Kelley Rubish Coaching, LLC

⭐️ Meet Derick!

This one is a little different because I can't take any credit for his training…he coaches himself!

Derick joined Koa in 2024 and has been a staple ever since. If you've ever been in the gym in the morning, you know exactly who I'm talking about. He rarely misses a training day, always puts in the work, and mornings at Koa just wouldn't be the same without him.

He's also the definition of a team player. Even though he'd probably rather be lifting than talking, he stepped out of his comfort zone and helped coach at one of our annual community workouts last year. That's just the kind of guy he is.

Now for the impressive stuff...
At 45 years old, Derick recently competed at the Appalachian Regional Championship and put up the best total of his career:
⚪️ 672 lb squat
⚪️ 452 lb bench
⚪️ 598 lb deadlift
🏋️‍♂️ 1,722 lb total

What's crazy is that this didn't happen overnight. He's been competing for over a decade and has steadily built his total from 1,155 lbs in 2015 to 1,722 lbs today.

People see the big lifts, but what I see is years of consistency.
Showing up.
Doing the work.
Repeating that process over and over again.
That's how you get stronger. That's how you get better at anything.

And because no Derick post would be complete without a few fun facts:
⚔️ He will gladly explain why 1 rep is the superior way to train.
😇 He somehow has the face of an angel despite moving weights that could crush small vehicles.
🍻 He firmly believes Viking Fridays should be recognized as a national weekly holiday.

Derick, we're proud to have you at Koa. Congratulations on a huge meet, a lifetime PR total, and for being the kind of person who makes our gym community better just by showing up.

Meet Scott!

⭐️Scott walked into Koa in July of 2025 with very little training experience, but he had a goal: get stronger and leaner.

From day one, he jumped into our Barbell Club and got to work.
You know that feeling when the lifts start clicking? The weights are moving well, confidence is growing, and you can't wait to get back under the bar? That's exactly what happened with Scott.

What started as a desire to get stronger quickly turned into something more. He caught the bug and decided to take the plunge with Koa Power Team and step onto the platform for the very first time.

For a first meet, he put together an awesome performance:
⚪️ Squat: 302 lbs
⚪️ Bench: 194 lbs
⚪️ Deadlift: 386 lbs

What impresses me most isn't just the numbers—it's how quickly Scott embraced the process. He showed up, learned the lifts, trusted the coaching, and wasn't afraid to challenge himself by competing.

Your first meet is about more than the total. It's about stepping outside your comfort zone, testing yourself, and learning what you're capable of. Scott did exactly that.

This is just the beginning. I look forward to watching him continue to grow stronger, build more confidence, and take another shot at the platform!

Meet Dustin!

⭐️Dustin is a man of very few words... until he pulled a 496 lb deadlift. Then came the biggest smile I've ever seen from him.

I met Dustin just 8 weeks ago. He's brand new to powerlifting and had only 6 weeks to prepare for this meet. He came in dealing with some aches and pains, so we knew we had a challenge ahead of us. The goal wasn't just to get him on the platform—it was to get him there as healthy and as strong as possible.

We started by maxing out his lifts at Koa and then got to work.
Dustin had to rearrange his daily routine to make training a priority. He had to learn how to film his lifts, track his numbers, and trust the process. Every week he showed up, put in the work, and got a little better.

And he didn't do it alone. One of the coolest things to see was the support from his family throughout this journey. Whether it was adjusting schedules, cheering him on, or simply encouraging him along the way, having that support system is huge. Powerlifting may be an individual sport, but accomplishments like this are often a family effort.

His meet numbers were:
⚪️ Squat: 344 lbs
⚪️ Bench: 254 lbs
⚪️ Deadlift: 496 lbs

That deadlift was something special. Watching him lock it out and realize what he'd just accomplished was one of my favorite moments of the day.

500lbs+ is definitely in his very near future!

This was only the beginning. Proud of you, Dustin! The future is bright. 💪🔥

Heeeere’s Tyler!

💪Tyler started Barbell Club at Koa Strength And Fitness a few years ago and even competed using that program for his first couple of meets.

As he got stronger, we felt he needed a more individualized approach, so he transitioned to online coaching.

Over the past two years, Tyler has added an incredible 141 pounds to his total. His progress hasn't come easy. He's battled demanding work schedules, consistently making early morning training sessions happen when it would have been easier to skip. He also worked through a back injury, stayed patient during rehab, and came back stronger than before.

At this meet, Tyler put up:
⚪️ Squat: 419 lbs
⚪️ Bench: 271 lbs
⚪️ Deadlift: 476 lbs

These numbers are a testament to his consistency, resilience, and work ethic. The best part? Tyler still has some hefty goals ahead of him. We'll take these results and get back to work with even more focus and intensity.

Congratulations, Tyler! 💪🏽🏋️‍♂️

⭐️Next up is Jacob!

I've been coaching Jacob online since 2022, which honestly doesn't even seem possible. Where has the time gone?!

For years, the entire gym has tried to talk him into doing a powerlifting meet. Every time the topic came up, it was a hard no. He never budged.
So imagine my surprise when I got a text that said:
"How bad of an idea would it be for me to possibly do the meet?"
😂😂😂

Fast forward three weeks, and there he was stepping onto the platform for his very first competition.

