To take Zack Van Wagoner’s TRX LIVE classes is to know—with near certainty—that your arms are going to fall off. But in a good way. ZVW is a nice guy, but he does not mess around.
Born and raised in California, Van Wagoner moved from his hometown of Ceres to San Francisco for college. As a kinesiology major focusing on Exercise Science, it’s no surprise that Van Wagoner liked spending time at the gym. So, as many college students do, he got a job at one.
Van Wagoner started working the front desk at Crunch Fitness and was hired as a trainer after getting certified through NASM. After taking the TRX Suspension Training Course, teaching TRX classes at Crunch, and working his way up the ladder to becoming manager, he was ready for a different kind of challenge—one that required wearing lots of black and yellow.
Van Wagoner began teaching at the TRX Training Center—the real-life studio and TRX headquarters where most of the TRX magic happens—in 2015 and joined the education team in 2016. Today, he splits his time between coaching workouts and developing professional education and content for the company.
Lest you think that Zack is only bringing the pain, rest assured that he can handle any workout he dishes out. For his own routine, he gravitates toward strength and conditioning weight work, coupled with TRX Suspension Trainer exercises. His personal workouts often see a second life as his TRX class workouts. “Now that all the shelter in place stuff is happening, I’m back into my TRX-kettlebell-band work. I'm trying to use bands a lot more now.”
When he’s not working or exercising, Van Wagoner enjoys exploring the Bay Area with his girlfriend. “I've lived here for 11 years, and I still haven't seen everything.” Whether it’s checking out the restaurants and mural-covered alleys of San Francisco’s Mission District or crossing the Golden Gate Bridge to hike in neighboring Marin County, he’s always on the lookout for the hidden—and not-so-hidden—treasures of Northern California.
Like many of us during stay-at-home directives, Van Wagoner jokes that his hobbies are non-essential services and standing close to people, but he maintains a positive outlook. He’s still coaching. He can still go hiking. And he can still get his favorite burrito. (That would be at San Francisco’s La Taqueria, and Zack insists that you try it grilled, a.k.a. “dorado-style.”) Yes, Van Wagoner is a nice guy. Just try to remember that the next time you can’t lift your arms after one of his TRX LIVE workouts.
