Hi, I’m Rebekah.

Coaching since 2019, beginning in Chicagoland and currently residing and training in Washington, DC. After earning my Master’s degree in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from The George Washington University, in 2022, I began working as a strength and conditioning coach full-time. What I thought might be a stop-gap job, has turned into a career I love in which I’m able to help students get stronger and form better relationships with their bodies every day.

  • Certified Personal Trainer, American Council on Exercise (ACE)

  • SFG II Kettlebell Instructor, StrongFirst

  • Trauma-Informed Personal Trainer, Hope Ignited Training

  • FMS L1, Functional Movement Systems

  • Functional Training Specialist, ACE

—

A student of strength,

in body and heart.

—

I work with students from a wide array of backgrounds who have varying levels of strength-training experience and different fitness goals, and I aim to create a space in which all students feel welcome and safe to pursue their strength.

Personal Training

I offer one-on-one and small-group coaching. With an emphasis on strength and conditioning, I use kettlebells, barbells, bodyweight, and other modalities in training. Every program is personalized according to the student’s goals and experience. In-person and virtual training sessions are available. Programming-only options will be available soon.

Trauma-Informed Personal Training

Working as a TI-PT allows me to help students who have experienced trauma and are using movement in their healing work. Whether it’s PTSD, C-PTSD, eating disorder recovery, mental illness, and/or neurodivergence, I have the tools and experience to help students build and maintain relationships with fitness and themselves. In an effort to make my services accessible, I offer a sliding-scale pricing option for TI-PT students.

Kettlebell Instruction

Kettlebells are my first fitness love, and there’s nothing I love more than teaching students new skills and seeing their strength progress. Whether you’re at home or in a gym, kettlebells are versatile, challenging, and a great tool for strength and conditioning practices. I earned my Level 1 and Level 2 Kettlebell Instructor certifications through StrongFirst in 2023, and I continue to pursue my own strength as a skill while teaching my clients to do the same.

Certification Prep

After hiring my own coach in preparation for SFG I, I know the value of having someone to provide guidance and accountability in my own training—even coaches need coaches! Certifications with practical exam elements can be daunting, and I would love to help aspiring coaches get ready to pass the tests and excel as instructors.

