Jack Clark
Personal Trainer Specializing In:
LaCrosse Training
Kids Fitness
Training For All Ages
Education:
B.S. Youngstown State University
Major: Exercise Science
Certifications:
NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
Background
I graduated Youngstown State University in May of 2022 with my bachelors of science in Exercise Science, and I’m excited to be starting my career with the clients and staff here at Become Better! I’ve loved the weight room since I was in middle school, when I started in my basement with my dad on a beat up old bench press, and that enjoyment of fitness never left. In high school I played football and lacrosse for Baldwin. I continued to play club lacrosse throughout my college career and to this day it is my favorite sport to play on the field and coach for in the weight room. While in high school I had the opportunity to begin training with my old middle school basketball coach (who it turned out was pretty good in a weight room), and my schools strength coach; both of whom made a profound impact on me not just as an athlete but as a person. They both helped cement my desires to get into this field! Through my college career I had some great opportunities present themselves to me. One such opportunity came my freshman year when I helped found YSUs Theta Chi chapter and made some of my best friends! Another major opportunity was an internship which allowed me to help run the weight room for the football and women’s volleyball teams at Westminster College. Thanks to this experience I’ve broadened my horizons on what populations of athletes I have experience training and found a deep love of helping athletes of all levels translate success in the gym to success on the field! I’ll see everyone in the gym!
Get to Know Coach Jack
What do you do for fun?
Obviously I like to workout. I also like to play lacrosse any opportunity I get. At school, my fraternity brothers and I are usually doing something if it’s nice out; golf, tossing the football, hanging out on the porch, etc.. I’m into art too so I do a little graphic design/drawing/painting when I get the time and the inspiration.
What is your favorite lift?
Deadlift
What research have you done or plan/hope to do in the future?
I spent 2 summers at Pitt’s Human Engineering Research Labs, which does a lot of research on improving outcomes for people with disabilities. I wrote one paper on the benefits and limitations for powered lower-limb exoskeletons like the re-walk, and another on global barriers and facilitators to exercise for people with disabilities.
What is your favorite color?
Ironically, blue. I just picked red for this because I thought it would contrast better.
What is your favorite food?
Berry Salmon, but if you ask me again in a week I might give a different answer.
Why did you choose to study Exercise Science?
For most of my high school sports career we never had a strength coach who knew what they were talking about. My senior year the school put up the money for a real CSCS who knew how to improve player’s fitness and athleticism and the differences in results were night and day. On top of being a really interesting guy and showing good results, it always stuck with me how one guy who knew what he was talking about in the weight room could impact a whole team of athletes who give their all to be good at their game.
What is your favorite movie?
The Departed
Who is your favorite teacher?
My 12th grade earth and space science teacher Mr. Bruckner was a really cool guy. He was kind of eccentric and off-the-wall, but I got the impression that he behaved like that on purpose so that nobody would stop paying attention while he was talking. If they did he might ask them some really obscure question and draw attention to them. He also made a lot of efforts to keep his classes hands-on which meshed well with my learning style. The spectacle alone was entertaining enough, but he was also a pretty effective teacher. I learned a lot about weather and astronomy in that class. Probably not the most profound answer, but it’s an honest one.
What is your favorite sport to play? To watch?
Play: La Crosse
Watch: Just about anything… Football and Baseball definitely would be up there.
