Who Am I?

Hi - My name is John Gunn, and I'm the founder of Forward Strength & Fitness. 

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I grew up here in Wisconsin, but I spent about 10 years in San Diego where I started Forward with just a few kettlebells and medicine balls out of the trunk of my Volkswagen. The small group classes I was hosting quickly grew, and I slowly gathered more equipment and more clients, and before I knew it I had created a community and an incredibly rewarding full-time career.

 

As someone that has always been very active, whether it was football, baseball, college rugby, cycling, yoga, ultra-running, and even a few amateur MMA fights, I understand how important it is to not only maintain an active lifestyle, but to also immerse yourself in an environment that fosters growth and offers support, and that's something I've found time and time again in athletics and the gym. And in my lifetime of athletic pursuits I've also learned a lot about what makes us want to move, what makes us want to quit, what it feels like to be burnt out, how to find your second, third, or maybe fourth wind, and when to take it easy for a minute and let the body catch up. I love sharing the feeling of joy and accomplishment that comes after a tough workout or a race and being a part of a healthy, transformative aspect in someone's life.

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As for more formal education, I studied Kinesiology and Human Performance at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Psychology at UW-Milwaukee, mastered kettlebells at StrongFirst clinics, and have been certified through ACE and NASM, and most recently ACSM, as a Personal Trainer.

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I currently live on the east side of Milwaukee with my wife and our two dogs, and we can usually be found running around the trails or enjoying a beer by the lake.

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If you have any questions about my experience or programming, I'd love to talk to you - you can drop me a line here.