it’s me, hi 👋 One of my best tools for any of my students, is going back to basics—especially those coming to me for trauma-informed training. When we experience stressors, our bodies react in ways that have historically kept us safe. W
it’s me, hi 👋 One of my best tools for any of my students, is going back to basics—especially those coming to me for trauma-informed training. When we experience stressors, our bodies react in ways that have historically kept us safe. We can get disconnected from our bodies, and it’s hard to feel grounded and find our footing on not-so-solid ground. So we go back to basics, feel the weights in our hands, and find our footing on familiar ground. And everyday, we feel a little more solid, and we reconnect (sometimes stronger than before). For me, these are the basics: Get Ups, presses, snatches, cleans, squats, and the not-captured swings. What are the basics that get you back to feeling like yourself?? Drop them below ⬇️⬇️⬇️ _____________ Need help getting back to basics? Come play with me at @dedicatedstrengthdc. _____________ #bekandherbells #strongfirst #SFG #SFG1 #SFG2 #SFGInstructor #cpt #traumainformedpersonaltraining #tipt #dctipt #dcpersonaltraining #dcfitness #washingtondc #washingtondcfitness #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining
*status update* I’m now taking in-person clients exclusively at Dedicated Strength here in Washington, DC. Thank you to Joe and Angela, the owners and heart of the DS community, and to the students who come in every day to pursue strength&mdash
*status update* I’m now taking in-person clients exclusively at Dedicated Strength here in Washington, DC. Thank you to Joe and Angela, the owners and heart of the DS community, and to the students who come in every day to pursue strength—strength that carries over into every aspect of their lives, not just their physical fitness. I am so excited to continue my coaching career with this DC studio and local small business. If you’re interested in coaching, DM me here or email me at rebekah@dedicatedstrengthdc.com. _____________ @dedicatedstrengthdc _____________ #bekandherbells #strongfirst #SFG #SFG1 #SFG2 #SFGInstructor #cpt #traumainformedpersonaltraining #tipt #dctipt #dcpersonaltraining #dcfitness #washingtondc #washingtondcfitness #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining
DC/DMV friends! On Saturday, July 20th, at 10am, I’ll be hosting Master Your Swing, a workshop covering the fundamentals of a kettlebell swing. We’ll be at VIDA Fitness on U St., DC (exact location within the club tbd). This is a FREE wor
DC/DMV friends! On Saturday, July 20th, at 10am, I’ll be hosting Master Your Swing, a workshop covering the fundamentals of a kettlebell swing. We’ll be at VIDA Fitness on U St., DC (exact location within the club tbd). This is a FREE workshop, but space is limited, so let me know if you’re interested. Reservations will be possible through the VIDAFitness app. Whether you’ve been swinging for years or have never touched a bell, you’re welcome to come play, learn some new things, and make some new gym friends! _____________ @vidafitnessdc _____________ #bekcpt #bekandherbells #trainwithme #agirlandherkettlebell #strongfirst #SFG #SFG1 #SFG2 #SFGInstructor #cpt #traumainformedpersonaltraining #tipt #dctipt #dcpersonaltrainer #dcpersonaltraining #vidafitness #vidafitnessdc #vidaUstreet #UStreetStrong #dcfitness #washingtondc #washingtondcfitness #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining
A year later, and on the flip side 🤙 Assisting at StrongFirst with my StrongFriends might be (read: definitely is) one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend. Thank you to Jon @engums_extremetraining and Noah @max_levelfitness for excellent instruc
A year later, and on the flip side 🤙 Assisting at StrongFirst with my StrongFriends might be (read: definitely is) one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend. Thank you to Jon @engums_extremetraining and Noah @max_levelfitness for excellent instruction, @fearlessphl for hosting us again, and to the students who enrolled in our school of strength. _____________ #bekcpt #bekandherbells #trainwithme #agirlandherkettlebell #strongfirst #SFG #SFG1 #SFG2 #SFGInstructor #StrongFriends #cpt #traumainformedpersonaltraining #tipt #washingtondcfitness #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining
It was so much fun to be back in this space yesterday. When I went into my SFG2 weekend at Five Points Academy back in September, I was only nervous about two things: the heavy strict press, and the bent press. I knew ~how~ to strict press, but press
