They called me Mr. Glass
This origin story is of a clumsy child, born so prematurely he had to be a fighter. Damien never even learned to crawl properly. Later, he would not walk home from school without rolling his ankle on a crack or tumbling down a hill. Through adversity, he grew to be very passionate about sports like basketball and volleyball, taking a leadership role in athletics throughout school. Damien was recruited by the University of Toronto for volleyball. He excelled at judo as a child, developing a lifelong fascination with the martial arts. But no matter how hard he fought, Damien’s body failed him body every step of the way. Aching knees, shoulders, and ankles that turned on him constantly.
He pushed forward and continued to dream of high-level competitive sports. At the age of 14, Damien was attending a summer basketball camp when tragedy struck. He caught a pass at half court, turned to push off, heard a deafening POP! and collapsed to the floor in pain. That pop was the internal sound of his leg exploding, breaking just below the knee. Tragedy struck again at 16 years old when he suffered the same non-contact avulsion fracture on the opposite knee. It happened to his elbow next, ending his volleyball playing days, but starting him on his coaching journey.
Realizing that his athletic dreams were quickly fading away, Damien became entirely obsessed with one thought: Why Me? Why had he experienced this pain and these injuries while others, who had been just as active, had not? Rebellious to old ideas; “just growing pains,” “just unlucky,” Damien began to read. Learning everything he could about the human body, the way it moves. Heroes turn to training. He would go on to study the dark arts of Kinesiology & Nutrition, spending his free time living in the laborogym tinkering away on his body with the help of home-brewed nutrient elixirs, shakes, and magic smoothies. Okay, lots of meditative gaming hours spent too.
No evil in this genius jock turned mad scientist, now a dedicated coach using technology to help you explore, understand, then ultimately master your body. He has a vast toolset, sharpened and refined through years spent coaching youth volleyball, teaching university Kinesiology students, personal training clients from the ages of 10-74, working in a rehabilitation clinic, and studying how nutrition and mindset play as crucial a role in getting healthy as fitness itself. In his free time, he volunteers to work with at-risk youth striving for athletic success, motivated to give them access to experiences, and expertise that he did not have.
Damien’s best reward comes when his clients get excited by the improvements in their skin, energy levels, and brain function. Damien’s body doesn’t hold him back from enjoying all life has to offer, and he loves teaching his clients how to embrace the same. Empowering you to move pain-free, eat food that serves your goals and lifestyle, to be passionate about activity, and to love the skin you are in is Damien’s ultimate goal.
Education and Certifications:
- Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, NSCA
- Precision Nutrition Level 1
- Muscle Activation Jump-Start
- Redcord Neurac Level 1 Certified
And the important stuff…
Star Wars or Lord of the Rings?
Star Wars! Between the movies, Clone Wars, and video games… It’s not even close.
The favorite video game of all time?
The Legend of Zelda Oracle of Ages (my first trip with Link)…, Or maybe Skyrim…, Actually probably the Witcher 3! Ok, I can narrow it down to sword slinging fantasy RPG, that’s the best I can do!
What are you passionately nerdy about? (Board games? Game of Thrones? Anime? Cosplay?)
If my answer above doesn’t tip you off… VIDEO GAMES! I love them. From my early days with Sonic on the Sega Genesis and Tony Hawk and Siphon FIlter on the Playstation all the way through to present-day masterpieces like God of War and Personal 5 Royal. Video games have always been a way for family and friends to bond, and now, living across the country from my brother, they are how we stay in touch.