Feel, Look, perform and be your best
This setback not only opened the door to fitness for me, it also opened my eyes to the realization that in order to go pro, you not only need to understand the game and be good at it, but you have to be in peak physical condition. As such, I quickly learned what works and what doesn’t work, and most importantly, I understood that without specific fitness goals, achieving peak physical conditioning would be out of reach.
In 1993, I played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Dominican Summer League. While it did not result in the MLB contract I was hoping for, it did instill in me a passion for helping the next generation of ball players looking to go pro and to increase their chances of success.
In 1996, I received my certification from the American Council of Exercise (ACE) to become a personal trainer. I began training at Weston Athletic Club (now Midtown Athletic Club) in my hometown of Weston, FL. I did this while seeking my degree at FIU, and it was this experience that re-affirmed my desire to help others to pursue a professional baseball career.
Over the course of the next two decades, I refined my expertise. In this process I had the privilege of training world champion MLB players, including Alex Arias, Ramon Hernandez and Alberto Callaspo. In addition to the athletes I’ve trained personally, there have been several other notable professional players and fitness icons have joined my workouts throughout the years such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, NFL Hall-of-Famer Jason Taylor and MLB all-stars Manny Ramirez, Alex Gonzalez, Mike Lowell and Yorvis Torrealba.
I was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 1974 and for as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a love for sports. In fact, at age seven, I first began playing little league baseball. I didn’t know it then, but that kicked off a life-long passion for the sport and dedication to fitness that remains with me to this day.
By the age of 16, my skills developed further, and I had my heart set on going pro. So, I jumped at the chance of moving to Miami and enrolled at Miami Sunset Sr. High where I played baseball for the next three years. I was fortunate to become the team captain and one of the top-ranked players in Miami-Dade County.
In 1992, on the heels of a successful high school baseball career, I was ready to take on my next challenge – playing at the college level. I tried out for the baseball team at Florida International University and for the first time in my life, I got cut from the team. When I asked the coach why, he told me that I wasn’t big enough, fast enough or strong enough to play at the collegiate level. After all my years playing and excelling as a youth, this came as a shock to me. But, at the same time, opened the door to a life of fitness because it motivated me to hit to gym, work hard and come back bigger, faster and stronger the following year.
My Story
Today, my original dream of helping athletes go pro has evolved into a desire to helping others live a better life through fitness. The result is Totally For Fitness Lifestyle program, which combines 30+ years of peak performance training experience with knowledge acquired through advance certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), including Master Trainer, Performance Exercise Specialist, Nutritional Specialist, TRX Master Trainer and Men’s Physique NPC Athlete. As such, I have combined all this to help you feel, look, perform, and be your best through an all-in-commitment to a fitness lifestyle.
Fitness is in my passion, it’s in my DNA. And the weight room is my sanctuary. When I’m not at the gym, my hobbies include swimming, traveling, dining out, theatre, playing basketball and baseball, parenting, and playing with my dog “Buddy,” a an 8-year-old mini Yorkie Terrier.
Education & Qualifications:
1996 – American Council of Exercise ACE certification and began your career as a personal trainer.
2000 – B.S. in Business Administration & International Business, Florida International University
2012 – National Academy of Sports Medicine Certification, Master Trainer; Performance Exercise Specialist; Nutritional Specialist; TRX Master Trainer; Men’s Physique NPC Athlete
2019 – 1st Place | Men’s Physique Master’s Category Over 35 at the West Palm Beach, FL NPC Florida Gold Cup Amanda Marinelli
2019 – 5th Place | Men’s Physique Open Category at the NPC Holiday Classic Mel Chancey
About Totally For Fitness
Who We Are
We are passionate about helping others feel, look and perform better through a balanced, fitness-driven lifestyle. Whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, increase energy, rehabilitate an injury or improve your overall quality of life, our custom fitness plans will guide you every step of the way. We believe in purpose, passion, planning, preparation and persistence to attain a balanced fitness lifestyle.
Vision
To inspire others to achieve optimum health, vitality and longevity by being a better version of themselves every day.
Mission
To promote an all-in commitment to a fitness lifestyle.