INTRODUCING CrossFit Cedar Grove
Meet the fitness experts ready to help you achieve your fitness goals at our gym.
ABOUT CrossFit Cedar Grove
Our gym team of fitness and nutrition professionals are invested in your health. We make every decision with our members’ well-being in mind. Achieve your goals with us!
THE TEAM
OWNER
Jaclyn Bates
As the owner and founder of Limitless Performance & Therapy, CrossFit Cedar Grove, and West Essex Barbell Club, Jackie has dedicated her life to helping people improve their wellbeing. A friend first mentioned CrossFit to Jackie and she fell in love with the new intensity it brought to her workouts.
COACH
Jordyn Bush
Jordyn is a remarkable Weightlifting coach, whose compassion, patience, and expertise have transformed the lives of many athletes. Her genuine kindness and methodical approach make her an exceptional coach for athletes of all levels.
Jordyn’s coaching style is built on a foundation of empathy and understanding coupled with solid training principles, always taking the time to listen to her athletes’ needs and concerns. She recognizes that everyone is unique, and tailors her coaching approach to suit each individual’s strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Her patience is unmatched, and she always takes the time to explain complex techniques and concepts in a way that is easy to understand. Under her guidance, Jordyn’s athletes achieve success-whether that means earning medals or building up their confidence. Jordyn’s mastery of the lifts and attention to detail help her athletes to reach their maximum potential, pushing them to new heights and unlocking hidden strengths they didn’t even know they had. Medals: 2020 Under 25 Nationals Snatch Silver Medalist in the 71kg Weight Class2021 University Nationals Snatch Bronze Medalist in the 76kg Weight Class2021 Under 25 National Champion in the 76kg Weight Class2021 North American Open Series Champion in the 76kg Weight Class2021 North American Open Series Finals Snatch Silver Medalist and Bronze Medalist in the total in the 71kg Weight Class2022 University National Champion in the 76kg Weight Class2022 FISU America Games Gold Medalist in the 76kg Weight Class
COACH
Jake Houthuysen
Jake was introduced to CrossFit at the young at of 15 after he had to stop playing football due to injuries. Initially he liked the competitive edge and how CrossFit pushed him physically, but he stayed because of the sense of community and friendship he had with other members of the gym.
It was so unlike any other gym he’d been a part of. Seven years later with two years of US Powerlifting under his belt, Jake has obtained his CF-L1 and plans to obtain his CSCS in the coming months. Jake has been passionate about this sport for a long time and is thrilled to be able to coach and give people the same experience his coaches gave him throughout the years.
COACH
Alexa Sibio
Alexa hails to us from Caldwell, NJ with her CF-L1. She started CrossFit in 2020 and has been hooked ever since. It challenges her every day and because the workouts are constantly varied with strength and speed, she says it gives her the best of both worlds.
Leadership is something in Alexa’s life that she has always really enjoyed. Although new to coaching CrossFit, she’s no stranger to commanding a team. Alexa had previously coached girl’s lacrosse and small group training classes. She says the draw for her is to help people better themselves every day! While not in the gym, Alexa likes to read, spend time with friends, family, and her dog Lari, and do lots of outdoor activities.
COACH
Justin Ciaburri
Following the conclusion of his collegiate football days due to a neck injury, Justin sought a fresh outlet for his competitive drive. At Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) a chance encounter with a fellow athlete led to a pivotal introduction to the team's coach, the renowned Nicholas Curry.
Justin’s athletic journey spans an impressive 16 years, a testament to his unwavering commitment and unwavering effort. From tackling challenges to embracing opportunities, he has left a lasting impact on his chosen path. When asked about his go-to exercise, Justin’s favorite is the Power Snatch. This lift, requiring precision and strength, encapsulates his approach to his journey – a balance of determination and skill, symbolizing his unwavering spirit. Justin continues to inspire others through coaching to navigate their own paths with determination and purpose.
COACH
Michaelle Negra
Born and raised in Cedar Grove, Michaelle joined CrossFit Cedar Grove as a member but found enjoyment in helping others get fit and healthy to hit their goals so she decided to obtain her CF-L1 and her CrossFit Kids Certification.
CrossFit is something that changed her life and she wants to help others see and feel its benefits. Michaelle initially started doing CrossFit because she was bored of doing the same thing at a regular gym. The variety of workouts and movements of CrossFit kept her going with the sport, but she specifically stayed at CrossFit Cedar Grove because of the coaches and community – it’s her second home.
