OUR STORY: The Long of It

Travis Cooper, one of Zach’s clients and MDUSA team member, hit PRs in both the snatch and the clean and jerk on the international weightlifting stage in Kazakhstan. After a suffering a back injury in 2014, Zach had helped him not only train pain-free, but also prepared him to compete at the elite level. Later, Travis invited Zach onto his podcast, and the two discussed the inner workings of their success.

After the podcast aired and more athletes began reaching out to Zach from all over the world, he realized: This could be a profession. Not only that, but: This could be a business. With the help of his old friend, Dr. Sobolewski (Dr. Swol), Zach continued to learn about the science behind performance and refine his programming.

So he set aside the physical therapy idea and applied for an LLC. He also appealed to his wife for a company name. “Strength Ratio,” she said. “Because the way you help people overcome injury and get stronger is by balancing the relationship between their training, fatigue, stress, and…well…life.” The name stuck, and Zach started to offer his programs under the auspices of the little blue button.

In the meantime, Kyle Clechenko, a University of Iowa student who was studying business and exercise and sports science, interned at CrossFit Asheville. He was enthusiastic about strength training, coaching, AND ice cream, which meant he was instantly inducted into the Zach Greenwald and Becca Lee friendship inner circle. He became such a close pal that once, when Kyle returned to Asheville after a semester at school, Zach broke the gym door in his excitement to see him.

From Zach’s perspective, the next big business move was a no-brainer. Becca had a multifaceted background in outdoor education and leadership, experience as a competitive climber and weightlifting athlete, pragmatism, and compassion in spades. Kyle possessed business expertise, experience as an athlete in multiple team sports including basketball and football, equanimity, and kindness as impressive as his calves.

They both shared Zach’s lifelong commitment to learning about coaching and exercise and sports science. And, when Zach asked if they would join him in ownership of Strength Ratio, they said, “Yes!”

There they were: A team made up of great friends who wanted to do good, and who wanted that good to be improved health, fitness, and performance for all!

They drew up business plans, they built a website, and they grew their client base. They began coaching remote athletes from countries all over the world, including Australia, Ecuador, France, Ireland, Canada, and England. They trained weightlifters, CrossFitters, powerlifters, and strongman competitors. As their athletes experienced success after success, as they overcame injuries and overtook their performance goals, the Strength Ratio trio began to think…

Couldn’t this coaching and programming methodology benefit people who aren’t strength sport athletes? What about people who are endurance athletes, or outdoor sport enthusiasts, or who just want to become healthier and fitter? Certainly they could benefit from the Strength Ratio way. And that’s when Kyle, Becca, and Zach decided to establish an Asheville, NC headquarters.

In half a warehouse that the crew sublet from Kyle’s father, David (he stored his tools and work equipment in the other half), the three Strength Ratio owners opened their doors to anybody that wanted to train sustainably. They had three squat racks, four barbells, and a lot of drive. They offered strength and conditioning classes, weightlifting classes, and personal programming. It wasn’t long before word got out in Asheville that Strength Ratio was the place to come for attentive coaching, programming that drives calculated and measurable results, and a community that’s inclusive, positive, and wholly supportive.

Both the remote and the onsite athlete communities grew. David took all of his tools and work supplies to the warehouse next door. The Strength Ratio crew ballooned into the new space, then got bigger. So Kyle’s dad took his tools and work supplies home. And Strength Ratio took over the second warehouse. (Thank you, David. We are eternally grateful.)

And then Strength Ratio hosted their first athlete camp. Their Asheville headquarters had always been a haven for remote athletes seeking some in-person training and a vacation in the mountains, but the athlete camp was the event that really solidified the unity among the onsite and remote athletes. It also solidified Strength Ratio’s role as a champion of exercise and sports science and a conduit of research findings. Dr. Swol and his wife, Olympic Gold Medalist, Amanda Polk, were kind enough to provide free lectures on the basics of training and nutrition for all who attended.