GET TO KNOW OUR TRAINERS: DEVIN CLOUD
Hello everyone! My name is Devin, and I’m a weightlifting coach/personal trainer here at Pittsburgh Fitness Project. I’m originally from New Jersey. I grew up all over south Jersey, and I was always frequently active. Whether it was running around outside with friends, building forts in the woods, or just playing sports constantly, my desire to move and compete has been ever-present. Later on, in middle school and then high school, I started to strength train in addition to playing sports. I found out about weightlifting from my wrestling coach’s son. He was a two-time national champion in the sport. He was one of the first people to show me the sport, and I later trained with my first official coach later that same year. I fell in love with the sport, and it was my main focus of activity thereafter. Once I was about 2 years into the sport, I decided that I would pursue the sport collegiately.
Collegiate Years
I spent 5 years at LSU Shreveport in Shreveport, Louisiana learning the sport inside and out, as well as the science of training. Being a former field sport athlete, I learned the benefits of training in the weight room and what it could do for other athletes on the field.
Later on, in my undergrad and in my master’s work at Louisiana Tech University, I took a great interest in working with athletes in the weight room. I personally enjoyed working alongside collegiate athletes because of their desire to work towards their goals relentlessly. Many of these athletes have aspirations to play professionally and, in some cases, become Olympians.
Speaking of Olympians
My time with the United States Speedskating Team is also another special group of athletes I’ve enjoyed working with. These individuals ranged from 16-year junior national competitors to multi-time world and Olympic champions. The themes of these two groups are very much the same. Each one has a desire and drive to improve themselves and to attain their goals. Some of them come from very small beginnings. One of the speedskaters I worked with had not even found the sport of speedskating until she was 26 years old right after the previous winter Olympics in 2018. Inside of an Olympic quad (4-year span), she found the sport, trained extremely hard, dealt with injuries and difficulties, and became an Olympic gold medalist. She was the first African American woman to win gold in US Speedskating history.
Who I Love Working With
Individuals like these are who I aspire to work with. People who come from very diverse backgrounds and beginnings. Whether that background is rich with sport and activity, or you’re just looking to take on a new physical challenge, I look forward to helping you attain whatever it is you desire. Making a plan and setting up goals can be daunting and uncertain, but with a good coach, this becomes a much better process and journey for us to embark on together.
If Devin seems like a good fit for you, you can set up an assessment with him here.