About Us
Find Your Better With Us
Better Bodies Club began with one vision: to bring together a fun, non-intimidating community of like-minded individuals seeking the Better Life through muscle movement, injury prevention, strength training, balance, co-ordination and, ultimately, transforming the way you look, feel and live at every age. We break through barriers and we do it better, together.
Meet our Team
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Jan Cartwright FMS, TRX
Owner/Personal Trainer
Marathon runner. Grandfondo rider. Sweat addict. Commitment to something greater than you, is the ultimate strength builder in mind and body, a motto Jan lives by.
Passionate about the desire to inspire and live a fulfilling ‘Third Act,’ Jan is ecstatic to share the manual for the Better Life. With the interplay of nutrition and exercise you can get back to your wonderful self, your health, your optimism and your energy.
Obsessed with cycling, Jan can also guide you through riding-specific strength training exercises that will help you become a stronger and more efficient rider. Not only will you learn to activate your glutes, the power generators on the bike, you will learn to stabilize your hips and strengthen the muscles in your abs, sides and back, the foundation for a healthier and stronger pedal stroke.
Functional Movement Systems
TRX Suspension Trainer
TRX Functional Movement
BackFit Pro, Dr. Stuart McGill, Levels I, II, III
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Garfield Wilson
President
Garfield established Forward Fitness in 2004 after 15 years in a successful singing and acting career. Throughout his entire life, Garfield was involved extensively in sport and fitness. It was a natural evolution to marry his passion for fitness and connecting with people. Forward Fitness is his channel to build a supportive health and wellness community designed to raise the bar for quality in our lives.
Garfield gets his greatest joy from creating situations that affect improvement in his world. Simply put, he likes to make people feel really good. He judges his training success by how positive and capable his clients feel at the end of their session. And as an extension of that, how they connect and cultivate this energy within their lives. Garfield appreciates the time people spend dedicated to fitness and considers it a privilege when they choose to work with him or his team. In Garfield’s care, the potential for fitness and personal growth is limitless.
Garfield spends an extensive number of hours of training but never finds himself on “autopilot” for a moment. He keeps his clients (and himself) inspired by personalizing each session according to their goals, hobbies, motivation and fitness progress. Over the past ten years, he has trained a number of his clients through weight loss achievements upwards of 50-80 pounds, while working to ensure they have the support they need for sustained lifestyle change. In recent years, Garfield’s drive and determination has led him to become the 2009 World Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation’s Male Fitness Model and a garnered him a starring role on CBC’s docu-series, “Village on a Diet”.
Garfield knows what it takes to help people. He has completed extensive continuing education courses in the following areas:
Rehabilitation: Hips, Knees and Ankles (covering assessment, rehab and prescribed exercises)
Rehabilitation: Shoulders, Elbows and Wrists (covering assessment, rehab and prescribed exercises)Clinical Exercise courses, including:
Posture, Clinical Obesity, Type 1 & 2 Diabetes, Cardiac Patients, Active Muscle Release or ART (Active Release Technique)
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Courtney Curnew
Director of Operations
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Casey Souter BHK
Kinesiologist, Director of Training
Over 20 years of sport specific training, team training, rehabilitation, functional training and general fitness training including weight loss, eating plans and muscle body building is what Casey Souter brings to the Better Bodies Team.
Casey has a Bachelor of Kinesiology degree under his belt from the University of British Columbia along with certification in Functional Movement Systems and coaching certifications in Football, Baseball/Softball, Soccer, Hockey and Gymnastics. Casey is also certified as a Group Training Instructor for Team Sports and conducts year round team training sessions for young to high level athletes.
This semi-professional football player earned a Collegiate Scholarship to play football in the United States then transferred to UBC where he won the Vanier Cup and also obtained Academic and Athletic Honors. Later, Casey co-founded and played for the first semi-professional football team in British Columbia; The BC Spartans.
Casey is not all football. He has also participated in the Sea to Summit Series, various Tough Mudders, Adventure Challenges, Half Marathons, Gran Fondos and Body Building and Fitness competitions. He believes that people need to challenge themselves outside of their comfort zones. And the best way to do this is leading by example and training and participating in these events. This “nicest person you’ll ever meet!” has done it all but is still looking to learn with the great group of people at Better Bodies.
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Carson Souter
Master Trainer
Former Toronto Argonaut, Carson Souter, has been a personal trainer for over 19 years. Playing professional and varsity level football at University of Oregon, Carson knows what it takes to be an elite athlete, including rehabbing his own injuries, and, ultimately, passing on his vast experience, knowledge and skills to other athletes.
Carson’s greatest victories, however, come from the commitment of the variety of individuals he trains including a client playing golf again after a knee/hip replacement, training pre and post-natal moms and converting sedentary individuals to live an active lifestyle by simply showing up to the gym -some going as far as participating in 10k runs, adventure races and gran fondos.
Carson is currently working on the connection of diet to one’s overall health and when he’s not at the gym you can often find him in Tyee competitions, collecting football memorabilia and hanging with his family or his clients which are now long-time dear friends.