It was so much fun to be back in this space yesterday. When I went into my SFG2 weekend at Five Points Academy back in September, I was only nervous about two things: the heavy strict press, and the bent press. I knew ~how~ to strict press, but pressing a kettlebell that’s 1/3 of your bodyweight is hard AF, and the bent press confused me for months leading up to the cert. I worked hard and learned from the instructors—within the two days, I had figured out the bent press, and it only took a couple of months to pass my strict press. Thanks to continued conversations with strong people, the hardest of my lifts have now become some of my favorite party tricks. I don’t have a picture of me after the cert with my level two certificate like I do for my level one, and I’m late to brag online about it, but I’m proud as hell of myself—not just for my successful certifications but because I learned new skills, feel strong as hell, and renewed my love of play within my fitness. _____________ If you wanna come play with me, shoot me a DM 🤟
This past week, I’ve spent more time with a barbell than I have in…probably…the last five years (collectively). For reasons I can’t share here, I was scared to get under the bar again. But once I was, I felt stronger than I
This past week, I’ve spent more time with a barbell than I have in…probably…the last five years (collectively). For reasons I can’t share here, I was scared to get under the bar again. But once I was, I felt stronger than I had the last time. My bench and overhead presses increased, my back squat lost a little, and my deadlift increased. I’m not saying this to brag (but, like, 💁‍♀️); I just want to tell anyone who might be scared to start over or try again—or try for the first time—that you can. Hell, maybe you even should. Will it be perfect? Probably not. But are you going to get stronger? Absolutely. I’ve got a lot of practice with the barbell ahead of me. If you want to have fun getting strong as hell, slide into those DMs, and let’s play. _____________ ➡️ deadlift, squat, military press (Listen, there weren’t any good angles to photograph my bench press.)
Strength is a skill. (And sometimes it’s a party trick, too.) _____________ Bent Press 28kg
Strength is a skill. (And sometimes it’s a party trick, too.) _____________ Bent Press 28kg
This time last year, I was gearing up to start my training for my StrongFirst Level 1 certification, and if you had told me then that I’d go on to get level 2 just a few months later, I’d have laughed. So this year, when my boss asked wh
This time last year, I was gearing up to start my training for my StrongFirst Level 1 certification, and if you had told me then that I’d go on to get level 2 just a few months later, I’d have laughed. So this year, when my boss asked what my goals are for the year, I laughed and said, “Vacation.” Yet, even on vacation, I still found some bells and got moving—not because I felt like I ~had~ to or because I felt like I couldn’t take a day off (I took several days off)—because moving is one of my favorite ways to take care of myself. Cheers to vacations, bent presses, and moving because I love to in 2024. _____________ Swipe ➡️ movement prep: Windmills and Bent Presses
A good coach continues to practice. I practice so I can figure out the best way to describe how a movement should feel—so I can teach my clients in the most effective and safest way. I practice so my clients trust me when I begin teaching new s
A good coach continues to practice. I practice so I can figure out the best way to describe how a movement should feel—so I can teach my clients in the most effective and safest way. I practice so my clients trust me when I begin teaching new skills. And if my clients ask to work on a skill I don’t know—I learn, I practice, or I direct them to a coach who knows better than myself. If you’re interested in training with me, slide into those DMs. ••• ➡️ Practice from yesterday (7.15.23): SFG Level 1 skills Get up, swing, press, squat, clean (And this was after snatch density 13x7+7 😅) _____________ #schoolisinsession 💪
✨Messed with the wrong b— in [her strong] era✨ This weekend, I completed my StrongFirst Level 1 Kettlebell Instructor certification—a cert I’ve called a “bucket list cert.” Three days of learning, practicing, coaching, a
✨Messed with the wrong b— in [her strong] era✨ This weekend, I completed my StrongFirst Level 1 Kettlebell Instructor certification—a cert I’ve called a “bucket list cert.” Three days of learning, practicing, coaching, and testing, two really annoying blisters, and one certificate later, I am a very proud woman. I came in knowing it would be a hard weekend. I knew everyone else who came would be strong. What I didn’t expect was the friends I made in just three days (a true feat for an introvert like myself😹). Special shout-out to Julianna, Jess, Jess, Brooke, and Edy who welcomed me to Philly, let me follow them around to lunches, and hugged me after we passed. Thanks to John, Noah, and Kevin for instruction, and Tristan and Freddy for the help along the way. Finally, but certainly not least, thank you to Nikki who spent several hours on FaceTime with me to train over the last five months. When I first met Nikki, I knew she was someone I wanted to work with and learn from. She kicked my butt to make sure I was ready and was so supportive—even from hundreds of miles away. StrongFirst is a school of strength, and we are in session.
