Meet The Team

Lisa Ruckh

Group Class Fitness Director

For over 20 years I’ve been teaching and training at fitness facilities all over the LA area, and was the Group Fitness Coordinator at the Glendale YMCA for 11 years. I thrive in the fitness environment and look forward to many more years sharing my ardor for good health and inspiring/guiding my fitness team to provide the best service to our members.
Associates Degree in Kinesiology
Certified by AFAA for Group Fitness/ NASM for Personal Training

Kyle Nelson

Cycle & Strength

Hey y'all, I'm Kyle! Originally from Mississippi, I moved out to Los Angeles for physical therapy school at USC, graduating with my doctorate in 2018. I have been teaching cycling and other group fitness classes for approximately 6-7 years now. Fitness has been a big part of my life since undergrad and it's a passion of mine to help others work towards achieving their fitness goals.

Angela Faissal

Burn45

Hello! My name is Angela Faissal and I've been a certified personal trainer since 2013, & group exercise instructor since 2015. I earned my B.S. in Kinesiology Exercise Science, Master's in Public Health, and I'm currently in my 2nd year pursuing my Doctorate of Chiropractic Sports Medicine. My passion is in educating others on all things fitness & empowering them to take control of their own health. As a local Pasadena resident, you can catch me running the Rose Bowl, Lacey Park, or around the neighborhood, so don't hesitate to stop me and say hello!

Emile Abikhalil

Burn45 & HIIT

Emile has been a dedicated personal trainer and group fitness coach in Southern California for eight years. He has a background in sports gymnastics and martial arts, expanding his expertise and skill into the fitness and athletic fields. Emile also has a large influence motivating people around the globe via social media, where he coaches them to achieve their fitness goals by providing daily workout tips, online training sessions and customized workout plans. His passion is to help people feel amazing about themselves both physically and mentally.

Isabel Rivas

Zumba

Hello! I am Isabel and I have been a Zumba instructor since 2012.  I have taught at schools, studios, and most recently - Virtually!  I am currently licensed to teach Zumba, Zumba® Toning, Zumba Sentao®, and Zumba® Step. Exercising is very important for us so why not have fun with it.  I absolutely love teaching Zumba classes simply because every class feels like a party!  Join me so we can dance, laugh, and workout to great music.  See you on the dance floor!

JoAnn Mauries

HIIT & Strength

Hi my name is JoAnn Mauries and I am a personal trainer and physical education teacher.

I have trained a variety of clients and have helped them reach their personal goals, which I find very rewarding! I love helping people feel strong and capable of doing long life fitness. I have been training for 5 years and teaching for 7 years. I have my Bachelors and Master's in Physical Education and am ACE Personal Training Certified.

Laney Carter

Cycle

Hi! I'm Laney. My passion for health, wellness, and the constant itch to move my body led me to join the fitness world and to start teaching spin! As a fitness instructor I work to inspire people to be the best version of themselves - physically and mentally. I love sweat and red faces! I ride to the beat of the music and love the electric energy from a full spin class. So come join me on a bike and let’s ride!

AJ King

Pound

AJ is a Pound Fitness and Dance instructor dedicated to helping find freedom and fitness through movement. She has taught both dance and Pound for the last 4 years at local studios while also using these platforms in her physical education classes. AJ started dancing at her aunts studio when she was six but truly fell in love with dance and movement after being offered a dance scholarship at The Athletic Garage for one year. She is a mom of two and also a secondary physical education teacher. While staying dedicated to her own fitness journey, she hopes to inspire others by leading as an example and encourage us to see our worth and value through the process. 

Daniel Kucan

Heavy Bag Kickboxing

Daniel Kucan has degrees in fine art and kinesiology. He is a multiple blackbelt and has fought, performed and taught all over the world. 

Carrie Plescia

Latin Dance HIIT

Carrie Plescia began her fitness instruction career in 2000 in Santa Barbara while she attended UCSB and studied Latin American Studies and Physical Education. She also studied and traveled in Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Cuba, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador and Guatemala. During her travels, she acquired her music and dance moves that she now uses in her fitness classes. With a background in dance and fitness that goes back to her childhood, she fuses her dance experience with aerobic movements and popular Latin dances. Carrie's class is a high impact workout in Salsa, Samba, Cumbia, Afro-Cuban, Cha-cha, Merengue, Punta, Reggaeton and Bachata. She has taught Latin Dance Fitness classes in LA for over 15 years in gyms and dance studios. 

Eiji Inoue

Tai Chi

Eiji has been teaching Yoga, Taichi, Kung fu, Karate for his whole life, along with his acting career here in L.A. You can see him in numerous films and TV shows in the past 30 years such as AMC’s “The Terror Infamy”, ”The Last Samurai”, ”Pearl Harbor” and more. He decided to be an actor and came to the U.S. back in ‘92. Acting,Yoga, Martial arts & Healing(“Touch for health/ Applied Kinesiology) is his life work as the tools to seek and discover the law of the nature within the balance and unifications. He strongly feels his mission is to inspire his students to have a happier, healthier passionate life. He is thankful to be able to share his skills and experiences every day.

Chase McCown

Cycle

Chase McCown is an actor, writer, producer, and fitness instructor who hails from Oklahoma City. His great love is spinning, where you can watch him jumping to anything from throwbacks to rock & roll to disco. Join him for a dynamic, fun cycle class!

Cindy Mendoza

Yoga Flow & Group Fitness

Cindy celebrates 22 years as a group fitness instructor, motivating class members with her cheerful persona and inspiring others through her welcoming spirit. She has an upbeat teaching style, focusing on form, technique, and safety - adding true value for every movement in the body. Cindy also enjoys taking classes on a regular basis, especially formats that are not in her repertoire. From her first class at San Francisco State University, to South Pas Fitness, Cindy's teaching portfolio continues to grow. 

Mike Baig

MMA Cardio

Mike Baig had been a student of martial arts for 40 years and a teacher for 25 years. He is an expert in his field with black belts in 6 different styles including 6th dan in karate. He is certified to teach Kettle jitsu, strength and conditioning and Shamrock MMA under UFC legend Frank Shamrock. Former MMA and Muay Thai fighter, turned coach, Mike has trained champions and coached many others to dozens of victories in both MMA and Muay Thai. Mike is also a certified MMA judge and referee.