Hi, I’m Paul Roberts and I’m a Certified CrossFit Trainer and strength & conditioning coach. I have many certifications in yoga and mobility, and I regularly teach Olympic lifting and Powerlifting. I also manage our running club and obstacle course racing team. In addition, I head up Nutrition Lab to help members with making better nutrition choices to fuel performance and weight loss.
At Sand & Steel, I’m in charge new member account and coach development. In my ten years of coaching, I’ve trained more than 200 new personal trainers and well over 10,000 clients.
Paul Roberts
Degrees and Education
- Biomedical Engineer: Johns Hopkins University
- Juris Doctorate: Rutgers Law School
CrossFit Certifications
- CrossFit Certified Trainer: CrossFit Certified Trainer (CCFT)
- CrossFit Level 3: CrossFit Level 3 Coach (CF-L3)
- CrossFit Judges Course: For judging CrossFit Competitions
- CrossFit Powerlifting: Powerlifting and Strength Training
- CrossFit Weightlifting: Olympic Lifting
- CrossFit Gymnastics: Bodyweight and Mobility
- CrossFit Scaling Course: Progressions and Regressions for Weight Lifting
- CrossFit Lesson Planning: Effective Techniques for Structuring Workouts
- CrossFit Spot the Flaw: How to Spot Faults in Gymnastics and Weight Lifting Technique
Powerlifting, Olympic Lifting, TRX and Kettlebells
- Catalyst Athletics Olympic Lifting: Snatch, Clean & Jerk
- Starting Strength Seminar: Powerlifting Certification by Mark Riptoe
- TRX Suspension Training: Core and Bodyweight Training Techniques
- TRX Group Training Certification: Specialization in teaching TRX Suspension Training in Group Classes
- TRX Functional Training: Specialization in Multi-modal Techniques Combining TRX with Other Training System
- RKC Russian Kettlebell Club: Strength & Conditioning Through Kettlebells. (Expired)
Running Certifications
- Road Runner Certified Coach: RRCA Certified Coach
- CrossFit Pose Running: How to Spot Faults in Running Technique
Mobility and Corrective Exercise Certifications
- Functional Range Conditioning (FRC): Improve Flexibility and Strength at the End of Range of Motion
- Kinstretch: Mobility and Flexibility Certification for Group Classes
- Functional Aging Specialist (FAI): Specialty Training For Older Adults and Seniors
- 3DMAPS: 3 Dimensional Movements Analysis and Performance System
- Muscle Energy Techniques: Rehabilitation and Mobility
- M|WOD ReadyState Movement and Mobility Specialist: Movement and Mechanics
- RockTape FMT RockBlades Basic & Advanced: Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM), Graston, and Scraping to Alleviate Pain and Improve Mobility
- RockTape FMT Performance and Basic: Functional Movement Techniques & Advanced Kinetic Taping
- RockTape FMT RockPods Cupping: Cupping to Improve Tissue Regeneration and Release Entrapped Nerves
- RockTape FMT RockFloss: Voodoo Bands and Occlusion Band (RockFloss) Therapy to Loosen and Mobilize Tight Fascia
- Y-Balance Testing: Examination of Movement Patterns and Imbalances for Functional Assessment
- FMS Level II: Functional Movement Screen and Corrective Exercise Techniques
Nutrition Certifications
- Precision Nutrition: Nutrition Coaching, Meal Planning, and Diet. Took the course, but didn’t schedule the exam.
- Certified in First Aid and CPR/AED National Foundation: Basic First Aid and CPR
Yoga Certifications
- Yoga SCW Level II Certified: Hatha Yoga, Yoga for Seniors, Chakra balancing, Inversions, Pranayamas
- Yoga Inversions and Arm Balances Workshop
My Ethos in Training CrossFit
- Everything is Hard Before it Becomes Easy.
- You Get Out … What You Put In.
- Master the Mechanics, Build Precision Consistency. When You Can Do Both, Then and Only Then, Pour on the Intensity.
Paul Roberts | Owner Sand & Steel
10 Years of Experience. Hired and trained over 200 Personal Trainers.
Worked with over 10,000 members in Strength, Mobility, and Weightloss
How Strong Am I and Does it Really Matter?
Yes, these are all my 2021 numbers at 41 years old
- Max Hip Thrust 465lbs
- Max Back Squat: 415lbs; 5-Rep Max 330lbs (385lbs in 2022)
- Max Deadlift: 375lbs (405lbs in 2022)
- Max Sumo Deadlift: 415lbs (2022)
- Max Bench Press: 315lbs
- Max Split Jerk: 235 lbs
- Max Push Press: 225 lbs
- Max Clean: 215lbs
- Max Snatch: 157 lbs
Should It Matter to You?
Yes, but only to some degree. My Big Three Lifts (squat, bench, and deadlift), put me at 1117 pounds. But would I be a “better” coach if my big three was at 1350 pounds? Maybe … it’s proof of concept to be sure. But there is also genetics and steroids to consider. Some people can lift more weight genetically, just like some people can run faster. So yes, I think you should consider how strong your coach is, but on the other hand, there is way more to coaching than simply how much to can lift.
Such as what?
Experience and Certifications Matter Most
If you want to hire the best coach you can find in your area, choose the coach with the most certifications. I have hired and trained over 200 coaches for Sand & Steel. Invariably, the coaches with more years of experience and more certifications are better than ones with less. To be honest, I don’t find that it matters how shredded or muscular a coach is. Sure it helps on Instagram, but does it help with coaching real people like you? Not so much
Hobbies Outside CrossFit
- Hiking
- Trail Running
- Obstacle Course Racing
- Board Games
- Chess
- Video Games
- Bars and Brewery
Advanced CrossFit Gymastics Skills
Yes, I can demo and teach you to perform all these skills
- Rope Climb
- Double Unders
- Bar Muscle-up
- Ring Muscle-up
- Kipping Ring Dips
- Bar Rollover
- Handstand Pushup
- Handstand Walk
Paul’s Social Media Channels
Facebook • Instagram • Twitter
View Paul’s Before and After Story
+ tips on how to transform your body
“What My Clients Say About Training With Me”
It’s worth mentioning that unlike many other websites, these are real review from real websites like Yelp and Facebook. These reviews are all from active clients … real people you’ll meet at Sand & Steel. People that want to meet you and join you in your journey to improve. View all Reviews.