Gretchen Geist, SSC

Gretchen was born and raised in the Metro Detroit area. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management from Hillsdale College. Her passion for fitness developed in high school and continued into her collegiate years, culminating in a career that has spanned nearly a decade. Since breaking into the industry, she increased her knowledge, skills, and experience with various training methods. The Starting Strength method of barbell training stood out to her as the most effective and simple strength training program in existence. As she learned and grew as a coach, it became clear to her that muscular strength is the basis of all physical interactions and the quality that most profoundly impacts health, longevity, and performance. Naturally, she spent more time under a loaded barbell developing her skills as both a lifter and a coach, resulting in her becoming a Starting Strength Coach in 2023. Gretchen has coached men, women, and teenagers of all ages and abilities to help improve performance, body composition, and overall health. 

When she is not coaching, Gretchen keeps busy with a diverse group of hobbies. She is an avid country swing and salsa dancer, trains and competes in Strongman shows, enjoys stand up paddle boarding, and also reads to exercise her brain as well as her body. In addition to strength coaching, she also officiates women’s lacrosse, field hockey, and volleyball on the high school and college level.