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Emma Hewitt
Client Care
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Char Dangerfield
Client Care
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Clarence Le B.Kin
Kinesiologist, Sport and Conditioning Coach
Gold medalist of the 2017 BC Powerlifting Association Winter Open in the 66kg open weight class, ‘Clarebear’ is a force. Clarence’s eight years of experience in powerlifting has produced a 315lb squat, 240lb bench press and a 424lb deadlift but this strength and conditioning coach candidate and kinesiologist’s undying commitment and passion lies in empowering and inspiring others particularly those with health ailments such as diabetes or heart conditions and also those intimidated by the gym. Clarence believes you are more capable than you think both mentally and physically and he will be by your side every step of the way.
Clarence’s next goal is to transition into the sport of Olympic Weightlifting. When Clarence is not training clients or himself, or reading up on the latest findings in the field of kinesiology, you can find him at Spanish Banks playing volleyball, slack lining at Kits Beach, cooking for friends or playing the piano.
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Amanda Lau
Personal Trainer, Spin Instructor
Triple Crown sandwiched between coaching double spin classes? If you’re a cyclist, you will appreciate the determination and fitness level it would take to accomplish such a task over a weekend but Amanda de Jong doesn’t look back. Out of the saddle, Amanda is also a personal trainer, mom of two and long time friend of almost every member of our gym family. There are no words to describe how excited we are to have this inspiring sweat addict working next to us and being a part of our daily lives.
Check out Amanda’s spin schedule at methodindoorcycling.com
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Gemma Slaughter
National Academy of Sports Medicine, Certified Personal Trainer
Gemma is passionate about helping others achieve their goals, push their limits and maintain
optimal health and wellness.She begun competitive running 5 years ago where she found success in combining her love for
endurance sport and strength training. Unifying experience from her personal athletic journey
and education, Gemma has lead clients to meet and exceed their goals and stay injury free.
Long Distance Road & Trail Runner
Certified Personal Trainer
Triathlete
Functional Movement Systems 1+2
Strength & Conditioning
CHI – Sports Nutrition Certified
Community Influencer
Agatsu Kettlebell Level 1
Athletic Ambassador
Keiser Spin Instructor
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Nick Lung
Personal Trainer
Growing up gymnastics, led Nick to high-level power lifting, Olympic weight lifting and ultimately a passion to coach others. Nick’s extensive fitness experience allows him to train anyone needing rehabilitation, weight loss, functional movement, performance based training, strength and body building. Nick is focused and intent on proper form. He will train you to build a strong foundation, teaching you to move well before you move often.
This ‘Big Brother’ volunteer is also intent on helping his clients achieve their specific fitness and health goals. If this means attending physiotherapy appointments, teaching whole food grocery shopping habits or cooking healthy meals for his clients, this dedicated trainer has your back!
ACE
FMS 1 & 2
FRC
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Katrina Barrett BESSc
Exercise and Sport Scientist
A competitive swimmer turned swim coach, Katrina found her way to becoming a Scientist of Exercise and Sport from the Australian Catholic University. Applying evidence based training protocols in practical fun ways, building strength inside and out, and focusing on life-training balance will become fundamental for anyone training with Katrina.
Katrina’s science-based training style is delivered with kindness, positivity and ongoing motivational support. When she’s not in the studio, Katrina is doing all things Vancouver – hiking, swimming, running and participating in Wing Wednesdays at her favourite restaurant.
BESSc
CSEP-CPT
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Molly Howes
Academy Council of Exercise Certified Personal Trainer
“I played varsity level soccer for many years. My dad’s extreme love for soccer was infectious. I found soccer through his passion then varsity level cross country running where I thrived competing in many triathlons and half marathons. I owe my path to a career in personal training to him. I am very grateful.”
Molly’s background in high level team and individual sports has given her the skills for sport specific strength training and the drive to introduce an active lifestyle, with gentleness, for her clients that need that extra encouragement and follow up along the way.
This bright disposition soul is also a registered holistic nutritionist. Suffering from severe digestive issues and being a high level athlete, Molly’s determination to fuel herself for optimal performance was paramount. Through a degree in holistic nutrition, Molly learned how to heal her body, perform well and LIVE BETTER!
ACE
RHN
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Sam McDonald BHK
Kinesiologist, Physiotherapy Candidate
Sam is dedicated and passionate about the field of human performance. He possesses a degree in Human Kinetics from UBCO. While studying at University, Sam was the varsity men’s basketball team strength coach where he was responsible for the athletes’ strength and conditioning and rehabilitation programs. Sam currently trains tennis athletes of all levels, from youth to professional. He has learned under the trainers at Tennis Canada, as well as training endurance athletes competing in marathons and Ironman competitions.
On the occasion Sam isn’t in the gym he will be swinging a golf club, snowboarding, wake boarding or traveling.
Bachelor of Human Kinetics
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology
Human Performance
Biomechanics
Certified Personal Trainer
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Andrea McDonald RHN
Sports Nutritionist
As a lifelong athlete, my interest lies in igniting passion and performance in others. As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, I’ve centred my expertise around educating active people about how to fuel their bodies with nutrient-dense whole foods, as close to nature as possible, to nourish the body, improve recovery time and achieve maximum performance.