ABOUT US

Thank you for visiting Tucson Strength (formerly Evolution Fitness Systems). We are a training facility offering group training, one-on-one personal training, and open gym. We specialize in helping people move better and become more conditioned. Members of our staff hold national personal training certifications and specialty certifications in kettlebell training, mobility, endurance training, rowing, and corrective exercise.

In our view, personal trainers are more than just motivators (really anyone can be a cheerleader). More importantly, a trainer is an educator, a professional in human movement. Many trainers now a days watch a YouTube Video of how to do a cool new workout and pass it on to clients without any understanding of how that workout will specifically affect that person.

Anyone can set up a workout that will make you sore. Exercise is more than just sweat and soreness. We develop thoughtful programs varying from one-on-one training to small group training to programming, so whether your goal is weight loss, corrective exercise, calasthenics, high intensity training, weightlifting or powerlifting we offer a program that will help you achieve your goals. Our training philosophy focuses first on proper movement patterns and then building intensity and strength on a healthy foundation.

EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS

Danny Sawaya, CSCS, FMS-2, USPA Coach, StrongFirst TL,OWNER/FOUNDER

Danny has been in the fitness and nutrition field for 20 years. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Nutritional Sciences then spent a few years studying, teaching, and researching metabolism and physiology. He then went on to become a personal trainer to put his knowledge to use.
Danny holds the CSCS Certification, FMS Level 2, and is also a Team Leader with StrongFirst Instructor. He is also state chair, southern Arizona meet director, and certified coach for the United States Powerlifting Association.
Danny specializes in coaching the sport of powerlifting, corrective exercise, and kettlebell training. He has worked with MLB Baseball teams and Olympians over the years, but loves working with everyday people wanting to become stronger.
Personally he has been a competitive powerlifter, completed a 70.3 Ironman, and runs half marathons. Danny is currently not taking on clients, as he is working on growing Tucson Strength. He is still actively coaching the Tucson Barbell Club.

Christian Kruszewski, CPT, USPA CoachPersonal Trainer / Group Coach

Christian started with Tucson Strength when we first opened in 2010. His parents sent him to us so at 11 years old to work on movement and strength. Fast forward 11 years later, Christian has a BS in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Arizona, is an NSCA Certified Personal Trainer and a USPA Certified Powerlifting Coach.
He is truly a student and teacher of strength and spends a considerable amount of time on continuing education and learning.

Christian doesn’t only coach, but he competitively powerlifts. In the 2021 USPA Drug Tested National Championships he competed with a very strong showing.

Christian does 1on1 Training and coaches our Tucson Barbell Club.

Mike Moran, OS Instructor, CPTPersonal Trainer

Mike’s journey in fitness started in 2007 with Karate in the Kyokushin style. He was 29 and had gained too much weight, tipping the scale at nearly 300lbs. This ignited a fire in him for moving better and getting stronger. Later in 2008 he would move over to Enshin Karate (grading to 3rd Degree Black in 2015) and in 2011 started training with kettlebells under Danny Sawaya and Geoff Neupert. Kettlebells led him to Original Strength and he got certified as an OS Pro 2. Later he was appointed by Tim Anderson (co-founder of OS) to become the Southwest Regional Instructor. Mike also holds the ISSA personal training certification. Mike is a student of strength and this drove him to help others find their path. He specializes in movement and strength training using various modalities like crawling, rolling patterns, kettlebells, bodyweight training, barbells, etc. His goal is to help people unlock their bodies so they can move with freedom, strength, and have a life that is enjoyable. When Mike isn’t in the gym he trains at Sonoran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and spends time with his wife and kids.

Steve Callahan, NSCA CPT, OS1, C2 InstructorPersonal Trainer / Group Coach

Steve started as a trainer over 10 years ago. He began his journey in health and fitness at 16 years old where he chose to take on a life of strength training and focus on his health.
Steve holds the Original Strength Level 1 Certification, NSCA-CPT, and is a Concept 2 Certified instructor.
He has a strong passion for learning and teaching everything health and fitness, from teaching the fundamentals to advanced concepts of of kettlebell training as well as teach the fundamentals of powerlifting. You will also see that he loves dancing as a day doesn’t go by without having him dancing in the gym.

Aracely Favela SFGKettlebell Instructor

Aracely started at Tucson Strength as one of our first members back in 2010. After a few years of following our system she took the leap to become a kettlebell Instructor and passed her SFG level 1 in 2014.
Aracely teaches our kettlebell and conditioning classes and she always has something special in store for the students in her class. She knows how to push them and come up with some creative programs.
When Aracely is not in the gym she is always staying physically active taking on new adventures from running races, obstacle course races or taking up a new hobby like golf or boxing.

Jessica VanasselbergStrength Coach

Jessica has an extensive and impressive background in the sport of powerlifting. She has been involved in the sport since the early 90s and won the 1996 National Championship and best women’s lifter. She currently holds the Arizona State and National Records for the USPF womens submasters, and the @uspapower Arizona State and National Records for the womens masters in her weight class. Once we got to know Jess as a member of our community we knew we had to bring her on board as a coach. She has the heart of a teacher and always loves sharing her experience and passion for. the sport. Jess will be coaching some of our Barbell club hours as well as being available for 1on1 coaching. Please help us welcome her to the team!

