How I went from weak and insecure to feeling stronger than ever.
Hey, I’m Harris
Strength Coach, Teacher and Human.
I want you to have the confidence, strength, and clarity that I have gained from strength training over the past 10 years.
It has absolutely, with-out-a-doubt, been the biggest catalyst to a better life.
When I was 15, I was incredibly insecure with my body. I felt scrawny, weak, and as if I couldn’t hold my own physically. I needed change.
I wanted to feel true self-confidence and to “grow into myself” as older family friends insisted would come with age.
I understood that growing up would push me out of this awkward phase, but waiting was a lame option. Taking ownership would be my best bet.
I soon discovered the true power of strength training and fitness.
I fell in love with it.
Most of my time was spent watching YouTube videos, reading articles, and practicing my new knowledge in the gym.
What you can take from this
I knew that creating change meant immersing myself in what I wanted to accomplish.
I had to educate myself and take action.
If you are sick of waiting to become happy, know that it takes a complete mindset shift.
Looking strong and feeling incredible doesn’t come from sporadic workouts or learning a few tips here and there.
Commit to improvement and education.
Commit to consistency.
Commit to owning what comes next.
MY LIFE
HELLO WORLD | 1995
Born in Maryland; Confused, naked and excited for life just like you.
MY OLDEST MEMORY | 2000
5th birthday party. Miniature golf. Hated soda. Accidentally drank some. Stung my throat. Screamed in front of everyone. Solid memory.
MAJESTIC HAIR | 2002
First 7 years. Majestic hair down to my shoulders. Wild times.
CHIPOTLE STOLE MY HEART | 2007
Age 12. Tried Chipotle. Transformative. Current burrito count is over 2,000. Chipotle, please sponsor me.
MY FIRST GUITAR | 2007
Age 12. Began guitar. A Teal Green Fender Stratocaster was my first. I prefer acoustic nowadays. Was in a highschool band. Was a beginner. Was kindly asked to leave. They did well after. Awkward. I still play. Also love to sing.
MY BAR MITZVAH | 2008
Age 13. Officially a man by Jewish Tradition. Party theme: “Rock With Harris.” Fake guitars everywhere. Had my first shot. Older cousin snuck me vodka. Good times.
10 YEARS OF BASEBALL | 2009
Age 14. End of a 10 year baseball obsession. Was never “good” by any real standard. I had my moments though. Always dove for the ball. Always went for it.
HOOKED ON GOLF | 2009
Age 14. Took up golf. Over 1,000 hours practiced in the first two years. Played on highschool team. Team won the state championship. Still love golf. Owe it all to my dad. He introduced me to golf. Dream is to travel the world with my future family and play the coolest courses.
WHERE IT ALL STARTED | 2011
Age 16. I Began Strength Training. The foundation of everything I do. Used to be weak; Physically, Mentally, and Emotionally. Lacked confidence, a backbone, focus or discipline. Strength training is how I built a new life and reinvented myself in every way.
HIGHSCHOOL.EUROPE. COLLEGE | 2013
Age 18. Finished High School. Went to Europe. First time ever. Four weeks living in Austria. Day one, I got lost. Couldn’t find the apartment for 18 hours. Crazy story. Ask me about it if you’d like. Started college a month later. Indiana University.
ALMOST FAILED OUT | 2013
Age 18. First semester. Almost failed out. Zero to do with intelligence. Simply lack of purpose, focus, and effort. Massive wake up call. Extremely embarrassing. Didn’t like school. Focused on fitness. Learned a lesson. Hard work is translatable. Even if you don’t like the thing you must do, work hard. You’ll be more prepared when you’re working on what you love.
FIRST TEACHING JOB | 2014
Age 19. Put in a class with other “near fail-outs.” Was top of the class. Teacher recommended me for an assistant teaching role next semester. First sign of my love for teaching. Graded papers. Led discussions. Provided 1-on-1 check-ins with students. Loved every minute of it.
