Jon Hinds CNT Founder - Head Instructor & Trainer (see Jon’s Bio)
Jessica Rucker, CNT2, CKT, RKC, Manager, Personal Trainer & Class Instructor
While growing up in Colorado, I was athletic as a child, but devoid of all athleticism as an adult. It never occurred to me that I would ever become an instructor for personal fitness at the Monkey Bar Gymasium. Looking back, the road to this achievement was not easy but the benefits I reap now far outweigh the twists and unexpected turns I experienced along the way. In November of 2003, I had my body fat tested. I have always been naturally thin, but the results of my body fat put me in a close range of obesity. At the time this did not convince me enough to make any changes, but nonetheless, I started the 60-day Challenge.
The same day that I was being tested on how many push-ups I could do, Joy Hinds, Jon’s mother was also being tested. There is more than a 40 year difference in our ages, but she could do more knee push-ups than I could. When I began I was 35% body fat and 154 lbs. I immediately saw results not only in a serious loss of body fat but a huge gain in usable muscle. Here are my stats and total change. 143lbs, 16% body fat. That is a loss of 31 lbs of fat, a gain of 20 lbs of muscle for a positive change of 51 lbs!!
Today Jess spends most of her time managing the MBG, but still jumps in and kicks butt in a class or private session here and there. She is a Certified Natural Trainer 2 (CNT2) and Russian Kettlebell Certified (RKC). Jess has been playing classical piano since the age of 4 and she loves to travel. She has been to Japan, Fiji, Australia and Costa Rica… just to name a few!
Chad Barrett, CNT 2, Personal Trainer, Class Instructor
Chad was born in the Midwest, but grew up in central Texas. Having been pretty much hyperactive his entire life, "the Cap’n" ( as the MBG goers so lovingly refer to him) tried several different sports before beginning his training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the MBG in 2002. Two years later, he had developed a passion for the natural exercise that led him to a perfect outlet for all that energy. Through his constant desire for personal improvement as a Natural Trainer, Chad hopes to continue helping people achieve their fitness and athletic performance goals. Through his hard work Chad has become one of the best trainers in Madison and Jon has high aspirations for him in the future.
Tim Clavette, CNT2, RKC, Personal Trainer, Class Instructor, and Online Trainer
Tim began training at the MBG as a holding point until the new Princeton Club was finished (a gigantic 20,000 member facility) 1 block from his house…the MBG was all the way downtown, far from his home, but he had heard good things and thought why not for a month. That was 3 years ago, he got hooked by the hardcore workouts and how strong, athletic and powerful he became in such a short time. Now Tim is a monster, few people in the country can match him in a workout…some of his feats of strength and conditioning are: 5 sets of 5 chin ups to his chest with an 88lb kb!! 1 chin up with 140lbs added to him!! 100 cleans and presses with the 100 lb D-ball in 37 minutes and 300 revolutions with a 2lb jump rope (150 forward/150 backwards) in 1:35!!
Ali Dwyer, CNT, High Energy Yoga therapist, Class Instructor, & Personal Trainer
Ali teaches Eischens Yoga with compassion, humor and humility. Through teacher trainings, wise teachers and students, and her own practice, Ali has come to recognize Eischens Yoga as a powerful way to create change in the body. Through Eischens Yoga at the Monkey Bar Gym, Ali has gained strength, stability and balance in her spine, ankles, knees and hips, as well as inner strength and sincerity.
Before coming to the Monkey Bar Gym, Ali has led an active lifestyle: dancing to the Flash Dance record in the living room, riding her bike in circles in the backyard, climbing trees, and swinging as high as possible on the swing set. More recently, Ali enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee, going for interesting walks and bike touring.
An avid bike commuter and retired road bike racer, Ali also teaches bike "how-to’s" and bike safety for children and adults. Her business, We Are All Mechanics, includes classes in bicycle mechanics for women.
