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.

Coach / Nutritionist

Ashley Lewis

I’ve always been an active individual, participating in various activities including sports, hiking, and swimming although a true love for fitness didn’t hit me until later in life. As a young, newly married woman with an infant, a career change caused me to move out of state and away from everything I’d always known. I found myself feeling lonely and needing to find something just for me. That’s when I began working out at a local fitness studio which quickly became more than just a place to exercise. Working out became an outlet and helped me through that very dark time. It was then that I decided I wanted a career in the fitness industry. I wished to not only help people with their physical goals but wanted them to know the psychological benefits exercising can have and that taking the time to work on you can have a huge impact on your life. From there, I became a certified trainer and started my career in youth fitness. I worked as coach, then as supervisor before becoming an area manager over the youth fitness department for multiple locations. Even though I loved what I did, I knew it wasn’t exactly what I wanted. That’s when I found MOV. It’s the place I’ve always envisioned to be, and where I plan to stay. 

Sales Consultant

Dakota Pope

Dakota Pope trains at MOV in Westport as well as MOV on Main. Take a workout class with him to elevate your functional fitness routine. 

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.

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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

Jake Nelson

Jake is one of our trainers at Mov in the Lou. He received his NASM-CPT certification in January of 2022. He has since earned additional certifications in Behavioral Change and Virtual Coaching. Jake is currently finishing Certifications in Nutrition and Group Fitness. He is currently in school at Maryville for his B.S. in Exercise Science with a focus on Health and Wellness Management. Jake was in the Army Reserves for 9 years and this is where his knowledge and passion for fitness began. Jake currently does 1x1 training as well as running the majority of our 6-week Transformation and 28 Trial program classes.

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.

Rowing Fitness Instructor

Michael Barnes

Michael found his passion for exercising in 8th grade when he joined his middle school rowing team. He continued to row through high school, competing at Scholastic Nationals his senior year. He was recruited to row for Northeastern University, where he rowed for 2 years before choosing to focus on his degree in Mechanical Engineering. Michael has continued to learn and grow his fitness knowledge and now brings his rowing knowledge to Mov in the Lou. He believes that proper form and mobility is key to productive workout, and looks forward to working with anyone up for the challenge of rowing classes at our gym.