs of major sports organizations in soccer, basketball, hockey and football.

Josh Strate

Josh has been a trainer/coach in the fitness industry since 2011. Starting his career he trained/coached MMA, kickboxing and Muay Thai fighters to become high performing athletes. Being an MMA and Muay Thai fighter himself he was able to understand where his athletes needed to be when getting ready to compete. 

Later in his career, Josh’s thirst for knowledge led him to pursuing a new career as an Registered Massage Therapist. He has been practicing as a RMT since early 2019. This change in Josh’s career has not only increased his knowledge of the body drastically but has also made him a better Personal Trainer because of it. This has led him to specializing in rehabilitation of chronic and acute injuries as well as the transition from rehab back to activity. Josh believes that everyone at any stage in life, athlete or just starting your fitness journey, should strive to live a pain free life. 

Josh is a huge believer in continued education. When Josh isn’t helping people become the best they can, he is either working on new courses or doing his own research so he can become a better Personal Trainer and RMT.

Certification:

• ASFA Personal Trainer Certification
• Movement & Performance Therapy Specialist
• Pain-Free Performance Specialist
• Mobility Fundamentals for Prehab and Performance
• TFC (The Foot Collective) Seminars
• Registered Massage Therapist
• Dynamic Cupping Massage 
• Manual Lymphatic Drainage

Areas of Focus: :

• Movement & Performance Therapy
• Pain-Free Performance
• Rehabilitation
• Postural Correction
• Mobility Training
• Strength Training

Mark Austin

Mark Austin has been practicing physiotherapy since 2013. If you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, or pain that won’t go away or just keeps coming back, a new injury, or an old or permanent injury that still interferes with your life, Mark can help. 

Mark treats the whole human and is passionate about helping others achieve their best potential. In his clinical practice, he focuses on alignment, mechanics, tissue loading, and patient education. More recently, he has become interested in the role of whole-body health and mindfulness in promoting recovery. He is also a registered yoga teacher and enjoys weightlifting, hiking, and running.

His clinical experience has included managing major traumatic and complex injuries from the Alberta oilsands; high-level athletes and sports teams; people with concussion, brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease; pre- and post-operative patients; motor vehicle accident injuries; older adults looking to maintain their independence; and everyday people from all walks of life including CEOs, blue- and white-collar employees, weekend warriors and stay-at-home moms.

Prior to his clinical work, he worked in a research lab dedicated to neurorehabilitation, which has given him a strong passion for science-informed care. He has contributed to numerous scientific publications that have been cited hundreds of times in various peer-reviewed journals.

Mark has started his practice at Evolve Strength to practice physiotherapy with integrity; he believes that you are entitled to the best possible care for your time and money. Sessions with Mark aim to get to the sources of your problem, not to just temporarily mask your pain, and include focused one-on-one time— enabling you to get better as quickly as possible without having to come back again and again.

Certifications

– ACE-certified Behaviour Change Specialist

– Canadian Yoga Alliance 200-hour Certified Yoga Teacher

– SMART Seminars BioMedical Dry Needling Level 1 and 2
– Advanced Certified Manual Therapist –  Swodeam Institute Spinal Series 1 and 2
– SHIFT Concussion Management Program Level 1
– Selective Functional Movement Assessment Level 1
– Robin McKenzie Institute of Canada – Parts A and B
– Orthopaedic Division of the CPA – Level 1
– Acupuncture Canada Foundations of Anatomical Acupuncture – Level 1

Jasmine Hwangbo

Jasmine is a registered massage therapist based in Calgary, AB. She graduated from Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario with an Advanced diploma in Massage Therapy. Jasmine enjoys finding the perfect balance between relaxation and therapeutic massage techniques, and is skilled in using Myofascial cupping, Graston, and active release therapy techniques.

Jasmine is known for her willingness to educate her clients on their condition/injury. She understands that life can be challenging and works with her clients to develop realistic steps towards their goals. She values the opportunity to meet clients from all backgrounds, and enjoys being part of their wellness journey. Taking the time to understand her clients’ concerns, experience, and history with their body, and uses palpation and range of motion testing to better direct their treatment.

Through her treatments, Jasmine aims to provide a sense of relief and freedom from tension, stress, and pain. She is committed to helping her clients achieve their goals, whether it be movement/performance-based or a feel-good chase. In her pursuit of continued growth and education, Jasmine regularly seeks out advice from colleagues and mentors, and takes continuing education courses to stay up to date on the latest techniques and research in the field of wellness.

Areas of Focus:

• Chronic pain
• Tension and stress relief
• Strains
• Exercise rehab
• Headaches
• Low back pain/sciatica

Certification:

• Mohawk College – Advanced Diploma in Massage Therapy

Gary Chahal

Gary Chahal has a background in health and fitness as well as athletic performance training with over 14 years of experience. Gary’s approach to fitness emphasizes age-appropriate training programs with a specific focus given to cardiovascular and strength training in combination with balance and flexibility training.

Gary has competed for 6 years in powerlifting.

He has trained people of different age groups (12-80 years) and some with different health conditions. Gary believes in establishing long term client interactions with the goal of integrating exercise and optimal wellness into the demands of their daily lives.

CERTIFICATIONS

Can fit pro personal training certificate

Child fitness coach certificate

Eat clean certificate.

EXPERTISE : weight loss, strength training, powerlifting, athletic training

Brett Hansen

Losing my Dad in 2005 to cancer sparked a fire inside me to help others be ready to step up to help in all unforeseen times of need. By building the habit of proper training and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, we will be ever ready to answer the call. My goal is to build a TEAM full of people of all walks of life who are PASSIONATE about answering that call!

Certifications/credentials:
– Poliquin Level 1
– Precision Nutrition Level 1

Area of Focus:
– Strength and Conditioning
– Hypertrophy
– Body Composition
– Habit Building
– Creating Tougher Humans