Joe PettitISSA CPT, PFP Certified, Personal Trainer

Joe is our newest trainer to join the Tucson Strength team. He has a background in athletics, namely basketball and golf. Growing up, exercise was a tool for Joe to improve the sport he was playing at the time as well as an escape from everyday life. Jump to today and Joe specializes in dynamic and explosive strength training, teaching his clients how to properly jump, decelerate, sprint, and move their bodies efficiently through space. Joe’s training style and mindset are geared towards those who truly want to improve their athleticism and functional strength. Joe is also an instructor for our Strength Club class Monday and Wednesday evenings.
Having a general CPT is the minimum for Joe, he is currently working on his Nutrition, Strength and Conditioning, and Corrective Exercise certifications. When Joe is not in the gym, he is playing club basketball, frisbee golf, golf, soccer, swimming, hiking, or doing anything that get him moving!

Anthony ShufeltACE CPT, FRC Mobility Specialist, Calisthenics/Movement Coach

Anthony kicked off his career in health and fitness when he traveled to Thailand in 2016 to earn his yoga certification. Over the next five years he practiced and taught yoga at numerous studios and gyms in Massachusetts. He traveled the world attending workshops and festivals with the highlight being the opportunity to teach at a retreat in Bali, Indonesia.

Fast Forward to today: Anthony’s practice and teaching have expanded through education with Functional Range Systems as well as the Ido Portal Method giving him credentials and experience as a mobility specialist and movement coach. These past experiences combined with his recent passion for strength training and calisthenics enables Anthony to offer a holistic approach to physical development.

Greta EastburnBS, NSCA-CPT, PN1

Greta’s been on staff with Tucson Strength for a year now, growing her 1:1 training and nutrition coaching clientele. She earned her bachelor’s in Nutrition Communication from Arizona State University in 2017. Right after graduation she applied herself to earning her personal training certification with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Since 2021 Greta has maintained her Precision Nutrition Level 1 Nutrition Coach certification. She is highly qualified to work with you on your strength and nutrition goals. In her own words:

“I have worked with both small group and 1:1 clients in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, while living on the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands (self-run business), and most recently here in southern Arizona at Tucson Strength. I am most passionate about strength training and have been competing as a raw powerlifter since 2016.

I aspire next to become a certified powerlifting coach and referee. In my experience as a trainer and nutrition coach thus far, I have confirmed that it’s never too late (or too early) to start developing physical, mental, and emotional strength through focused, intentional work in and outside of the gym. Nothing brings me more joy than clients reporting back to me with how much easier tasks of daily living have become as result of their dedication to training and proper recovery.”

Diane ZibaouiPersonal Trainer

Diane has been motivating and inspiring people to achieve their fitness goals for over twenty years. She is a certified personal trainer with continuing education in nutrition, eating disorders, athletic performance, and heart rate/cardiovascular training. She is a graduate of The Desert Institute of the Healing Arts as a certified massage therapist (1991) and is a certified Yoga Instructor teaching and practicing the depths of Hatha Yoga on and off the mat. Diane is a Master in Martial Arts and holds a 4th degree black belt in Tang So Doo. Diane also has her certification in Functional Movement Systems and applies any combination of these training principles to create custom workout programs. She works with people of all fitness levels and specializes in assisting, inspiring, motivating and educating individuals to achieve and maximize their human potential.

Sergio GiardiniInstructor

Serg has been a trainer for over 23 years. He has been with Tucson Strength since 2013 and he leads many of our early morning kettlebell classes as well as helps coach the Tucson Barbell Club Powerlifting Team.
Serg trains all walks of life, from the person that needs to move better, the elderly client looking to stay active, to the individual looking to put on strength and size.
When Serg has competed in Powerlifting in the past but now focuses mostly on mobility, body weight training, and yoga.

Ben Busarow, USAW1, OS1, PPSCOS Instructor, 1:1 Coach

Ben started training at Tucson Strength a year before he became front desk staff in November 2021. His personal fitness journey began in Karate, where for 5 years he learned the fundamentals of discipline, flexibility, and movement/body control. Ben has 8 years of lifting experience ranging from general strength training to powerlifting; over the two years he’s been at Tucson Strength he’s focused on competitive Olympic weightlifting as a member of the High Desert Athletic Club. In step with his own training, he’s a USAW Level 1 Weightlifting coach. In support of that interest he’s also a certified Level 1 Original Strength coach with another certificate of specialization in Pain Free Performance. In his words: “I feel passionately driven toward facilitating personal growth in myself and others, guiding people toward achieving greater levels of strength, mobility, confidence, and competence.”

Becky MyrickOperations Manager

Becky joined Tucson Strength as a member in 2015, first in one-on-one barbell training, then discovering kettlebells. In 2018 she joined the staff as an instructor and administrative help, gradually assuming the role of Operations Manager, making sure we have solid systems set up for our members. She also puts together our amazing newsletter every month.
Becky leads an active life training kettlebells in the gym, biking to work, playing in her backyard with her chickens, and occasionally boondocking all around Arizona.