Education/Certifications

GTS Owner, Head Coach & Trainer, a.k.a “Boss”.
NFPT Certified Personal Trainer
CPR and AED Certified
RKC Level 1 Kettlebell Certified
Bachelor of Science in Business Management; Minor in Sports Management

Education

My Fitness and Health experience comes from growing up playing high school and then collegiate basketball. I was always the skinny kid on the floor and when I arrived at college, I was told I had to put on weight and that is when I started in with strength training and supplementation. After I completed my eligibility I became an assistant coach at Atlanta Christian College (now known as Point University). I was also in charge of conditioning and strength training for the men’s team. This is where I connected with the strength coach at Michigan State University and learned about Momentary Muscle Fatigue (my fun to fail philosophy came out of this).

After two years of coaching kids at the college level I met my beautiful wife Brandy, at which point I realized the constant traveling was not going to work in our relationship. This is when I started working in the health club industry as a member of management.

During my 5th year of managing health clubs I was on vacation one year and picked up a Triathlon magazine for some light reading on the beach. I was missing something competitive in my life and I decided that “why not” I could do that. So I bought a bike, swam circles in a buddies neighborhood pool for a total of about 5 times and then did my first Olympic distance race. I was immediately hooked due to the competitive nature with your internal goals but when competing with everyone the support and energy around a triathlon is amazing. Therefore I went to watch and Ironman triathlon and got so excited I stood in line for 5 hours the next morning to enroll for the Florida Ironman. During this year of training I decided to give Advocare a try for help with recovery and fatigue (after 2 years of information from my dear friend Jamie Arion). I was skeptical like anyone because I had tried everything before. I was even skeptical after a few weeks at which point I gave the products back… it wasn’t 10 days later and I knew there was something very special with this company. If not for Advocare I know there is no way I could have endured the long long hours of training, personal training, managing the gym and trying to help raise our second child. I spent an entire year of my life focusing on one goal and accomplished it (but with a major price).

I injured my knee before the race, decided to compete anyways and therefore hurt my other knee and really messed up my back.

During the same year I decided that I wanted to start helping people on a more personal level as opposed to management so I got certified and began my training career. After only a few months of doing both training and management I knew that all I wanted to do was help people achieve their dreams and goals (whether it was Ironman, playing collegiate sports or just to feel better about themselves).

All during my coaching I was in a lot of pain from my knees and back to the point I could no longer run, squat or even play with my kids in the floor without suffering through it. That is when I was exposed to Kettlebells and that is when I realized that not only are Kettlebells unique and efficient in burning fat and building lean muscle, they helped fix my back and my knees. I believe that Kettlebells can be a life changing experience for weight/body-fat and pain reduction. Just like traditional strength training it blows my mind how many areas of your life can improve when you are out of pain and confident in how you look and feel.

That is why I feel so blessed to be a trainer and the owner of Gritton’s Training System. I come from a long line of basketball coaches and so my greatest privilege and compliment is to be called a life COACH.


Fitness Accomplishments

  • High School Record Holder in each career category: (Basketball)
  • Leading Scorer – Leading Assists – Leading Three Pointers – Leading Steals – Leading Foul shots
  • 1994- 1997- High School Basketball All State
  • 1994- 1996- High School Track All State (Long Jump, Triple Jump, and High Jump)
  • 1998-2000- NAIA/NCCAA College Basketball Honorable Mention All American
  • 2000- All Tournament NAIA/NCCAA National Championship
  • 2000- National Champions NAIA/NCCAA Div 1
  • 2000-2002- Strength and Conditioning Coach/ Ass. Men’s Basketball Coach
  • 2001-Present- Local Running Events 5k-15k’s
  • 2004-Present- Tri-athlete competing in multiple distance Triathlons
  • 2008 Half-Ironman Finisher
  • 2008 Florida Ironman Finisher
  • RKC Kettlebell Instructor Certification 2011

Fitness Philosophy

Make it “Fun to Fail” You should be looking for ways to challenge yourself every time you exercise to the point that you don’t complete every rep, or every exercise or perhaps the distance you set out to run. Once your body adapts and knows what is coming it will stop responding so you must find pleasure in “failing” when long term results is what you want.


Typical Training Week for Me

My typical training week consists of Kettlebell Swings every day, anywhere from 10 to 200 reps but always a focus on perfect repetitions.

Running 2-3 times per week and riding my bike 1-2 times per week.

Full body strength training 3-4 times per week, short intense workouts in 45-50 minutes so that I’m not wasting time.

Every workout contains Kettlebell training, but I also love trying new workouts and designing workouts for all my clients and classes (like Kettlebell and Boot Camp). I could never ask a client to do something I have not already tested and completed myself.


Favorite AdvoCare Product

All of them! I would have to say Advocare Slam Energy Drink. Life is busy and my energy levels have to be high, so I can not imagine my day without this extra burst of energy.

Favorite Movie

“Gone in 60 Seconds” or “Thomas Crown Affair” (too hard to choose)