As a bicycle commuter, it is important for me to have enough core strength and hip flexion to sit on my bike with comfort and ease while navigating my world. Before working with Eischens Yoga at the Monkey Bar Gymnasium, I frequently had low back and neck pain after riding my bike, even though it is a custom fit. Through my work with Eischens Yoga, I balanced my hips, creating greater hip flexion, which allows me to sit with my spine extended. Combined with the amazing core strength I have built, I can sit on my bike with a neutral spine, and I am comfortable - no neck or low back pain - for long rides.
Robyn Holm, CNT, Class Instructor
Robyn joined the Monkey Bar Gymasium in January 2003. Robyn had been overweight and sedentary since childhood. After leaving college, processed food consumption and increased lack of exercise spiraled into obesity. After her grandmother died an early death due to obesity-related issues, Robyn began to confront her own health problems.
With the encouragement of friends, this ultimately led to the doors Monkey Bar. Her boyfriend, Harris, had to literally push her onto the gym floor the first day of class! But after her first 60 Day Fitness Challenge, she was hooked! Robyn owes her health to the Monkey Bar Gymasium and all the friends who have supported her and endured her "Guess what we did at the MBG today?" stories.
The shy "fat kid" from gym class has finally metamorphosed into a more confident and healthier adult. Robyn would like everyone to know that you can lose weight and regain your health the old-fashioned way: exercise and proper nutrition. Robyn holds a Bachelor’s Degree in French Literature and Women’s Studies from St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN) and a Master’s Degree in French Literature from the UW-Madison. Outside of the Monkey Bar Gymasium she works in hotel management. She loves reading, gardening, left-wing politics, hanging out with Harris, and herding a small pride of mischievous cats.
Sarah Kalnajs, CNT, Personal Trainer & Class Instructor
Body Power / FIT Class Instructor and Certified Natural Trainer Sarah Kalnajs has been associated with the Monkey Bar Gymasium since it first opened here in Madison. A non-athlete through high school, Sarah began exercising at "traditional" gyms once in college. An unfortunate car accident prevented her from continuing those types of workouts due to the repetitive nature of the movements…then someone gave her a brochure they picked up for a new gym that was "different" from the others.
Sarah will tell you that the Monkey Bar Gymasium has given her back her previous level of fitness and added to it ten fold. The child who disliked gym class because she couldn’t climb the rope or do a chin-up in the Presidential Fitness testing is now doing all of those things! She holds a Bachelors Degree from the University of Wisconsin Madison and outside the Monkey Bar Gymasium is the owner of Blue Dog Training & Behavior where she is a Professional Dog Trainer and Applied Animal Behaviorist.
Christine Ellison, CNT, Class Instructor
Christine started working out at the Monkey Bar Gymnasium in 2004 and began teaching classes shortly after. She has long held goals of a pull-up and nice, correct posture. Both are what she’s attained since working out at MBG. After trying all different types of exercising, the workouts at Monkey Bar are the only ones that have given her enough strength to reach these goals! Christine exercised right through her second pregnancy and attributes the easy birth of her daughter, Phoebe, (3 pushes) to the great core strength she gained through her workouts at the gym.
Before settling in Madison, Christine lived in Wyoming and Colorado, where she led courses in backpacking, rock climbing and sea kayaking. In Wyoming she worked for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and hiked, skied and climbed everyday! Her and her husband also lived in Barcelona, Spain for a couple years where she picked up some Spanish and a taste for Europe. Now in Madison, she has taken to the local pastime of biking and tries to get out to road or mountain bike whenever she can. It is fun for her to see how MBG has helped her gain strength and stamina for her biking and with a strong core supporting her back, she can ride further than ever!
Bonnie Anderson, CNT, Class Instructor
Bonnie loves to travel. She has been all over North America, parts of Central America, Europe and the Caribbean. She has even traveled vertically by jumping out of planes in Michigan and exploring the depths of the Moaning Cavern in California. Bonnie and her wife, Connie, own a house on the east side of Madison. When she is not teaching classes at the Monkey Bar, she works for the State of Wisconsin, volunteers at the Atwood Community Center, and hangs out with her cat, Chuck.
