Our Coaches

Owner/Head Coach

Rafe is a former NPC Teen National Bodybuilding Champion with years of experience in strength training and nutrition. After guiding numerous clients to success, he returned to the stage to win Overall Bodybuilding at the 2021 Phoenix Europa. In November 2024, he earned his IFBB Pro Card and has since helped several clients achieve the same milestone. As both a certified Powerlifting Coach and IFBB Pro, Rafe blends deep expertise with hands-on experience to guide athletes in every area of strength development. He now coaches his wife, Melissa Teich, who recently won the Chicago Pro in Women’s Bodybuilding and is a top contender for the Ms. Olympia 2025 crown.

Coach

Tricia is a vibrant 35-year-old NPC Figure competitor and leader of the West location for Beast Strong Powerhouse. With a deep passion for helping others overcome insecurities and find confidence through fitness and nutrition, her mission is to inspire self-love through sustainable habits. Tricia has transformed her own life—once weighing over 300 lbs and feeling unfulfilled—to now thriving in the fitness space. She brings firsthand experience, resilience, and genuine compassion to those ready to take control of their health and happiness.

Coach

Sophia's love for weightlifting began at 12 years old, and since then she has only continued to build on and dedicate herself to that passion. The gym is not just where she works; it is who she is. From that love grew a science-based obsession with understanding the ins and outs of how and why the body moves, adapts, and performs, and a genuine fascination with nutrition and how different people need completely different things to thrive.

That curiosity drove her to earn a BS in Physiology & Medical Sciences and a Master of Science in Nursing, both with honors, giving her a clinical understanding of the body that goes far beyond a cookie-cutter plan. Her research background in physical activity, health behavior, and endocrinology only deepens that, because she is obsessed with the why and how, not just the what.

That passion shows up every single day in how she coaches. Detail-oriented, direct, and fiercely individualized, she genuinely cares about your world outside the gym because health and fitness are so much bigger than what happens within its walls. Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, or just building your own foundation, Sophia will meet you where you are and push you harder than you even knew you were capable of.

Coach

Vinny Clarin is a powerlifting coach with over 8 years of experience helping athletes build strength and confidence through customized programming. A competitive powerlifter for more than 12 years, with 13 meets under his belt and multiple state records, Vinny brings both firsthand experience and technical knowledge to his coaching. He specializes in individualized programs designed to build strength, improve movement efficiency, and create a foundation for long-term success. Whether working with beginners, competitive lifters, youth athletes, older adults, or those returning from injury, Vinny develops programs tailored to each client's goals.

Coach

Robert is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer with a background in athletics, leadership, education, and public service. He is a retired federal law enforcement officer with 25 years of service, a U.S. Army veteran, former collegiate baseball player, and substitute teacher.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership, and a Master’s Degree in Defense and Strategic Studies. His education and professional experience have shaped his coaching approach through discipline, leadership, communication, and accountability.

Robert works with clients of all ages and fitness levels, tailoring training to each person’s abilities, lifestyle, and goals. Whether the goal is building strength and muscle, losing body fat, improving overall fitness, or becoming healthier and more confident, he focuses on creating a structured plan for sustainable results.

His coaching philosophy is built around discipline, consistency, accountability, hard work, and personal growth. He meets clients where they are, challenges them to improve, and helps them become stronger, healthier, and more confident.