Instructors at R.A.W.

Lucky you!

Our instructors are all certified teachers. Jodi and Beth both have advanced degrees and their Masters. Dean is a NSCA-PT trainer and a trained Nutritionist. He has a BA in k – 12 special ed teaching. Both Dean and Alex Chval are certified personal trainers with the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a highly respected PT organization in the fitness community.

We believe that getting healthy is the top reason to exercise and eat right. All the other stuff comes as a result of proper eating habits and being physically active outdoors.

Jodi Sardanis
Dean Orfas
rawCarlInsert
Carl Massaro

Carl has been training in the martial arts since 1992. He holds black belts in Tae Kwon do and freestyle martial arts and is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under the legendary Renzo Gracie. Carl has been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over 12 years and is undefeated in Shootfighting and Mixed Martial Arts competition where he holds a 7-0 and 3-0 record, and has also won several titles in gi and no-gi grappling tournaments. He has trained under some of the the best in the world, including Renzo Black Belt, John Danaher, who is currently a Jiu-Jitsu coach and cornerman for Georges St-Pierre. Carl has been a training partner for Renzo Gracie as well as many other professional fighters and is also a liscenced MMA corner man in several states.

Description of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art that focuses on grappling and controlling an opponent through leverage and superior positioning. Much of the technique found in Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu takes place on the ground, where the emphasis is on the use of positional hierarchy, leverage and body mechanics to render a stronger opponent helpless. Students of the art develop learn to move efficiently and develop excellent core strength as well as increased physical awareness. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is also fun, and has been compared to “physical chess,” as the art demands the use of strategy as well as technique.

Beth Rutigliano
Yoga Instructor

Alex Chval
NSCA-PT