JANUARY 8, 2019

Max played soccer, hockey, and football in high school and went on to play soccer at the collegiate level for Central Washington University. He started lifting weights at age fifteen. In college, his soccer coach introduced him to “body hardening,” which consisted of gymnastics and complexes mixed into high intensity circuits. After rehabilitating a knee injury Max went through a brief period of bodybuilding, learning how to cut weight, add mass and look the part. After a few competitions he realized that this training method provided the aesthetics, but not the functions of athleticism so he began researching new training methods. From this experience he found his true passion for strength and conditioning. Max trained out of Cal State Fullerton from 2002 to 2004, and worked as an assistant strength coach at University California of Irvine from 2005 to 2008 under Mike Nagler. He began incorporating kettlebells into his program in 2001 when he became Russian Kettlebell Certified. From here Max discovered Olympic weightlifting and received his USAW certification in 2002 under Mike Burgener. A great friend and his first oly lifting coach, Skipp Benzing, took Max on and helped him qualify for Nationals at his first competition. In 2003, he met Josh Everett, who introduced him to CrossFit. Max holds a Level 3 CrossFit certification and has assisted at CrossFit Level 1, Olympic and Powerlifting certifications. He helped develop the CrossFit Football program and curriculum. He also holds NASM, Functional Movement Screening and Corrective Exercise Specialist certifications. Max is currently the athletic director for Community Roots Academy, where he is developing the physical education program for their students. He qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials for weightlifting, and is currently training to repeat this in 2012.