The work changed me first.

Starting point

I got into training when I was just 19 years old, but at first, I did not take it seriously. I would slack off, get frustrated with myself, and struggle with being patient enough to trust the process. It took reaching a low point in my life to realize I needed to make a change, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.

As a transmasculine person, fitness has become so much more than just working out for me. It became a way to reconnect with my body, build confidence, and become comfortable in my own skin. Once I started consistently putting in the work, I realized the work was changing me in ways I never expected. When I finally started seeing the progress I had been working toward, something clicked—I knew this was something I wanted to take seriously.

Mak Elliot

How I coach now

I think of every client's year as a season, and I coach it in phases. Pre-season is where we learn the lifts and build the habit of showing up. In-season is where we load the work and chase real progress. Off-season is the quiet part nobody talks about, where two honest sessions a week hold the ground you took while your schedule goes sideways. Naming the phases means a hard week is part of the plan instead of proof you failed.

Training with me is encouraging, judgment-free, and confidence-building. I want you to feel challenged, but never intimidated or discouraged. I believe in meeting people where they are, being patient with the process, and helping you recognize your own strength and progress.

I love my trans body, and I want to inspire others to embrace their bodies while working toward the strongest, most confident version of themselves. Being a trainer, for me, is about reminding people that their starting point does not define them.