COACH
Joseph Rella
Rella has made a career out of helping others as a Police Officer and sees coaching as an extension of this line of work. He enjoys working with like-minded people who are looking to push and improve themselves, no matter where they came from or what their current abilities are.
COACH
Angela Vitellaro
As a former collegiate cross-country runner, Angela found a love for obstacle course races such as the Spartan Race; CrossFit was a natural progression from there. What started out as a side gig teaching HIIT classes at her alma mater two years ago is now her main focus.
Plain and simple, she coaches because she likes helping others and always has. She loves watching someone’s face when the movement finally clicks for them. Angela is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and recently obtained her CF-L1 after participating in CrossFit for five years. CrossFit is special to her because of the amazing community, and she loves that there is always something to work on and improve upon.
COACH
Brennan Elio
With a background in basketball and soccer Brennan was led to CrossFit Cedar Grove a few years ago by family members who had been at CrossFit Cedar Grove since its opening back in 2015.
COACH
Sue Mignone
Sue was looking to shake up her workout routine - she wanted to get stronger and challenge herself. After her first CrossFit class, she was hooked on the workout, but the community and friends she's made along the way are what kept her coming back to CrossFit over the years.
She loves the community at CrossFit Cedar Grove and that she can get everything she needs to stay in shape in just an hour at the gym. After 5 years as an athlete, Sue felt the pull to obtain her CF-L1 and coach because she loves helping people reach their goals and wants others to feel as excited about CrossFit as she does.
COACH
Duke Ferguson
With a long standing passion for fitness, Chicago, IL native, Duke recently moved to Montclair, NJ and joined the CrossFit Cedar Grove Team. In college he played football and ran track, but realized he enjoyed being in the weight room as much or more than he enjoyed being on the field.
From there sports lead him into Olympic weightlifting and Oly lifting is how he found CrossFit. Since then, Duke has earned his CF-L2 and with 3 years of coaching experience with CrossFit and professional hockey athletes, he brings a wealth of knowledge to our team. Duke says that the best thing about being a coach is to be a part of something bigger than himself.
COACH
KT Armstrong
KT's CrossFit journey began three days after her college basketball career ended. She attended her first CrossFit class and has been hooked ever since. She loves the sense of community, the commitment to hard work, and the challenge of learning new skills.
COACH
Jodi Hudson Brannigan
Jodi began her CrossFit Career in 2010. Her background is in ballet: from the age of four through her college years, Jodi danced with the Richmond Ballet both as a trainee and in their Student Company.
Jodi has been coaching CrossFit since 2013. She is a Level 2 trainer ans is currently studying for the Level 3. She is also CrossFit Kids certified.
In her spare time, Jodi is a trial attorney in her postion Of Counsel at Connell Foley LLP. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Seaton Hall School of Law. She’s married to her husband Patrick and is the mom to twins, Ryan and Liam.
COACH
Juan
Juan is not just a fitness enthusiast; he's a dedicated CrossFit advocate on a mission to transform lived through physical and mental empowerment.
COACH
Will Barrientos
My fitness journey began back in 2012 when I discovered CrossFit and shortly after, I found myself gravitating towards weightlifting.
COACH
Dani Aguilera
Dani walked into her first CrossFit gym as a very out of shape, binge eating, under eating athlete with little knowledge about weights and nutrition.
She played sports growing up, including swimming, horseback riding, and Muay Thai, but never saw the aesthetic results she wanted. Diving headfirst into CrossFit and the nutrition field has helped Dani finally leave binge eating behind, properly nourish her body, skyrocket her confidence, and have a blast working out. She saw muscle on her body she never thought she’d have and saw herself doing things she never thought she’d be able to do! Dani’s mission is to help transform people’s lives both in and out of the gym using sustainable, flexible, and balanced approaches. Being a mama to two boys 14 months apart has given her insight to the prenatal and postpartum experiences as well as how hectic parent life can be. As much as she would love to keep all her clients forever, her goal is to give them the confidence, knowledge, and power to become independent and no longer need her as their nutrition coach.
Certifications:
CrossFit L1 Coach
CrossFit Judges Course
Precision Nutrition L1 Coach
M2 Performance Nutrition: Hormone Health
M2 Performance Nutrition: Understanding Metabolism
M2 Performance Nutrition: Gut Biology
M2 Performance Nutrition: Practical Nutrition Coaching
