Meet The Team
Owner
Jeffrey Lage
Jeffrey is originally from Cape Girardeau, where he first found his passion for real estate. That passion led Jeffrey to relocate to St. Louis, offering him the chance to turn his hobby into a full time career. Jeffrey purchased MOV on Main, at that time Main Street Gym, the first of the three MOV Gyms in May 2015, when he moved from St. Louis City to St. Charles with his now wife, Stephanie. In July, 2016, Jeffrey purchased MOV in the Lou, at that time St. Louis Fitness Club. MOV in Westport was purchased in July 2021, being Jeffrey's first Training Only Gym. This purchase was the beginning of a rebrand for all 3 sister gyms, now known collectively as MOV Gyms.
While Jeffrey's true passion lies in real estate, his investment in MOV Gyms is due to his love for being around people, helping them grow their passion and change their lives.
General Manager
Alison Smith
My interest in fitness started at a very young age, when my mom would let me join her while doing her workout videos on VHS. In high school I found running, from which grew my passion for everything exercise and nutrition and influenced my decision to major in Exercise Science in college. While in undergrad, I became a personal trainer and have had the privilege to work with many populations, both able-bodied as well as disabled. I now have a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, am a licensed Physical Therapy Assistant, and have 10 years of personal training experience. It is my pleasure to be the General Manager at MOV Gyms, working alongside an amazing staff to offer the best of fitness and wellness to our members.
Lead Coach
Nate Jones
Nate has over 11 years of fitness experience and his certifications include NASM CPT, MMA Conditioning, and ENW Fitness & Nutrition Specialist. He also finds the time to run Powr’d Up Nutrition, a new supplement company on the rise! His well-rounded knowledge, personal experience, and devotion to his clients makes him a great Personal Trainer and Weight Loss Professional! If you have any questions for Nate about nutrition, supplementation, or training, you can contact him at his email.
Coach
Matt Tinker
Matt Tinker has been a driven and dedicated personal trainer with MOV Gyms since 2010. With his years of experience, love for fitness, and multiple certifications, Matt has trained people and groups from all ages and walks of life. As an avid martial artist and competitor, Matt holds a black belt in karate, blue belt in jiu-jitsu, and is the head kickboxing instructor at River City Warriors Kickboxing Club. He also competes in jiu-jitsu, and professional kickboxing and Muay Thai competitions.
Sales Consultant
Gloria Garza
When my kids were younger I used to spend hours each week in the gym making sure I was strong and healthy so I had the energy I needed to keep up with them. Now, many years later I am back at it with my own health journey, and want to help as many individuals as I can, get healthy so they can continue to live life to the fullest!! There is no magic pill. You have to want to change, and you have to work at it everyday. No matter how small the change, it takes continuous commitment and work.
YOU CAN DO IT!
Coach
Darya Wilke
My interest with fitness and overall wellness started while I was in high school. I was a cross country and track athlete for five years, and during my junior year of high school I was in a body conditioning class where I was taught how to properly lift and how to maximize the benefits of every workout. I am a certified Functional Movement Specialist through NESTA; currently a student at Lindenwood University working towards my Bachelors degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Health and Wellness. I am excited to start implementing all of my knowledge and passion for health to be able to help individuals of all populations to become the best versions of themselves!
Coach
Brian Shepard
Hi, my name is Brian and I'm a personal trainer here at MOV Gyms! I went to Lindenwood University in Belleville where I studied Exercise Science and played football. THrough school, I gained an interest in fitness and that quickly became a passion! Personal interests of mine are Strongman Training and powerlifting. My main goal is to help people change their lives in the simplest and most realistic way possible!
Coach
Rob Wrone
Rob started lifting weights and practicing mixed martial arts in 2016. Rob has been passionate about physical fitness ever since then.
"Exercise serves as my primary outlet for stress relief; I believe taking care of the body is one of the best ways to take care of the mind."
Rob received his personal training certification from NASM in January 2020, and his behavior change specialist certification in 2022. He has enjoyed helping others stay healthy and achieve their personal fitness goals ever since. Rob is especially knowledgeable about bicep and core development, as well as upper back and shoulder rehabilitation.
Coach
Marvin Nelson
I first gained an interest in fitness when I was in high school. This interest quickly turned into a passion and since then I have been dedicated to understanding the most effective and efficient way to decrease body fat and increase muscle mass, through efficient training.
My journey began when I initially started lifting to increase my strength for wrestling and soccer. Doing that help me prepare for collegiate wrestling. While in college I earned a degree in Exercise Science. I am currently certified personal trainer through the ACE. Training has changed my life and the lives of so many people around me.
Coach
Svetlana Ruscheva
I was born and raised in Bulgaria, and moved to the U.S. when I was 17. I danced in one of the best folklore dance groups in Bulgaria for 7 years, did competitive gymnastics, and canoeing.
Fitness and exercise for me is pushing myself out of my comfort zone to discover how much more I am capable of. It's a process of learning, growing and challenging myself to not give up, taking that attitude and applying it in every area of my life. Fitness is about freedom and joy for the body and mind.
My goal is to empower clients to set realistic and attainable goals, helping to reach them in ways that are doable and exciting for them. I want to inspire them to achieve the level of health, wellness, and vitality they desire.
Coach
Joseph Anderson
My name is Joseph Anderson and I am a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach. I have been involved in sports my whole life, having played basketball, football, baseball, soccer, and track and field. Throughout my experience in athletics I have always been a leader, with that leadership carrying over into helping coach athletics for kids once I graduated high school. I specialize in the Culinary Arts, and can make anything taste amazing. The reason I became a personal trainer was to infuse my passion for food and fitness with my drive to help people. I want to show my clients that a healthy lifestyle can be obtained in a fun and exciting way, while eating foods they enjoy!
Coach
Maycee White
I recently graduated with a bachelors in exercise science and psychology from Lindenwood University. I’m originally from Colorado, enjoy spending time outdoors in the fresh air, and eating fresh food with proper brewery craft beer in social settings with my friends and family. I ran track and cross country throughout high school and college, while doing weekly strength and conditioning training. I am passionate about programming and modifying workouts that fit each individual's specific needs and goals. I am a big fan of circuit training and super-setting while making sure the exercises chosen aid in injury prevention.
I wanted to work with MOV because of how supportive the staff are of the clients as well as each other. MOV offers a unique, hands-on training model to clients, based around the clients goals for nutrition and training. I hope to bring an upbeat approach and positive attitude that makes training fun and memorable for clients, leaving them wanting to come back after each session!
Coach
Shakeem Wharton
I'm originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, but my journey with football is what brought me to the Midwest. I've been an athlete my whole life, involved in sports since I was 6. My favorite things to do are workout, take road trips, and listen to music.
Fun facts: I love to go fishing and I also love dogs. I take pride in building new relationships and helping others accomplish their fitness goals, seeing progression from day one. Fitness isn’t a punishment, it's a blessing, and my goal is to influence as many people as I can to start their journey today.