Hometown: Santa Fe, New Mexico!
What is your background? How did you get into personal training?
As a child and throughout high school, I was a competitive cheerleader. After graduating and entering college, I gained a significant amount of weight due to the combination of academic stress, a more sedentary lifestyle, and navigating personal challenges. It was during that time that I discovered strength training, and the gym quickly became a place where I could reconnect with myself. No matter what was happening in life, movement provided a healthy outlet, a sense of stability, and a space to build confidence.
Five years ago, I made the decision to leave a more traditional career path working for a fintech startup in the Bay Area and pursue personal training full-time. I was drawn to a career that would allow me to make a meaningful impact in my community, helping people improve their health, build confidence, and create lasting lifestyle changes. Today, that purpose continues to drive the work I do every day.
Tell us about your current fitness goals and training.
Currently, I’m rehabbing a knee injury, so my primary focus is returning to strength training at the level I’m accustomed to. My goal is to get back to lifting pain-free, set new personal records, and become stronger than I’ve ever been.
Once I’ve fully recovered, I’d like to shift my focus toward improving athletic performance, specifically agility, power, and explosiveness. These are areas I haven’t explored deeply in my own training, and I’m excited to challenge myself in new ways while continuing to build a strong, resilient body.
What is the most common fitness myth you work through with your clients?
The most common myth I work to debunk with clients is that lifting heavy weights will make you bulky. When in reality, strength training helps build lean muscle, increase metabolism, and create a stronger, more defined body.
Another misconception is that high-intensity workouts are the key to weight loss. While they can be effective, sustainable fat loss is driven more by consistent movement, strength training, daily activity, and nutrition than by intense workouts alone.
What do you want your clients to take away from each training session with you?
I want my clients to leave every session feeling stronger, more confident, and empowered. My goal is to help them realize they’re capable of more than they think. The discipline and resilience we build in the gym often carry over into every other area of life.
What sets you apart from other fitness professionals?
While my education and experience provide a strong foundation for helping clients achieve their goals, what sets me apart is my commitment to building genuine relationships with my clients. I take the time to understand my clients beyond their fitness goals, learning about their lifestyle, responsibilities, and challenges in life. This helps me to create a more personalized and sustainable approach to training. I view health and fitness through a holistic lens, recognizing that success is influenced by much more than what happens in the gym.
How do you, personally, define success?
Success looks different for everyone. To me, success is about setting goals, no matter how big or small, and finding a way to achieve them despite obstacles and setbacks. This mindset applies to every area of life, from consistently meeting my daily health habits to pursuing larger ambitions, such as continuing my education.
At its core, success is about keeping the promises I make to myself. It’s about maintaining discipline, following through on my commitments, and continuously striving to become a better and stronger version of myself. Each goal achieved helps me build confidence, and gives me a greater sense of purpose.
Favorite quote and who said it?
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
To train with Montana at the Central Studio, click here to schedule a free consultation and structural balance assessment.