MY FIRST COACH | 2015
Age 20. Found Force Fitness. Badass gym near my college campus. The Owner and Head Coach introduced me to Olympic Weightlifting. I had custom programming. Elite coaching. Planned competitions. My first true experience with coaching and proper training. Absolute game changer.
MY FIRST COACHING INTERNSHIP | 2016
Age 21. Started a coaching internship with Force. Never considered this field. Was on path for Physical Therapy School. Coaching looked amazing. Had to try it. Fell in love with it. Teaching people strength and helping them smile was the greatest thing ever. Unpaid, 6am start times. Didn’t care. Beyond grateful for the opportunity.
START OF COACHING CAREER | 2016
Age 21. Completed 200 internship hours. Asked for a job. I Love coaching. Knew I had to dive in. Coached full time with Force for nearly two years. Taught group strength and conditioning classes. Trained middle and highschool athletes. Coached moms, dads, teachers, grandparents and more how to safely, efficiently, and effectively lift weights and get after it. All while having a blast.
MY FIRST CONTENT | 2017
Age 22. I had to share more. I discovered instagram and created a fitness account. Stayed up until 1:00am in the morning contemplating. I was nervous that I didn’t know enough. Wasn’t good enough. Would lose credibility. Said fuck it and did it anyway. Posted everyday for about a year.
MOVED TO NYC | 2018
Age 23 | Big decision. Needed this. Left Indiana. Wanted more. Landed in NYC. Wasn’t “ready,” whatever the hell that means. Went anyway. Knew almost zero people. Life changing time.
1-TO-1 PERSONAL TRAINING | 2018
Age 23. Joined a large fitness company. Different style. In Indiana, I worked semi-private with a few clients at a time. Only coached, No sales. No business. Minimal program creation. Here in NYC, I did it all. Learned the A-Z process of meeting a stranger and eventually helping them change their life through fitness.
SLIGHTLY FRACTURED ELBOW | 2018
Age 23. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Dabbled in the past. Started again. First day of class. Rolling partner accidentally fell on my elbow. Got an X-Ray. Possibly fractured. Let it heal naturally. Stopped Jiu-Jitsu. Scared to try again. But fear is good. Lean into fear.
PATY AND I BEGAN DATING | 2020
Age 24. Began dating Paty, amore! Absolutely, without a doubt, the greatest person to ever come into my life. My biggest fan. Strongest supporter. Love her to death. Meeting her kickstarted the confidence to start my own business. First and foremost, everything I build is for her and our future family. She happens to be a phenomenal Cake Artist and Pastry Chef. Admire her work on Instagram @bakingwithpaty
A QUARTER CENTURY | 2020
25th Birthday. Closer to 30 than 20. Paty made the absolute coolest birthday cake I’ve ever seen. You can see it on her Instagram.
STARTED MY OWN BUSINESS | 2020
December 17, 2020. The day I resigned from the gym and officially went all-in on my business, “Coached By Harris.” Emotional day. Sad to leave familiar faces and habits, but extremely excited to be in full control of my life and the help that I can offer you. I’m all in now and here to serve you relentlessly. I hope you’ll stick around and say hi.
STARTED LEARNING SPANISH | 2021
Officially began Spanish Lessons. Have been practicing for months with Paty and her family. My goal is to become fluent. I didn’t think I needed lessons (or a coach) because I was practicing with native speakers. Turns out, it’s incredibly helpful to have focused learning, guidance, and someone who cares about you to customize the learning process. A not-so subtle hint; everyone can benefit from a coach. Everyone.
BUILT COACHEDBYHARRIS.COM | 2021
Nearly my 26th birthday. I created my own site a while back, but it was more for me to learn the software and experiment. I decided to hire a professional to help rebuild it. I hope you find use in this site. I’m here for you absolutely always, and I hope you’ll contact me whenever you need something so we can get to know each other and start making your life as strong as possible.
