Meet Our Awesome Instructors
Toni Mafes
Training for 12 years and teaching for 10 years has provided Toni with the experience to compete in Muay Thai matches and in the New York Daily News Golden Gloves boxing tournament.
Her active interest in coaching and instructing stems from 2 years of collegiate cheerleading coaching at St. John’s University, where she designed workout regimens and diet plans for University’s athletes.
As a certified nutritionist, Toni has also written a number of books The Most Beautiful Color Is YOU, No One Will Play With Bossy Bobbie, Crayons and Save BeeVille
John Wieland
John has been involved in athletics for his entire life.
In 2010 he became a Crossfit Level 1 coach. During this time he worked with some of the top Crossfit athletes in the region. Eventually he transitioned to personal training. This allowed him to utilize his background in boxing and strength and conditioning to develop unique and effective exercises programs for his clientele.
In 2015 John was introduced to the Rock Steady Boxing program for people living with Parkinson’s. In his own words, this program has been some of the most meaningful and rewarding work he’s done in his career. John has a deep passion and enthusiasm for working with people who are ready to put in the effort to improve their health and fitness. John is also a teacher at Bronx Lab School. He has certifications in special education and social studies.
Fitness Certifications:
- Certified personal trainer with the National Association of Sports Medicine.
- RockSteady Boxing coach.
- Corrective Exercise Specialist with National Association of Sports Medicine.
- Certified Nutrition Coach with National Association of Sports Medicine.
- Crossfit Level 1 coach (not active)
Linda Madsen
Linda Madsen is a certified 200-hour yoga instructor.
Gentle Yoga: Enjoy a mix of Vinyasa, Hatha, and Yin Yoga.
Meditation, stretching, and restorative poses.
Develop self-awareness, strength, flexibility, and a sense of calm.
Fitness Certifications:
- Certified 200-hour yoga instructor
Michelle Starr
Michelle has been passionate about health, wellness and especially weightlifting for over forty years. In 2023, she decided to pivot away from a 40-year career as a finance executive in Corporate America and focus on combining her desire to "give back" and her passion for fitness.
Michelle was hooked from her very first session as a volunteer at Rock Steady Boxing. She completed her Rock Steady Boxing training and supports programs at two locations. She even seeks to volunteer when travelling (most recently, at Rock Steady Boxing in Tel Aviv).
Michelle is also dedicated to helping change the perception of ageing by demonstrating people's ability to stop, slow and even reverse the progression of Sarcopenia (age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength) through weightlifting. In addition to spreading the word through social media posts, she developed and runs AgeStrong, a beginner's weightlifting program at Belmars Gym.
Beyond these programs, Michelle also spends time three days a week supporting teens with Autism in group fitness training.
Alyssa McKenna
Alyssa developed an interest in sports at a young age, particularly basketball and volleyball, which became an overall love of fitness. After college, she joined gym classes to learn more about strength and fitness, ultimately joining Belmars Gym in 2017. Since then, Alyssa has been training at the gym to increase her knowledge and skill set in Muay Thai kickboxing.
In 2022, Alyssa turned her attention to teaching others the art of boxing and Muay Thai. She has experience with one-on-one private sessions for beginners and group classes, which can focus on technique as well as overall cardio and fitness. In addition, she enjoys helping others live a more healthy lifestyle, which not only includes fitness but also overall nutrition and well-being so they can gain confidence and achieve their full potential.
Alyssa has recently been introduced to the Rock Steady Boxing program and is excited to be an instructor and help create and lead workouts for the group.
