Mike Klaus

Mike was shopping in Famous Bar looking for a new button down shirt. He found one to his liking and picked it up. From across the store the sales man shouted, “That’s not for you, sir.” He had in his hand a slim fit shirt and Mike was not slim. Mike walked away angry that he let himself get to that point. Later that year Mike ended up in the hospital with an appendectomy. These events motivated Mike to make his health a priority. After packing a gym bag for months with the intention of working out, he finally went to the gym. Training soon became his passion.  Wanting to make a career change, Mike became a personal trainer.

He soon decided that he wanted to open his own place and Forward Fitness became a reality. Mike will not let you coast through a workout. He will challenge you and be an honest supporter.  He knows what it is like to be unhappy and wants to help you succeed. He is constantly making himself better through continuing education and mentors.

Accomplishments and Certifications

  • CSFC- Certified Functional Strength Coach
  • Russian Kettlebell Certification- Level II
  • Strength and Conditioning Coach for USA Central States
  • Functional Movement Systems
  • Restorative Breathing Coach
  • St. Louis Gaelic Athletic Association Hurling League and Traveling Player
  • CPR Certified
  • Functional Range Conditioning Certification

Suzanne Klaus

Suzanne graduated from Mizzou with a Bachelor’s in Medical Dietetics and has a Level 2 Certificate of Training in Weight Management. She continued her education and is  a Certified Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise. She passed her RKC (Russian Kettlebell Challenge) and enjoys training with kettlebells. She has a passionate interest in nutrition and fitness and is excited to share her knowledge with others. Each person is at a different part of their health journey. She will meet you where you are and help get you to where you want to be. She is very compassionate and approachable, creating a trusting atmosphere ideal for personalized nutrition coaching and training. Suzanne will teach you how to incorporate healthy eating habits into your daily lifestyle and get the most from your food choices and training sessions.

Suzanne is passionate about OCR (Obstacle Course Racing), especially Spartan Races. She completed her first Trifecta in 2018 even placing 3rd at the Busch Stadium race in the Age Group division. This year she placed 5th in Nationals in the Age Group Division qualifying for Worlds!

Accomplishments and Certifications

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Medial Dietetics from the University of Missouri
  • Registered and Licensed Dietitian
  • Certified Personal Trainer though the American Council on Exercise
  • Russian Kettlebell Certification
  • Functional Movement Systems
  • Spartan SGX
  • World OCR
  • CPR Certified

Cati Davis

As a personal trainer Cati, is passionate about helping people make healthy choices and creating goals to help improve their lifestyle. She received her personal training certificate through the American Council on Exercise. Her positive energy and softness helps to create an atmosphere where members feel safe and empowered. She will also challenge you to help you get the most out of every workout.

Cati likes to spend her extra time with family, friends, and her three dogs. She is the proud mom of twins and can related to taking care of a family while still making health a priority. She enjoys time outdoors and learning new things with fitness and nutrition.

Accomplishments and Certifications

  • Certified Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise
  • CPR Certified
  • Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification

Joe Reyes

Movement has always been a part of Joe’s life. He grew up in the heart of New York City playing baseball, basketball, boxing, and football. Joe has also been a part of the breakdancing scene for almost 20 years. It’s something that brings sheer joy to his heart and keeps his spirit moving. He practices Capoeira, a Brazilian Martial Arts and loves training with kettlebells. Fun fact, his favorite movement is the kettlebell swing. In addition to movement, Joe grew up immersed in the vibrant word of art. He did a little of everything from fine arts, graphic design, and music, to photography.

For Joe, health isn’t about hitting the gym, it’s about feeling empowered to treat yourself with the same love and respect you give others. Part of what’s helped Joe keep fitness a part of his life is staying curious and open-minded. Joe is passionate about coaching and helping others. He meets you wherever you are at and will be a guiding light and role model to help you get to where you want to be. His winning formula for accomplishing your goals is to trust the process, stay accountable, set realistic goals, and track your progress. Joe provides support and guidance helping you to see you are capable of so much more than you think. As a kid Joe dreamt of stepping up to the plate in the Major Leagues. Now, he helps athletes and others turn their dreams into reality.

Accomplishments and Certifications

  • Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine
  • TRX Functional Certified
  • Founder of Aster Healings
  • CPR Certified

Lisa Kickbusch

Lisa can help you with all the ins and outs of Forward Fitness. From membership questions to scheduling classes she is your go-to person. She also does a monthly “self help” book review so be on the look out in our newsletter. Lisa has been a member of Forward Fitness since we opened and joined the team after retiring from teaching in the Pattonville School District. She is an avid hiker and loves coffee.  She’s completed the 30 in 30 hikes and recently completed the Mammoth March, a 20-mile hike starting in Defiance, MO.

Our Mission

Empowering those who are ready to take take the next step in their health and fitness journey.

At Forward Fitness we know you can achieve your health and fitness goals. The problem is going at it alone can be really intimidating. Knowing where to start and what to do can feel overwhelming. That’s where we step in!

We understand everyone is starting off at a different phase of their fitness journey, which is why we have a team of coaches with expertise in mobility, breathing, kettlebells, nutrition, and more to meet you where you are at and help you get to where you want to be.  

Our Core Values

Develop your purpose

We believe this is key to success not only in the gym, but in life. When you have something bigger than yourself to work towards we will work so much harder and it won’t feel as much like work. Having a purpose and constantly developing it will make it easier to stay committed when you don’t feel like it.

If you’ve never thought about this, that’s okay. Take a moment to think about it. Don’t worry if you’re not 100% sure about it. Choose something to start with and develop or change it as you grow.

Be positively present

We believe that when you are fully present you get so much more out of life. When you are focused on the present you are not worried about the past or future. When you come into a workout you get so much more out of it when you are positively present. You can actually get more results from the exact same workout when you show up and are positively present. You forget about the stress of life and have an hour to focus on you and your goals. You may come in stressed, upset, or glum, but you can leave feeling empowered, positive, and more relaxed.

We specifically chose to include positively because a positive mindset can take you so much farther in life. Our minds are like a muscle, you must “work it out” consistently to strengthen the muscle create a positive mindset. As Shawn Anchor talks about in his book, The Happiness Advantage, “Happiness is not about lying to ourselves, or turning a blind eye to the negative, but about adjusting our brains so we see the ways to rise above our circumstances. 

Be “We” not “Me”

You can accomplish so much more together than by yourself. At Forward Fitness you don’t have to do it alone. Not only do you have a team of awesome coaches here to support you, you have a whole #ForwardFam.

One of the many things we love about our members is how welcoming and supportive they are. It can be intimidating to walk into a gym for the first time, but seeing smiling faces can make it a little easier. 

A good team is better than it’s strongest link. When everyone brings their best it allows everyone’s best to be better.

 

 

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