Through extensive training, certification and dedication, our personal trainers have attained mastery in their fields and now enjoy sharing their skills, knowledge and love of good health and fitness with our members. Here are a few of Gold Medal Fitness’s staff members:
Our Staff
Marty Musikant
Personal Training Manager
Marty has been with Gold Medal Fitness as a trainer since 1999 and as PT Manager since 2006. A lifelong fitness enthusiast, Marty made a career move to Personal Training after 15 years in the food business, including 8 years as a deli owner. He has a love of helping others achieve their health, fitness and wellness goals through education, empowerment and coaching. His clients have included the previously sedentary, “weekend warriors”, children, the elderly and those with special needs. Marty has an athletic background in football and wrestling, including five years as a high school wrestling coach and competing in “masters” wrestling tournaments into his forties.
- National Academy of Sports Medicine(NASM) Certified Personal Trainer
- National Strength and Conditioning Association(NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer
- Adult CPR/AED Certified, American Red Cross
David Ratajack, MPH
David Ratajack has returned to the Gold Medal Fitness personal training staff. David first worked as a Personal Trainer at our facility from 1997-2006. His educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree from Harvard University (in Physical Sciences) and a Master’s Degree from The University of Michigan School of Public Health (specializing in Health Behavior and Health Education).
Through his formal education, a true devotion to ongoing learning, and over 28 years of experience in the healthcare field, David has always tried to deliver fitness training services with the same personal concern, expertise, and attention to detail as do physicians and other healthcare professionals. Many clients have come to him to lose weight or to undertake a safe and effective exercise program following orthopedic surgery, physical therapy, or chiropractic care. Low back pain control, low bone density management, and training to maximize fat loss are three areas in which David has incorporated truly “cutting-edge” exercise techniques.
With his return, David will also be offering an exercise program specifically designed to meet the needs of Older Adults. Using proven methods for determining each person’s unique physical abilities, he looks forward to helping the participants establish targeted fitness activities to encourage functional strength, balance, agility, and flexibility in a nurturing environment.
Kim Kay
Kim has a thirst for learning and always keeps current on the latest research in the exercise sciences. This helps her get her the best results for her clients. One of Kim’s fitness philosophies is that all movement begins with the body’s core. Therefore, it is not unusual for her to infuse Pilates-inspired movements into the workouts she designs. She also believes that integrated, full body exercises should be the cornerstone of any fitness or fat loss program, as the human body does not move one joint at a time. The tools of her trade include a healthy dose of body weight exercises, dumbbells, kettlebells and TRX suspension training.
Kim is proud to serve as a role model, by embracing a healthy lifestyle herself. An advocate of nutritious eating and proper supplementation, she believes this is the key first step to reaching and then maintaining any health and fitness goal. When she is not training clients, Kim can be found in the gym doing her own rigorous workouts. Additionally, Kim enjoys spending time outdoors running or cycling. In recent years, Kim has participated in several organized races, including two marathons. Kim resides in Westfield with her three children, Alexander, Nick and Caroline.
Certifications:
- National Academy of Sports Medicine, Certified Personal Trainer
- Reformer Pilates, Physical Mind Institute
- Kettlebell Coach, Kettlebell Athletics
- TRX Suspension Training
- CPR and AED, American Red Cross
Michael Anderson
Michael Anderson comes to Gold Medal Fitness with a lifelong passion for health and fitness. He has a history of competitive swimming, cycling and running. He enjoys challenging himself by competing in different types of triathlons, mountain and road bike racing and sail boat racing. His most recent competition was a bicycle race up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire.
Michael had become a personal trainer from a career as a contractor. He worked in a field filled with repetitive motion and difficult lifting situations which were generally rough on the body. This gave him an understanding of what it takes to correct imbalances, improve pain free range of motion and return flexibility. He has learned the science of helping himself and looks to sharing that with anyone who needs or wants his expertise.
Michael is driven to always improve and bring new and exciting methods of training to his clients. He is certified with The National Strength & Conditioning Association and is a Performance Enhancement Specialist for Joint Mobility, Dynamic Flexibility and Russian Kettleball Lifting. He is First/Aid CPR & AED trained and is a USA cycling coach, a Special Olympics Sailing coach and an A.S.A. Sailing Instructor.
Miguel Idrovo
Maintenance
Miguel joined the team in 1998 and has had one of the most important responsibilities in the club. His responsibility is to keep the club functional and beautiful. Originally from Ecuador, Miguel is an expert horticulturist.
Mark Cotton
Mark Cotton is a Personal Trainer certified by the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), United States Weightlifting (USAW) and the Poliquin International Certification Program (P.I.C.P.) as a Level Two Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He is also a certified BioSignature Practitioner.
Fitness wasn’t always Mark’s passion. He has certainly taken the “road less traveled by” to his career as a personal trainer. When Mark was 15-years old he decided on a career. During a summer school music class he heard a recording of Ezio Pinza singing “Some Enchanted Evening.” “At that moment I knew I wanted to be an opera singer”, he says. What followed were recitals, small parts in operas and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Central Florida. From 1979 until 1997 Mark sang for several opera companies throughout the US and Europe. He sang the role of Germont in “La Traviata” 53 times and Sir Lancelot in “Camelot” 22 times. But, at that point it became necessary to retire from the opera and focus on his two sons.
When I asked Mark what sets him apart from other trainers he didn’t even hesitate… “Anyone can sit on a machine or do push-ups. You don’t need a trainer to do that. And you certainly don’t need a trainer to chat with you while you’re on a treadmill. That’s a waste of your time and money. If you have a specific goal, if you are an athlete, I’ll know what your workout is tomorrow and three months from now. That’s what you pay for. Not three sets of ten on a machine.” I provide my clients with Structural Balance Testing, Body Composition Analysis and Specific Programs for Hypertrophy, Strength and Power so that they can reach their goals.”
Annicka Arcand
Annicka started her career in the fitness industry over 25 years ago as an instructor and personal trainer.
She has been with Gold Medal Fitness over 7 years and her passion for fitness and people encouraged her to become one of the top sales professionals in this industry. Annicka has traveled across the globe and speaks fitness in 5 languages.
During her free time besides taking care of mom she enjoys Sudoku , reading, jogging, music, and the great outdoors.
Joe Mirabella-McClintock
Joe is a native of Scotch Plains and a graduate of Montclair State University. He brings over 15+ years of management experience in the areas of fitness, coaching, sports skill training and the hospitality industry, where customer satisfaction has always been his first priority. Joe’s teaching philosophy has been cultivated through his experiences as a three-sport athlete, a coach, and an instructor. He believes that athletes are not created equal, but should be given an equal opportunity to attain their fullest potential by providing knowledge in a safe and healthy environment. Joe is excited about the opportunity to create this atmosphere here at The Parisi Speed School of Garwood, owned and operated by Gold Medal Fitness.
Shari Kussner
Shari Kussner has been a fitness professional for 25 years. She teaches a variety of group fitness classes including Spinning, Pilates mat, WillPower& Grace, strength and cardio. Shari has been teaching pilates for over 4 years and is trained in both mat pilates and reformer through PHI. She enjoys working with all types of clients to help meet their goals, including those just starting out as well as fitness enthusiasts who want to add pilates and core strength to their fitness routine.