Dusty Darley, CNT, Class InstructorDusty has been working out at the Monkey Bar Gymnasium since 2004 and teaching since 2005. She has been involved in competitive team sports her entire life and enjoys swimming, rowing, running and cycling. Dusty graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2001 with a degree in Art History and is currently employed as the Novice Lightweight Rowing Coach at the UW. She also enjoys Sudoku, home decorating, and watching sporting events.
My number one reason for joining the Monkey Bar Gymnasium was to find a form of
training that would keep me excited, challenged, and involved with other people. I found exactly what I was looking for.Once my collegiate rowing career was over, I trained by myself. I truly missed my teammates and how we pushed one another. At the Monkey Bar I have found something very similar. Working with a partner everyday is very motivating and fun! Since you are working with a new partner almost everyday you get the opportunity to meet new people all the time and if you come regularly you start forming friendships.
I also wanted to become a better athlete and to push myself in new ways. I am drawn to endurance and repetitive sports and wanted to find something to balance that out. At the Monkey Bar Gymnasium, I am challenged in many new ways, which I love!
You will never get bored at the Monkey Bar Gymnasium. You will learn something new everyday, be it a new exercise or something about yourself and your physical and mental limits. I have seen so many individuals surprise themselves by doing something they thought they would never be able to do. Since the Monkey Bar Gymnasium is process oriented we will help you determine what level you are starting out at and what you need to do to achieve your goals
Hadley Hodges, CNT, Class Instructor, & Personal Trainer
Since childhood Hadley has trained in many sports including hockey, soccer, snowboarding, gymnastics, Brazilian jujitsu and Olympic Lifting. Hadley teaches classes at the Monkey Bar, specializes in sport specific training, and has this to say "I like to take a holistic approach when looking at the individual. I find their strengths and weaknesses and then move to more dynamic movements essential to their sport or goal. It is then possible to help one develop overall performance not just in sports but in day to day life as well."
Hadley accredits his success as a trainer to Jon Hinds and the positive training atmosphere at the gym as well as his own knowledge of a wide variety of sports and the understanding of how the body performs in the physical environment.
"I have never been as strong or as athletic as I am now, despite spending countless hours in the weight room while growing up. I attribute this to the Monkey Bar Gymnasium!"
Sarah Heezen, CNT, Class Instructor, Personal Trainer, & Website Manager
Sarah started training at the Monkey Bar Gymasium in July of 2004 when one of the instructors told her that she could help her gain strength. Sarah was born with a rare form of joint dysplasia and was told from an early age that she would never be able to play sports or participate in strenuous activity. This lack of physical activity and poor eating habits led to obesity. In the fall of 2002, Sarah weighed over 300 pounds, ate fast food for every meal, and drank a 12 pack of pop a day. Sarah was tired of being overweight and finally made the commitment to change her lifestyle and stop living her life from the “sidelines”. She was able to lose 150 pounds on her own by changing her eating habits and riding an exercise bike, but she still wasn’t “strong”.
jumps. For the first time in her life she has a full range of motion laterally and is even able to jump rope! Sarah has continued to take Body Power, High Energy Yoga, and FIT classes and when not at the gym enjoys biking and hiking with her dog, Ringo.
Sarah holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology and became a Certified Natural Trainer in the spring of 2006.
"The Monkey Bar Gymasium has had a profoundly positive impact on my life. I never thought that I would be as strong and healthy as I am today. I became an instructor because I wanted to pass on the encouragement and dedication that I have received at the gym. So, if you are ever having the thought “I can’t do this”, take it from me, YES YOU CAN!”
Paul Dunn, CNT, Class Instructor
Paul has been working out at the Monkey Bar Gymnasium since 2003. He became a Certified Natural Trainer in the spring of 2006.
Paul is currently finishing his PhD in Philosophy and plans to teach at a liberal arts college after graduation. In addition to Philosophy, he hopes to introduce students to fitness the “Monkey Bar way”–sound bodies paired with sound minds.
