OUR STORY
Our personal experiences shaped how we view fitness, which is why we have a specialized approach to exercise. You are unique, and so are your goals and challenges. We strive to meet you where you are and customize the workouts to you, because we believe that YOU CAN!
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Discover what other professionals are in our network and which non-profits we partner with.
THE ORIGIN OF FIRE FOR EFFECT ATHLETICS
JAMES
OWNER & HEAD COACH
Being a gym owner wasn't always the life plan. However, after exercise saved his life, James decided that he wanted to give the power of exercise and health to others in hopes that it would impact their life as much as it did his.
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James was always active as a young person. He was involved in several Varsity sports in High school, and eventually played semi-pro football for several teams around the country. While in college at Penn State, he felt a calling to join the military. He left for the Marines in 1999, and decided to go combat infantry. He's served in 6 tours overseas in areas like Iraq, as well as several other missions across the globe. After years of marching, humping (aka rucking), and daily PT, his body started to take a toll. At the age of 30, he was having a hard time standing for 5 minutes due to back pain, and needed a walking cain to get around. He had tried several medical procedures, to no avail, and the doctors were now recommending serious spinal surgery. They told him afterwards, he would "never lift heavy or play sports again". They explained that he could swim and do yoga, but that would be the limit.
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His heart was ripped out of his chest. The weight room was a second home to him for so many years, and he didn't know who he was if he couldn't be the strong Marine anymore. Before committing to surgery, he had a second opinion, who recommended a functional fitness gym. He walked in thinking that it wasn't going to do anything, but he decided to stick with it for a little while. He was in pain the first day, and the second day, but by the end of the month, he started to notice some changes. He eventually was able to walk without the cain anymore, and soon enough, he was pain free.
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From that experience, he was able to avoid the major back surgery, and dedicated his life to offering others the same outcome that he had. Not only the physical benefits were felt. He also found a new found community of people that he was excited to connect with. His struggle with depression and PTSD was helped as he connected with others who cared about him. When James planned to open a gym, he wanted to create a place for other veterans to find a new found community and support.
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Since then, he's coached several athletes to podium in state-wide and national events, trained new recruits in the military, served on CrossFit Strongman's seminar staff, and so much more. We want to work alongside medical professionals to provide the best care for clients, so that all avenues of approach are met. His greatest joy is watching someone who think's they can't, do what they never thought imaginable!
TRACEY
GENERAL MANAGER
"Active" is Tracey's middle name. She was a varsity athlete for 4 different sports in High School and then went on to compete in triathlons after college because she's always had a love for endurance sports. Then she found CrossFit when she was 23, and fell in love with the weightlifting and physical challenge. Exercise always was a part of her life, until...
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...it wasn't. Soon after she turned 25, she fell 10ft during a workout and tore her ACL, fractured her femur, and destroyed half of the cartilage in her knee. It was a major injury that left her unable to walk for months.
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She chose to have ACL reconstructive surgery 2 months after the incident, and from the extensive damage done to the leg, she was unable to walk for another 3 months while healing. Physical therapy helped her get back to walking, but she wasn't able to fully exercise by the time her insurance stopped paying for PT. She found that there's a generous gap in coaching from injury to sport readiness. She wasn't willing to accept that she won't be able to lift or run again, so she started slowly back at the gym. She took time to research rehab exercises, and modified the workouts to fit her ability at the time.
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After 1.5 years, she felt like she was back to her peak sports performance, and continued to run triathlons, compete in CrossFit competitions, and lift heavy. She quickly connected with James, and shared in his vision to create a holistic gym that met people where they are at physically and mentally. She has been an integral part in creating the atmosphere and community at the gym by creating a welcoming environment where everyone is treated equally. Each person is deserving of the same amount of attention, coaching, praise, and care.
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Her work is a labor of love, and it's evident in all that she does.
ADAM
OPERATIONAL MANAGER
Adam is where exercise meets methodology–making him a wealth of knowledge and precision. His gifts are putting the theoretical into a practical sense, both in exercise and our gym's mission.
Adam's passion for athletics, like many coaches started when he was a child. He grew up playing team sports all the way up to his senior year in high school. Sports established a foundation for a love of teamwork and physical fitness within Adam that holds true to this day.
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Adam started his leadership journey by joining the Navy at 21, and went on to serve over 4 years. Taking the skills he developed as a mechanic prior to the Navy, Adam became an Aviation Electronics Technician; working with over 150 commands within the Pacific Fleet and its squadrons. The Navy entrusted him with multimillion dollars of assets to support the southwest region; servicing mechanical, electrical, and electronic systems as small as speed sensors to whole jet turbine test cells. The Navy also taught him a new found sense of belonging and purpose with other veterans–further fueling his passion for helping others.
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During various training evolutions, the military pushed Adam's physical limits, resulting in multiple major injuries and chronic conditions within his legs, hips, and back. Treatment and rehabilitation of his injuries were lackluster to say the least, which drove him to evaluate his life purpose. At his final duty station, Adam jumped at the opportunity to become an Assistant Command Fitness Leader (CFL) to help prevent his fellow sailors from experiencing similar hardships as him. Conducting work as a CFL introduced Adam to begin to understand how physical training could help others with a wide range of needs, including: how to effectively maintain fitness standards in creative and engaging ways, all while preventing injury through effective training programming; how to return to service after prior injuries, surgeries, and postpartum recovery; as well as assisting those working towards completing selection within Naval Special Warfare & Operations.
After the military, Adam then took it upon himself to find effective non-invasive methods to treat his chronic conditions; which created a desire to deepen his knowledge and achieve a Bachelor's Degree in Exercise and Sport Science from Temple University. While conducting his studies, Adam discovered the restorative power of exercise and how it can be used collaboratively with other healthcare practices to help treat acute and chronic physical conditions.
Shortly after moving to Philly, Adam quickly found a home at FFE with a shared passion of exercise, as well as caring for people's mental and social wellbeing. ​He's gone on to lead multiple clients to complete various fitness and wellness goals, including: helping tactical athletes like FBI agents, police, fire fighters, and military members meet or even surpass mission specific needs; sending athletes to national Strongman competitions, as well as national and international rowing competitions; collaborating with Physicians, Physical Therapists, and Dietitians to rehabilitate individuals with advanced chronic conditions; as well as optimizing the quality of life for expectant and postpartum mothers. He also leads the charge in training our interns, 1:1 coaches, and provides continuing education to our staff.
Adam finds unique ways to connect body mechanics to everyday experiences to help people better relate to fitness. His attention to detail is unparalleled and he is able to customize any workout to fit any injury or adaptive need.​​​