Behind every strong woman, is a host of other other strong women. • • • A happy International Women’s Day, indeed. But more than that, I wish you a fierce International Women’s Day—one where we all remember that women
Behind every strong woman, is a host of other other strong women. • • • A happy International Women’s Day, indeed. But more than that, I wish you a fierce International Women’s Day—one where we all remember that women are as deserving of space, time, and attention as any man. One where we remember that, even as our rights to privacy, bodily autonomy, and safety are under attack, we persist to exist in a world that seems so often to be working against us. • • • Take up your space, unapologetically. _______________ #internationalwomensday #womenshistorymonth
I’d already done three sets with a 20kg bell yesterday, but I did a fourth just so I could get this video (➡️) for Nikki. ————————— Come get up with me at @vidafitnessdc U Street! —&md
I’d already done three sets with a 20kg bell yesterday, but I did a fourth just so I could get this video (➡️) for Nikki. ————————— Come get up with me at @vidafitnessdc U Street! ————————— #bekcpt #trainwithme #agirlandherkettlebell #cpt #acecpt #personaltrainer #functionaltrainingspecialist #functionaltraining #traumainformedpersonaltraining #tipt #dctipt #dcpersonaltrainer #vidafitness #vidafitnessdc #vidafitnessUstreet #USt #vidaUstreet #UStreetStrong #dcfitness #washingtondc #washingtondcfitness #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining #bettermovingbetterliving #strongfirst #strongfirstprep #sfgtraining #functionaltraining
Last week, I completed the Trauma-Informed Personal Training Certification through Hope Ignited. I’ve used training as a way to heal through my own trauma, and I am thrilled to now have the tools to help others do the same. • Much of the
Last week, I completed the Trauma-Informed Personal Training Certification through Hope Ignited. I’ve used training as a way to heal through my own trauma, and I am thrilled to now have the tools to help others do the same. • Much of the struggle with recovery comes from being disconnected from and/or not trusting your body. And one way to regain that connection and trust is through movement. • For a long time, I have avoided the barbell—a reminder of previous coaches and experiences outside of the gym. With a very short coaching session from @emma__krieger (seriously—she worked with me for like 10 minutes; imagine what she could do for you in an hour) and new tools gained in the certification process, I am able to get back under the bar and practicing those skills. • If you’re looking for TI-PT, drop into my DMs with questions and training information. • • • #bekcpt #trainwithme #agirlandherkettlebell #cpt #acecpt #personaltrainer #functionaltrainingspecialist #functionaltraining #traumainformedpersonaltraining #tipt #dctipt #dcpersonaltrainer #vidafitness #vidafitnessdc #vidafitnessUstreet #USt #vidaUstreet #UStreetStrong #dcfitness #washingtondc #washingtondcfitness #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining #bettermovingbetterliving
🗣️ client shoutout/send off! This is my client, David, and he’s leaving this weekend for a two-week white water rafting trip. David came into VIDA about two weeks ago with the goal of getting as strong as he could in two weeks for this trip.
🗣️ client shoutout/send off! This is my client, David, and he’s leaving this weekend for a two-week white water rafting trip. David came into VIDA about two weeks ago with the goal of getting as strong as he could in two weeks for this trip. I’ll tell you what I told him, two weeks is not a lot of time, but we’ll do what we can. David came into each session with an open mind, ready to work, and he worked hard (and usually left with a smile on his face). Within 6 sessions, I’ve already seen so much progress! As a functional training specialist, programming for these sessions was so much fun—taking movements necessary for rafting/oaring/rowing and creating movements in the gym for strength and conditioning. It doesn’t matter what you do or want to do, strength training can make you stronger and those activities so much more enjoyable. When you move better, you feel better. • • • • • • • #bekcpt #trainwithme #agirlandherkettlebell #cpt #acecpt #personaltrainer #dcpersonaltrainer #vidafitness #vidafitnessdc #vidafitnessUstreet #USt #vidaUstreet #UStreetStrong #dcfitness #washingtondc #washingtondcfitness #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining #strongfirst #strongfirstprep #sfgtraining #functionaltraining #bettermovingbetterliving
