About me

A smiling middle-aged man with short brown hair and stubble, wearing a white t-shirt outdoors with a background of green trees.


I am a holistic movement, strength, and lifestyle coach. My training style integrates strength, mobility, and skill building using principles from martial arts, gymnastics, dance, yoga, acrobatics, and traditional strength training. I have been passionately teaching for 30 years, and my training specialties include natural movement, bodyweight and gymnastic strength training, kettlebells, mobility, hand balancing, injury prevention, and locomotion training.

PhiloSOPHY

My mission is to help people become strong, mobile, and balanced while nurturing playfulness, self-acceptance, and intuition.

I believe that health, in every aspect of life, requires daily movement. Developing consistency becomes effortless when we recognize playfulness and pleasure in moving.  We do that by falling in love and having a deep appreciation for our bodies exactly as they are now.  Then, improving capabilities becomes an adventure filled with creativity and exploration.  For me, this journey is less about self-optimization and more about uncovering our truest potential and moving towards our unique self-actualization.  There are countless movement disciplines to support a supple and healthy body.‍ ‍Most of them are effective! Some work better at different times in our lives.

My suggestion is to choose methods that we enjoy and feel mentally and physically nourished by. They challenge our weaknesses and encourage daily movement.

I support balance in my practice and teachings by exploring disciplines that are both hard and soft.‍ ‍I seek out methods that are intuitive, playful, and expansive, and balance them with trainings that are focused, disciplined, and physically challenging. I find the training I wish to avoid often benefits me the most. Limber dancers and yogis benefit greatly from well-designed strength training programs, and advanced weightlifters benefit from soft martial arts, dance, or yoga-inspired training.

Our bodies adapt, and our needs change. That’s why this is such an exciting and continuously evolving journey.‍ ‍We start noticing that the way we move is closely related to how we live our lives.

I move to be adaptable, nimble, balanced, and strong because my life is more fun, effortless, and adventurous that way.

My Background

My education started with my childhood obsession with martial arts, followed by a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and numerous trainer and athletic performance certifications.  I have had the privilege to learn from some of the best strength, movement, and lifestyle coaches in the world. I especially value working with innovators like my mother and grandmother, Ido Portal, Mike Fitch, Joseph Frucek, and Linda Kapetanea, Fighting Monkey, Dave Durante, Marlo Fisken, Tamara Levinson, Kyle Fincham and Florencia Lamarca, and many others! I am blessed to be friends with many amazing, known, and unknown teachers and movers around the world, who continue to inspire the way I move, train, teach, and play.

As a teenager and in my twenties, I competed in Tang Soo Do Karate and NPC Bodybuilding. In my thirties, I ran a training program in NYC called Train P3 and was a fitness model and an author in major fitness magazines like Men’s Health, Muscle and Fitness, Men’s Fitness, and other media publications. 

In the past few years, I have traveled in Asia, Europe, and South America for fun and to explore movement, meditation, holistic health, and other healing practices. 

I currently reside in Berlin, Germany.

  • Kinesiology B.S. from Penn State University (2002)

    NLP - Practitioner (2026)
    Fluentbody - Teacher Training (2023)
    Thai Massage - Beginner 2-week massage course from Sunshine School of Massage in Chiang Mai (2018)
    Floor Flow     - Flow Movement Teacher Training - Level 1 (2017)
    FRC - Functioning Range Conditioning (2016)
    TFW - Training for Warriors - Level 1 (2014)
    Animal Flow - Level 1 + 2 (2012, 2014)
    NSCA -     CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) (2011)
    USAW     - Sports Performance Coach (2009) - Club Level 1 (2011)
    NASE     - Speed and Explosive Specialist (2009)
    ACSM -     Health and Fitness Instructor (2002)
    NASM - Personal Trainer (2002)
    ACE - Certified Personal Trainer (1998)

  • Train P3, New York

    Creator/Coach (2010 to present)

    Wilhelmina Models, New York

    Fitness Model (2009 to 2017)

    Next Jump, New York

    Corporate Fitness Coach (2011 - 2014)

    Sports Club LA Upper East Side, New York
    Sales and Marketing (2009 - 2010)

    Reebok Sports Club, New York

    Private Trainer (2002 - 2009)

    Penn State Strength & Conditioning

    State College, PA

    Trainer (2000 - 2002)

    Fitness Unlimited, Kingston, New York (1997 - 1999)

    YMCA, Kingston, New York

    Fitness Trainer (1996 - 1998)

How it began

When I was five years old, I saw a movie about Shaolin Monks. I was mesmerized by the beauty, precision, speed, control, softness, flexibility, and power of their movement. At that moment I had the clearest vision of what I will do with my life. I knew that I will dedicate my life to exploring physical, mental, and spiritual potential. I saw myself being an old, wise, and nimble man, with a long white beard, living in the mountains and teaching Kung Fu. While the disciplines of my practice have changed over the years, I have never lost my passion for being and becoming my best version and teaching what I learn along the way.

Maybe I will not be teaching Kung Fu when I am old, but I still like the mountains and I have the potential to grow a long beard and my passion lives on.

what people say

  • For well over a decade now, Nerijus has been my number-one recommendation for a strength coach. He is an exemplary athlete with nearly a lifetime of experience who brings playfulness and creativity into his work. He has a real gift for bringing the best out in people of all levels.