In High School Paul played basketball, football, and excelled as a rower. He has gained a great deal of strength through working out at the Monkey Bar Gymnasium. Some of Paul’s accomplishments include chin-ups with a 32k Kettlebell, improved balance and overall athleticism.
I came to the Monkey Bar Gymnasium because I was burned out on the typical gym experience where everyone trudges along on their Stair Masters, while watching TV, and where strength training means an exclusive diet of bench presses and biceps curls.
I’ve always been a fan of the body weight training and functional "old school" basics that are staples at the Monkey Bar Gymnasium. This style of training, combined with a great sense of community made me recognize that something special was going on here.
The great thing about the MBG is that people genuinely change their bodies and their abilities here. If you get stronger at a regular gym, you move the pin a little lower in a weight stack or add plates to a bar; you’re just doing the same stuff with more resistance. Getting stronger and more fit at the Monkey Bar means being able to DO things you couldn’t do before, and there’s tremendous power in that. To see someone do their first pull-up ever or just engage with their lives more actively is incredibly inspiring.
Cassandra Rivers-Blaso, CNT, Class Instructor
I have met some great people throughout my time at the gym including clients, training partners, instructors, fellow gym members, and even my husband!
Brian Ethridge, CNT, Class Instructor
Brian has worked in physical therapy for 11 years helping patients who are recovering from joint replacements, strokes, and other debilitating illnesses reach their maximum functional potential. Now he wants to put that knowledge and experience to work at the Monkey Bar Gym helping members achieve their goals.
Although Brian has run for 20 years, he never considered running that important in his life until he got injured and was unable to run. He knew his injury was the result of a weak core which was causing biomechanical problems with his gait. He joined the MBG 2 years ago to strengthen his
core and is now running as fast as ever without injury!
Thales Blaso CNT, Head BJJ instructor (Brown Belt)
Thales grew up in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. He began training Jiu-Jitsu in 1999 because he hated working out and thought it might be a fun way to exercise. He loved it so much that he started training 7 days a week!
Thales came to the Monkey Bar Gymnasium in 2005, when his best friend Thiago Viega invited him to help him teach Jiu-Jitsu. He has a brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu and a brown belt in Judo. Thales has many passions including his wife Casey, Martial Arts, Japanese Culture, languages and traveling. The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) ranked him as the number one grappler in the Midwest and sixth in the nation in 2006. This year Thales is focusing on teaching and training.
The funny thing about me is the fact that even when I am not working at the Monkey Bar, I am doing something else here, like resting, reading, or just hanging out!
David Hofhine, Judo instructor (3rd Degree Black Belt)
David Hofhine holds a 3rd degree black belt in Judo. He has multiple state and regional titles including: 1st and 2nd place in the State Judo Championships 4 years running an 4th place in the National Open. Many of his best memories are from Judo, from his first State Championship in High School, to his college clubs, to the 2006 AAU National Championships. "There have been a lot of bumps and bruises along the way, but it has been great fun and the people are the best."
David has been teaching Judo at the Monkey Bar Gymnasium since 2003 and taught at the University of Wisconsin for 5 years prior to teaching at the Monkey Bar. In addition to teaching Judo, David manages Capitol City Comics at 1910 Monroe Street. David is a published author on the subject of Judo. Click here to check out his recent work!
Judo is the most widely practiced martial art in the world with over 60 million students in Japan alone. It is an Olympic sport for men and women. It has spectacular throws and takedowns plus the ground work of BJJ. The Monkey Bar judo instructors, with over 70 years of combined experience, have won so many state and national titles it is almost impossible to list them all. Monkey Bar students continue to win state and national titles every year. We really have a ridiculously good judo program, even though it’s small.
Judo is a very enjoyable past time. It is good for the body, mind and spirit. I know people who have spent a lifetime studying judo and never tired of it. It is a good physical workout and intellectually challenging. There is also a fun social environment, which is fostered by the concept of "mutual benefit and welfare" which is essential to the spirit of judo.