About Josh

Josh is the founder of Raon Training and boasts an experience of 8+ years of professionally coaching and 12+ years of studying health and fitness. In those years, he has consistently challenged himself through various coaching environments; starting in parks training people for free, cutting his teeth in commercial gym spaces before plunging into the private sector, never looking back.

He has worked with a plethora of high performers and everybody in betwee, including: professional MMA fighters, high level jiu jitsu practitioners, motor sports competitors, military personnel and former professional dancers.

Growing up, he played various sports and trained but nothing really ever “stuck.” Baseball, soccer, basketball, skateboarding and rock climbing were more hobbies than pursuits. It wasn’t until studying nuanced aspects of biology, such as circadian rhythm, gut health, overall nutrition, psychology along with participating in various training methods (endurance, strength, Strongman, Crossfit, Hyrox) that something finally struck a chord.

The realization was firm: that so many people were missing these basic architectures from their lives. Despite the differences in history and both short / long-term goals of clients, there is a massive common ground between us all: the desire, and ability to connect to others, to explore ourselves, discover, learn and find the paths we most value—fitness and health are inherently intertwined with that narrative. On top of that, years of closely studying philosophy, sport psychology and art has led to the creation of a unique, integrated form of coaching.

The gym is a classroom, the whiteboard, a canvas. Movement and communication are tools, in the right hand, with a willing participant, can be life altering.

Now, training is a pursuit, and a constant learning arena. He is happy to train 6x per week, cooking is an obsession, art fills his days and you’ll often find him out for a trail run, hanging out with his wife and dog-baby, or hitting softballs on the weekends with friends.

    • NASM - CPT and Corrective Exercise Specialist

    • Chek Institute - HHP and many biomechanical courses

    • Brookbush Institute

    • David O’Sullivan Mentorship

    • Connor Harris Biomechanics courses

    • Alex Effer (Resilient Training) Mentorship

    • Dr. Michelle Boland Mentorship

    • Dr. Pat Davidson (RTBP) Certified

    • Opex - CCP

    • TTT Coaching Movement

    • TTT Coaching Strength

    • Emergence Performance—Performance Physiology

    • Dr. Ben House—Beginners Mind Mentorship

    • Alex Nichols—The Art of Strong

    • IKN Neurology Online Course

    • Resilient Training and Rehab Foundations course

    • David Grey—Upper / Lower Body, Foot and Ankle Course

The fitness industry sells shortcuts & trends ° Raon Training offers depth & transformation °

Words from clients

  • Pegah

    “Back when I first started training with Josh, I was very hesitant to begin training again. My social skills were rusty due to the pandemic and even worse, I had an unhealthy relationship with my body. Specifically, I practiced martial arts seriously for around 6 years at the time, and I put my body through hell; dislocated shoulders, sprained ankles, etc. you name it. I ended up fearing exercising at some point because I felt like I had no control over my body. I felt all I did was harm myself, so my inner distrust grew steadily. Even then, I knew that this was toxic and that it needed to change.That is when I ended up finding Affekt Training. I discussed my past history with Josh and he seemed genuinely interested in helping me. Although I was still fearful, he reassured me from the start and saw something in me that I couldn’t even see. Through his encouragement, I learned that it is not too late to heal. For some background, our training consisted of strengthening the weakest parts of my body and indirectly my self-image. Now, I can say that I don’t feel pain where I was injured thanks to everything Josh taught me. Most importantly though, I feel like I am an active participant in my life. Life is not just passing me by. I can make a difference every day, even when I feel like it is all pointless.This is what training with Affekt Training is like. It is more than a gym where you go to get fit or achieve some kind of look. Affekt Training is where you go to improve your mind, body, and soul. No toxicity or negativity, no judgement, just pure compassion and dedication.”

  • Dre

    “I was skeptical when looking for a personal trainer. In the past, I have experienced trainers who did not have the correct education of the human anatomy or the care to prevent injury. As a structural steel worker, I was looking for a professional who could not only strengthen my body, but also help me heal it from the demanding physical work load of my day job. I hit the jackpot with Josh. He has taught me methods and breathing techniques that prevent injuries and stress to the spine. He has taught me about joint movement and rotation that has helped me move more freely and improved my posture. My favorite thing about my training sessions with Josh is that I have learned a lot about myself in his gym. He has built a space where one can challenge themselves and has brought to the forefront the subjects of intent and consciousness. One of the best things about his style is that he doesn’t cater to the superficial layer of the fitness industry. Instead, he builds on the foundation of personal accountability, mindfulness, and psychological control of one’s self. No matter how tough my day at work has been, when I train with him I always leave feeling more confident and energized mentally. I truly appreciate the mindset that he keeps in his gym and the values that he holds himself to with his business. ”

  • Justus

    “I can't recommend Josh enough! I'll get to the training specifically later, but first I want to mention what a great guy he is. Josh was there for me during the hardest time of my life, and then again during the most chaotic time of my life. Always willing to do his best to work with me, my financial situation when I was struggling, and my hectic, up and down, off and on, schedule when things were crazy. When I was going through not only the death of my athletic career and dreams, but also the passing of my mom, intense neurological damage and navigating the pandemic and heavy debt all at the same time; Josh would not only build my body up, but build my soul up as well. He is an expert listener and wise sage, and he is slow to speak. But when he would speak into my life and give his thoughts, his words were always fruitful. Now to the training part... He is so knowledgeable and able to adapt to my changing needs as a former professional fighter. I was introduced to him from by a former strength and conditioning coach of mine and started seeing him to stay in shape after I was done fighting. Within just a few weeks I became stronger, more flexible, more explosive and more pain free than ever! So much so that if it wasn't for the neurological damage I was still healing from, I would've signed more fight contracts... And probably would've practiced and fought LEVELS better than ever before!”

  • Emma

    “It is not just training and exercise of the body. It is practice, continuous effort, and alteration of spirit. There is nothing but genuine intent and unfeigned loyalty that Josh has for his clients. We are all striving to find that one person, place or thing that we can bond to, that can rebuild us, or continue to give us that perseverance to propel us in that direction. I believe Affekt is that person, place, and thing. This space strips away what you think is wanted and transforms it into what is needed.”

  • Riley

    “Josh has been a true gift in my life. He has been my scaffolding system during a period of intense transformation in the space of my physical existence. It’s been fun here. It’s been joyful. I’ve grown by massive scales. It’s been the truest gift and I’ll be forever grateful for the contribution this place has had. It’s been a playground where I can explore and talk things through and feel heard and considered and supported. Where I have a safe place to grow in an area of my life that I’d always been somewhat terrified to really engage. It’s special. It is often my favorite part of the day.”