Craig Rivera
Sunnyvale Head Coach
- National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified
- CPR and First Aid Certified
- Sport Psychology degree in progress
- A.A. in Criminal Justice
Former US Marine Craig Rivera started his athletic career at age 3 when his mother signed him up for youth hockey (a sport he still plays).
“Growing up on the tough streets of New York City, I played sports as a means of staying out of trouble and staying in shape,” Craig says, “I played basketball, ran track and enjoyed my glory days on the grid iron playing high school football.”
After four years in the Marine Corps, he entered the world of personal training and began working as a specialized trainer and at New York Sports Club.
“I later moved to California and become one of the top trainers for Club One Silicon Valley and Decathlon Club in Santa Clara. At the Decathlon Club, I developed their first-ever boot camp class which they still run to this day. I've also developed a love for coaching and have coached at the varsity high school levels for the past 5 years.”
His most demanding physical challenge to date? Completing [military] boot camp and becoming a United States Marine: “This challenge is NOT for the faint of heart. In my civilian life, climbing Half Dome twice in three weeks is a close second.”
For Craig, the most enjoyable thing about coaching “is watching the transformation within people and instilling the esprit de corps within my teams and boot campers. I often tell my people “the transformation lasts for ever.”
“None of us can be perfect, but it’s the chase for perfection that makes us better,” he continues, “My fitness philosophy is to 'shock the body' - you must challenge yourself in different and unique ways each and every time so that you can keep your body guessing and never plateau.”
And if that doesn’t convince his campers, Craig likes to employ the U.S. Marine Corps motto: Pain is weakness leaving the body.
“I enjoy working with people and sharing my enthusiasm and joy for fitness. I feel it's my way to give back to the world and leave a positive footprint.”