Snatches are currently stuck between 12kg-is-too-light and 16kg-is-too-heavy. Yes, there might be a 14kg on the third floor, but that’s *so far* away. • • • • • • • #bekcpt #trainwithme #agirlandherkettlebell
Snatches are currently stuck between 12kg-is-too-light and 16kg-is-too-heavy. Yes, there might be a 14kg on the third floor, but that’s *so far* away. • • • • • • • #bekcpt #trainwithme #agirlandherkettlebell #cpt #acecpt #personaltrainer #dcpersonaltrainer #vidafitnessdc #vidafitness #vidafitnessUstreet #USt #vidaUstreet #UStreetStrong #dcfitness #washingtondc #washingtondcfitness #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining #strongfirst #strongfirstprep #sfgtraining #functionaltraining #bettermovingbetterliving
If you’re worried that you may have lost all your progress during COVID closures, get up. If you’re feeling stuck, get up. If you’ve already gotten up, keep getting up. • #didyoujustseewhatididthere • • • •
If you’re worried that you may have lost all your progress during COVID closures, get up. If you’re feeling stuck, get up. If you’ve already gotten up, keep getting up. • #didyoujustseewhatididthere • • • • • • • #bekcpt #trainwithme #agirlandherkettlebell #cpt #acecpt #personaltrainer #dcpersonaltrainer #vidafitness #vidafitnessUstreet #USt #vidaUstreet #UStreetStrong #dcfitness #washingtondc #washingtondcfitness #sweatcollective #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining #functionaltraining #bettermovingbetterliving
@strongfirst: it’s called a gladiator getup me: say no more • (swipe ➡️ to see my kinda ugly first attempts) • • • • • • #agirlandherkettlebell #newskills #trainwithme #cpt #acecpt #personaltrainer #dcpersonal
@strongfirst: it’s called a gladiator getup me: say no more • (swipe ➡️ to see my kinda ugly first attempts) • • • • • • #agirlandherkettlebell #newskills #trainwithme #cpt #acecpt #personaltrainer #dcpersonaltrainer #vidafitness #vidafitnessUstreet #USt #vidaUstreet #UStreetStrong #dcfitness #washingtondc #washingtondcfitness #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining #functionaltraining #bettermovingbetterliving
Having my “You’re full of sh*t” shirt was just a happy coincidence today. I work as a personal trainer—not technically a healthcare position, I know, but people come to me everyday because they want to take care of themselves
Having my “You’re full of sh*t” shirt was just a happy coincidence today. I work as a personal trainer—not technically a healthcare position, I know, but people come to me everyday because they want to take care of themselves as best they can. A pregnant person seeking an abortion is no different—they’re trying to take care of themselves as best they can. Who are you to judge? Further, who are you to dictate the decision for them? I am as scared as the millions of women and child-bearing-capable people across the country. I am exhausted. But there is work to be done. (And what better year to have graduated with an MA in Gender Studies and Public Policy, amiright?) Whether that work is on the front line at a protest, donating to an abortion fund, or talking to someone about the need for legislation protecting reproductive freedoms, we must continue to take care of ourselves—and each other—as best we can.
A mobile body is a happy body—and my body was not happy today 😹 Dedicating time to mobility training is just as important as strength training. I mean, what good is all that strength if you can’t move anything, right?? • Move with m
A mobile body is a happy body—and my body was not happy today 😹 Dedicating time to mobility training is just as important as strength training. I mean, what good is all that strength if you can’t move anything, right?? • Move with me @vidafitnessdc U St 🤸‍♂️ • • • • • • • • • #cpt #acecpt #personaltrainer #dcpersonaltrainer #vidafitness #vidafitnessUstreet #USt #vidaUstreet #UStreetStrong #dcfitness #washingtondc #washingtondcfitness #strongisbeautiful #empowerwomen #strongwomen #progress #strengthtraining #functionaltraining #bettermovingbetterliving
hello! it has been a *while* so let me (re)introduce myself! my name’s rebekah, but you can call me bek. i’ve had my ACE personal training certification since 2019, and i’m a functional movement specialist—which basically mean
