As Owner of Advanced Fitness and Performance, Joe is the engine that propels AFP down the drag strip. Joe graduated in 1992 from one of the best liberal arts colleges in the country, Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA. In 1995, Joe gained his National strength and Conditioning Association’s Certified Personal Training accreditation while he was working in a physical therapy clinic in Kittanning, PA.

With his Personal Training credentials, Joe expanded his training to a healthier population in the health club setting. It didn’t take long for Joe to gravitate south to the warmer climate of Sarasota/Bradenton, where Joe quickly found a niche for training younger athletes of all sports. With his talents, Joe landed in a sports and fitness clinic where he acquired the knowledge and skills required to obtain his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

After a successful five years training many athletes and clients of all abilities, Joe sensed there was something missing with his expertise. Joe sought out another physical therapy clinic where he could link his Strength background with special populations that needed strength training, such as Osteoporosis patients, Back rehabilitation patients, neck rehabilitation patients, and other overuse ailments. When Joe sensed the time was right, he went out on his own and formed Advanced Fitness and Performance to put his unique skills to work.

Just like Joe’s unique educational background, his athletic experiences are just as unique. Joe has always liked the art of competition and believes competition is good for everyone. Joe has been searching for competitions most of his life starting off in high school racing motocross, then off to over 20 triathlons(before they were popular). Once out of college he realized that his strength levels were higher than most and got involved in Power lifting. This was still too mainstream for a man that constantly looks to be different. Joe was looking for a sport to compete in that was unique and that would enable him to use his strength. The sport he found was the Scottish Heavy athletics. Joe’s skill level and weight climbed the up the ladder of the heavy athletics from the C class to the A Class and it was his weight that started causing him problems. Joe’s knees and body frame wasn’t able to maintain the weight that was necessary to compete at a high level in the Scottish Heavy athletics. Part of Joe’s training for the Scottish Heavy athletics involved training the traditional Olympic Lifts so it only seemed natural that he turn his sights toward Olympic Weightlifting.