MY STORY

Every coach at PuncHIIT has their own reason for being here. Mine started with a body that didn't work the way I wanted it to.

I've had chronic back pain since my late teens. By my late twenties, it was bad enough that I had to stop the kickboxing classes I loved at PuncHIIT. Some days I couldn't get out of bed or drive, and, for a while, I believed exercise was making me worse. It wasn't, I just wasn’t using exercise in the right way.

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Through personal training, I learned to move my body again, progressively, and how to release tension my nervous system had been holding onto long after it needed to. That work is why I can pick a laundry basket up off the floor again. It's also why I now work a physical job, train to compete in combat sports, and live (mostly) pain free.

I know what it's like to manage a chronic condition and to push through constant discomfort. I also know what the body can do when you rebuild it the right way. That's the range I coach from — whether you're dealing with a chronic issue, chasing a performance goal, or both.

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MY COACHING PHILOSOPHY

I believe a well-rounded, enjoyable life matters more than an optimized one. I don't ask clients to give up the things they love in the name of a fitness aesthetic — I coach moderation, not restriction.

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As much as my job is programming that makes you stronger, healthier, and more capable, it's also closing the knowledge gap between what we see in media and what is realistic and healthy. Fitness isn't a quick fix to look a certain way, it's a way of life — one that should leave room for celebration, enjoyment, and the things we love.

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I strive to make fitness something that complements your life, not something that takes away from it.

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MY CLIENTS

BEGINNERS

Walking into a gym for the first time doesn’t have to be intimidating. I help beginner lifters learn:

• Body mechanics

• Proper form and technique

• The "why" behind your plan

• Training intensity

 

I help beginner combat sport athletes learn:

• Body mechanics

• Proper striking technique

• Footwork

• How to generate power

 

CLIENTS LOOKING FOR NEW CHALLENGES

Once the fundamentals are in place, trying new things and entering new challenges is a great way to stay engaged in your training. Whether thinking about entering a competition or race, learning a new style of lifting like Olympic Lifts, or simply chasing more progress, I help intermediate to advanced lifters and athletes set goals and achieve them.

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COMPETITION ATHLETES

Strength training is part of performance and injury prevention, whether you're training for a race, a triathlon, a combat sport event, or something else entirely.

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I work with runners, triathletes, combat sport athletes, and competitors of all kinds — building strength, durability, and recovery, and designing training plans built around your competition schedule.

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CLIENTS MANAGING CHRONIC ILLNESS

Chronic illness doesn't follow a fixed schedule. For example, long COVID and concussion recovery need specific protocols, and training that adapts to how things like sleep, fuel, medication, and travel are affecting you that day.

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I help clients manage chronic illness by building strength and consistency without ignoring what their body is telling them.

 

CLIENTS LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAIN

Pain doesn't always mean you should stop moving — often, the right movement, introduced gradually, is part of the solution.

I help clients living with chronic pain rebuild strength, movement quality, and function, while managing the mental load a recurring condition brings. When something's outside my scope, I have a trusted network of professionals to refer to.

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MY EXPERTISE

STRENGTH TRAINING

Strength training is one of the most effective tools for long-term health. With programs tailored to your goals, fitness level, and ability, I help clients at any stage:

• Build strength

• Increase muscle mass

• Improve cardiovascular health

• Improve confidence in the gym and in their abilities 

 

BOXING AND KICKBOXING COACHING

Boxing and kickboxing bring together fitness, skill, stress relief, and confidence in a way few other training styles can. I coach boxing and kickboxing fundamentals, padwork, conditioning, and footwork — no experience required.

 

ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE

Endurance athletes often lean hard on cardio and skip strength work. Combining the two improves performance, lowers injury risk, and speeds up recovery. I help clients prepare for everything from combat competition to marathons and triathlons.

 

MOBILITY & FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT

Good movement is the foundation of good fitness. I build mobility and movement work into training so clients move more efficiently, reduce injury risk, recover from injury, improve performance, and feel better in everyday life.

 

YOUTH ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

As one of the coaches with PuncHIIT's Youth Boxing Program, I help young athletes build confidence, discipline, coordination, and fitness through structured training. Sports teach lessons that go well beyond athletic performance, and it's rewarding to help young people build those foundations early.

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SUCCESS STORIES

Every client's journey looks different — here are a few I'm proud of:

• A long COVID client who went from unable to walk up a flight of stairs to training four days a week, including sprint work

• A lifelong short-distance runner (rarely past 7km) who dropped their pace from 5:25/km to 4:30/km and finished their first half-marathon in under 1.5 hours

• A brand-new athlete with no race experience who trained from zero to a sprint triathlon

• Clients with chronic low back pain who've regained freer movement, and clients I've prepared to go into surgery as strong as possible for a smoother recovery

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WHY CLIENTS CHOOSE TO WORK WITH ME

Clients notice a few things consistently about how I coach:

• Understanding and consideration of client circumstance

• Adaptability for day-to-day changes in symptoms, pain, and mental load

• Helping clients understand the why behind their programming

• Openness about my own journey, as it is helpful to clients who relate to pain management or athletic training

• Practicing what I coach — training hard while still enjoying life

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BEYOND THE GYM

Training isn't just what I do for a living — it's a big part of my own life. Between combat sports, strength training, and my own ongoing pain management, a lot of my time outside of sessions goes right back into the same work I do with clients. I'm a genuine boxing enthusiast beyond coaching too — watching pro fights with friends, catching local amateur bouts, and cornering a few fighters myself.

At home, I share my life with my fiancé and our two cats. In the summer, walks in the Commons with ice cream and iced coffee take up a good chunk of my time. In the winter, you're more likely to find me curled up with a good book or some reality TV I'd never admit to enjoying on camera.

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READY TO GET STARTED?

Whether you're looking to build strength, train for an endurance event, recover from a setback, learn boxing, or simply feel more confident in your own body, I'd love to help.

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Book a free initial consultation and let's talk about your goals and how we can work together to achieve them.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

I'm always excited to discuss new opportunities in fitness—let's connect! I can be reached by email at kat@punchiit.ca, or by phone at (902) 442-8464.

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