hello! it has been a *while* so let me (re)introduce myself! my name’s rebekah, but you can call me bek. i’ve had my ACE personal training certification since 2019, and i’m a functional movement specialist—which basically means i like to help people get stronger and move more efficiently during exercise and day-to-day movement. (you can check out the highlights on my profile for some past funsies.) i’m almost finished with my MA in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. when i’m not exercising my brain or my body, i like to chill with my cat while we watch hockey or trashy reality tv. since i’m basically re-starting this account, drop a comment below with things you’d like to see!
it’s me, hi 👋 One of my best tools for any of my students, is going back to basics—especially those coming to me for trauma-informed training. When we experience stressors, our bodies react in ways that have historically kept us safe. W *status update* I’m now taking in-person clients exclusively at Dedicated Strength here in Washington, DC. Thank you to Joe and Angela, the owners and heart of the DS community, and to the students who come in every day to pursue strength&mdash DC/DMV friends! On Saturday, July 20th, at 10am, I’ll be hosting Master Your Swing, a workshop covering the fundamentals of a kettlebell swing. We’ll be at VIDA Fitness on U St., DC (exact location within the club tbd). This is a FREE wor A year later, and on the flip side 🤙 Assisting at StrongFirst with my StrongFriends might be (read: definitely is) one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend. Thank you to Jon @engums_extremetraining and Noah @max_levelfitness for excellent instruc It was so much fun to be back in this space yesterday. When I went into my SFG2 weekend at Five Points Academy back in September, I was only nervous about two things: the heavy strict press, and the bent press. I knew ~how~ to strict press, but press This past week, I’ve spent more time with a barbell than I have in…probably…the last five years (collectively). For reasons I can’t share here, I was scared to get under the bar again. But once I was, I felt stronger than I Strength is a skill. (And sometimes it’s a party trick, too.) _____________ Bent Press 28kg This time last year, I was gearing up to start my training for my StrongFirst Level 1 certification, and if you had told me then that I’d go on to get level 2 just a few months later, I’d have laughed. So this year, when my boss asked wh A good coach continues to practice. I practice so I can figure out the best way to describe how a movement should feel—so I can teach my clients in the most effective and safest way. I practice so my clients trust me when I begin teaching new s ✨Messed with the wrong b— in [her strong] era✨ This weekend, I completed my StrongFirst Level 1 Kettlebell Instructor certification—a cert I’ve called a “bucket list cert.” Three days of learning, practicing, coaching, a Behind every strong woman, is a host of other other strong women. • • • A happy International Women’s Day, indeed. But more than that, I wish you a fierce International Women’s Day—one where we all remember that women I’d already done three sets with a 20kg bell yesterday, but I did a fourth just so I could get this video (➡️) for Nikki. ————————— Come get up with me at @vidafitnessdc U Street! —&md Last week, I completed the Trauma-Informed Personal Training Certification through Hope Ignited. I’ve used training as a way to heal through my own trauma, and I am thrilled to now have the tools to help others do the same. • Much of the 🗣️ client shoutout/send off! This is my client, David, and he’s leaving this weekend for a two-week white water rafting trip. David came into VIDA about two weeks ago with the goal of getting as strong as he could in two weeks for this trip. Snatches are currently stuck between 12kg-is-too-light and 16kg-is-too-heavy. Yes, there might be a 14kg on the third floor, but that’s *so far* away. • • • • • • • #bekcpt #trainwithme #agirlandherkettlebell If you’re worried that you may have lost all your progress during COVID closures, get up. If you’re feeling stuck, get up. If you’ve already gotten up, keep getting up. • #didyoujustseewhatididthere • • • • @strongfirst: it’s called a gladiator getup me: say no more • (swipe ➡️ to see my kinda ugly first attempts) • • • • • • #agirlandherkettlebell #newskills #trainwithme #cpt #acecpt #personaltrainer #dcpersonal Having my “You’re full of sh*t” shirt was just a happy coincidence today. I work as a personal trainer—not technically a healthcare position, I know, but people come to me everyday because they want to take care of themselves A mobile body is a happy body—and my body was not happy today 😹 Dedicating time to mobility training is just as important as strength training. I mean, what good is all that strength if you can’t move anything, right?? • Move with m hello! it has been a *while* so let me (re)introduce myself! my name’s rebekah, but you can call me bek. i’ve had my ACE personal training certification since 2019, and i’m a functional movement specialist—which basically mean