Jacob came into this meet with one goal: a 1,000-pound total.
And he walked away with exactly that.
💪 Squat: 315 lbs
💪 Bench: 262 lbs
💪 Deadlift: 426 lbs
Total: 1,003 lbs

Not bad for a guy who signed up three weeks before the meet!
What makes this one especially meaningful is that Jacob has a really special personal connection to lifting that involves one of his brothers. It's his story to tell, not mine, but I know there was someone looking down on him this weekend who was incredibly proud.

It takes a lot to step outside your comfort zone and do something you've been avoiding for years. Jacob finally took the leap, trusted the process, and proved to himself that he belonged on that platform.

The question now is...
Can we convince him to do another one? 👀

Congratulations, Jacob! I'm proud of you for finally saying yes and getting on the platform. Now let's start working on Meet #2. 💪🔥🏋️‍♂️

⭐️Next up is Hannah!

Hannah, Hannah, Hannah... where do I even begin?

I've had the privilege of coaching Hannah for the past two years, and watching her develop into the lifter she is today has been incredible.

Honestly, watching her lift makes me want to be big and strong like her. 😂 Her lifts are smooth, calculated, and powerful. She approaches training with confidence, but she's also willing to put in the work year after year to earn every pound she puts on the bar.

One of my favorite things about Hannah is that she dreams big. She wants big things for herself, she sets lofty goals, and she isn't afraid to chase them. I absolutely love that about her.

This meet was especially special because Hannah was named Best Female Lifter! 🏆⚔️

For those outside of powerlifting, she came home with a sword. And in powerlifting, a sword is THE item to win. It's the trophy everyone wants.

Her numbers this weekend were:
💪 Squat: 335 lbs
💪 Bench: 181 lbs
💪 Deadlift: 390 lbs
Just take a second and appreciate that.

Over the past two years, Hannah has added an unbelievable 247 pounds to her total.
Aye aye aye! What a babe! ❤️
The crazy thing is, she's not done. Not even close.
She already has her sights set on some huge numbers, and knowing Hannah, she'll put her head down, get to work, and make them happen.

Congratulations on an incredible meet, Hannah. Bringing home Best Female Lifter and a sword is pretty dang cool, but you've earned every bit of it.
Now let's go chase those next big goals. ⚔️🔥💪

⭐️Next up is Mary!

💪 Squat: 209 lbs
💪 Bench: 110 lbs
💪 Deadlift: 243 lbs

This was Mary's very first powerlifting meet, and she absolutely crushed it.

What impressed me most wasn't just the numbers she put up on meet day—it was everything she did leading up to it. From her nutrition to her training, Mary's discipline throughout this prep was unmatched. Once she set her sights on competing, she committed fully and did everything she could to make her first meet a success.

Mary is also one of our afternoon group coaches at Koa. She leads by example every single day. Most mornings, you'll find her at the gym early getting in steps with some of the women from our groups before the day even gets started. She's the kind of person who shows up consistently and encourages others.

As a coach, those are the things that make me the proudest.
She trusted the process, put in the work, and stepped on the platform ready to perform.

The result was a fantastic first meet and a total that gives us a great starting point for what's ahead.

The exciting part is that we're just getting started. Now that we have some numbers on the board, I can't wait to see how much progress she makes moving forward.

Congratulations on an awesome first meet, Mary! ❤️🏋️‍♀️👏

⭐️ This past weekend I had 7 athletes compete at the USPC Appalachian Regional Championships, and I couldn't be more proud of every one of them.

Over the next few days, I'm going to highlight the athletes I personally coached through this meet prep and recognize the hard work they put in leading up to competition day.

First up is Ms. Brenda.
💪 Squat: 150 lbs
💪 Bench: 86 lbs
💪 Deadlift: 278 lbs

Brenda is 65 years young and started competing in powerlifting in 2024. Since stepping on the platform for the first time, she has added an incredible 95lbs to her total.

This prep was far from ideal. She battled through some health issues during training and then broke a toe right before the meet. Most people would have thrown in the towel.

Not Brenda.

She kept showing up, kept training, and trusted the process. Her hard work paid off with PRs on both her bench and deadlift.

What I admire most about Brenda is her toughness and determination. She doesn't spend time focusing on obstacles. She focuses on what she can do and gets to work.
I'm incredibly proud of her performance this weekend and honored to be her coach.

Help me congratulate Ms. Brenda on an awesome day on the platform! 👏❤️

A lot of people think fat loss means doing more cardio.
But the truth is…
Strength training is one of the most powerful tools for fat loss.
Here’s why:

1️⃣ It builds muscle, which helps your body burn more calories over time.
2️⃣ It improves metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
3️⃣ It helps shape your body — not just make the scale go down.
4️⃣ It makes everyday life easier because you’re stronger.

That’s why my personal training focuses heavily on helping people get stronger.

You don’t need to be an athlete.
You don’t need to be “in shape.”
You just need a place to start and a coach who knows how to guide you.

Strength changes everything. 💪

👇 Comment STRONG if strength training has helped you or if you're ready to get started.