TASH ANDERSON
For as long as I can remember, sports and movement have been a part of my life. Most of my life, I focused on one sport...soccer. However, once my high school years rolled around I found myself becoming involved in other sports; horseback riding, track and field, and even swimming. With track I was able to make state finals in the 4x4 relay, 4x1 relay and the 300-meter hurdles. After this, I started to realize that my athleticism could be used for all different types of movement, and soccer wasn't the only sport I could be passionate about.
After I graduated high school, I went on to play college soccer at Walla Walla Community College. Being surrounded by so many athletes who were constantly getting injuries, I began to change my mindset towards training. I knew I wanted to switch my training method from “no pain no gain” to training with an intentional and holistic approach. When my time was up at Walla Walla, I knew I wanted to switch up my life path and I was ready to hang up my soccer cleats. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been drawn to Hawaii and have wanted to learn to surf. So I applied and was accepted to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, packed a bag and made the move to the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
It was natural for me to start in the Kinesiology/Physical Education program. Movement has always been in my blood and it was the only thing I was truly passionate about. I wanted to learn how to teach people to move mindfully, to prevent injury, and how to become a better athlete of life. While earning my degree, I also explored many types of athletics. I practiced jiu jitsu, surfing, skateboarding, biking, hiking, free-diving, yoga, rock climbing, snowboarding, and I started to explore breath-work. Moving through different elements, I quickly learned that moving or “working out” for me was not about how I looked, it was about building a strong and resilient body for the long game. I want to be the grandma that is telling her grandkids to "keep up!"
After graduating from UH at Manoa with my B.S. in Kinesiology Rehabilitation Science, I became a NASM certified personal trainer, and moved back to my hometown, Bend, OR to pursue my dream in becoming a gym owner. As I was looking at places that I wanted to work at to learn from the best, I stumbled across Empowered Strength. Right away I knew this was the place for me. Shortly after getting hired at Empowered Strength I earned my StrongFirst Girya Level 1 Certification. This is when I truly understood the value in kettlebell training.
John Odden, the owner of Empowered Strength was everything I could have asked for in a mentor and coach to help me on the path towards my goal of becoming a gym owner. He has completely shifted my whole perspective on what it means to be strong and resilient and the impact you can make as a coach. For that, I can’t thank him enough.
My passion is sharing movement education, the power of breathing, playing outside, and plenty of laughs. I believe in strong connections with people through mindful movement and fun, one deep breath at a time. I'd love for you and your friends to come move with me!