    Marlo Fisken - Movement Teacher @marlofisken

  • Nerijus is the most talented coach I have ever worked with. As a former professional dancer in NYC, movement specialist, acroyoga teacher, and pilates instructor, I have worked with many coaches. Nerijus knew how to push me to the next level of fitness, as well as help rehab some acrobatic injuries. His knowledge of movement, mobility, and strength is impressive. Nerijus helps everyone achieve goals that at first seem impossible. His personality puts people at ease, and his training supports each client in being their best version. I am so grateful for everything Nerijus has taught me.

    Lesley Kennedy - Pilates & Acro Yoga Teacher, Massage Therapist

  • Deeply rooted in decades of experience, Nerijus brings the full spectrum of holistic health coaching by combining physical strength and movement practice with an awareness of body intelligence and tools of inner mastery. Motivation and empowerment come along the way in the playful, creative setting Nerijus is offering. Nerijus is very inspiring to work with because he is walking his talk as a high professional, being the best example of the impact his work generates. Nerijus' virtual class was restorative beyond my expectations and brought my whole system back into strength and fluidity. That's why working with Nerijus is the best choice when searching for a holistic approach to health and physical resilience.

    Ute Schechtel - Executive Coach, Facilitator for Transformational Leadership

  • I'm a physician who has taken exercise seriously for 15 years. I worked with several trainers previously, but while working with Nerijus, flashbulbs went off in my mind. He corrected my mistakes in form and quickly brought me to a new level of fitness. We worked on increasing the intensity of my strength training and improving my explosiveness and core strength. Nerijus revolutionized my workout structure to maximize results without plateauing. And he made my workouts FUN! Every movement is congruent with the preceding exercise.

    Jim Lebret - Physician

  • Training with Nerijus is the best fitness investment I have ever made. As a boxing trainer, I would never trust another trainer as much as Nerijus. He is the epitome of a great coach: attentive, extremely knowledgeable, and creates amazing training programs. Nerijus has an incredible gift for modifying on the spot to fit any person and making sure you see results. I finish every class and session feeling accomplished. He pushes me to do my best, without ever making me feel bad about my progress.

    Brian Pedone - Boxing Trainer, CEO Quiet punch @quietpunch

  • I have worked with Nerijus in parks, in gyms, and online and he always teaches me something new and broadens my understanding of movement. Working with him is always a physical pleasure and challenge, but also a joy. And with him, you know you’re safe to move and explore because of his vast knowledge and experience and because he cares. He has been a huge inspiration to me throughout my Movement Journey and I’m grateful to have learned so much from him.

    Lisa Chaves - Natural Movement Teacher @lisachaves29

  • Nerijus is an intelligent coach and mover who inspires, encourages, and teaches in a way that success and progress are achievable for everyone.

    Samantha Star - Pole, Flexibility Teacher, Coach @lithiumkitten

  • You will find few people in the field of fitness and movement coaching, with the combination of knowledge, patience, passion, and generosity! Nerijus' attention to detail and his ability to find what's appropriate for the client is a skill that can come only through years of experience and personal intuition. I have over 30 years of training as a bodybuilder and Muay Thai practitioner. Yet whenever I work with Nerijus, I always learn something new about training my body and take away insights that positively affect my performance.

    Gary Mahabir - Trainer, Muay Thai Practitioner, Athlete @mahabirgary

  • Nerijus' virtual classes really helped me get outside of my comfort zone, open up and get more flexible and strong. With novel exercises and drills, I never did before, which is saying a lot, given I've done so many fitness workshops, workouts, and coaching sessions over 10+ years. Some workouts really blew my mind as I haven't done anything quite like it before. Fantastic workouts with minimal equipment, that challenged me to the max.

    Marc Perry - Coach and CEO at Built Lean @marcperryfit

  • Nerijus is my reference for what a professional coach should be like. His understanding of human movement is exquisite. And he transmits his expertise in the most accessible way. He immediately picks up on the missing links and targets them from the root. He taught me how to continue moving throughout the day beyond our training sessions and how to have a more holistic approach to health. My body transformed, my mind grew stronger and I am forever thankful for all of his teachings!

    Andrea Plancarte - Physical Therapist, Pole Dance Coach @anplancartept

  • I was fortunate to take a weekend workshop Nerijus taught in NYC in 2018. I was blown away by the variety of strength, agility, flexibility, and skill training he incorporated into two short days! I was impressed with how challenging his training was, while still totally inspiring and fun! Now, working with him multiple times a week virtually, I continue to be impressed with how he pushes us (his students) while being so encouraging and clear in his teaching. The community of the class is incredible and holds me accountable, even on days when I feel tempted to "sit out" because I'm tired. As a physical therapist, his training has been an invaluable tool in informing my own exercise prescription with my clients. Could not recommend him enough!

    Kala Hildebrand - Physical Therapist, Massage Therapist

  • Nerijus is a true fitness expert, and there's always so much to gain from his level of expertise! I'm so grateful to be able to train with him again virtually even though he is located on the other side of the Atlantic. This is truly one of my favorite classes and is so challenging in a smart way.

    Wendy Chu - Dancer & Trainer