About Us

We’re more than a gym — we’re a space dedicated to elevating how you move, feel, and live. At Freeform Fitness, science meets care through personalized training, nervous system-informed coaching, nutrition, and recovery strategies that support performance, health, and longevity. Just as importantly, we believe lasting change happens in community — surrounded by coaches who care and people who share your commitment to growth.

About Us

We’re more than a gym — we’re a space dedicated to elevating how you move, feel, and live. At Freeform Fitness, science meets care through personalized training, nervous system-informed coaching, nutrition, and recovery strategies that support performance, health, and longevity. Just as importantly, we believe lasting change happens in community — surrounded by coaches who care and people who share your commitment to growth.

Meet Our Team

Melissa Jenkins

Co-Founder & Coach

Melissa brings nearly two decades of experience in the fitness industry, blending exercise science with innovative approaches to performance, recovery, and long-term health. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and is certified as a Z-Health Practitioner, Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) Practitioner, and Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach, alongside additional holistic health certifications.

With a background in dance, athletics, and martial arts, Melissa approaches training with a unique eye for movement quality and body awareness. She also trains and competes as an international Tai Chi athlete, highlighting her commitment to balance, adaptability, and continuous growth.

Melissa’s philosophy is rooted in helping people move better, build strength, and create energy that supports their whole life. At Freeform Fitness, she combines her expertise in biomechanics, neuroscience, and holistic wellness to design programs that enhance performance, recovery, and quality of life.

Ivan White

Co-Founder & Coach

With over 35 years in the health and fitness industry, Ivan brings deep knowledge, experience, and passion to every client he works with. His career spans a wide range of roles — from personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach, and group fitness instructor to physical education teacher and facility owner. He has also served as a strength and conditioning coach at a prestigious college preparatory academy in Pittsburgh, where he helped student-athletes build strong foundations for long-term performance.

Ivan holds advanced certifications as a Personal Trainer, Strength & Conditioning Coach, and Medical Exercise Specialist, equipping him to support clients with diverse needs — from optimizing athletic performance to improving functional health and navigating post-rehabilitation training.

Through a thoughtful and highly individualized approach, Ivan helps clients develop strength and resilience while learning to listen to their bodies, understand the value of recovery, and build sustainable habits that support lifelong health.

Together, Melissa and Ivan bring decades of experience and complementary coaching styles to create fitness experiences that go far beyond traditional training. Their shared vision is rooted in balance, adaptability, and commitment — the core values that guide their approach to health and performance. By uniting their expertise under one roof, they’ve built a space where clients are supported not just in their workouts, but in every aspect of their well-being.

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Experience

Christopher Balaan

Coach

Chris brings over four years of experience in fitness, strength & conditioning, and athletic performance training, with a strong foundation in evidence-based coaching and real-world application. He has worked across a variety of gyms and strength & conditioning facilities, coaching athletes from youth and high school levels through collegiate and professional environments.

Chris holds a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from the University of Pittsburgh and is both an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a NASM Certified Personal Trainer. He approaches coaching as a lifelong student—continually refining his skills, expanding his knowledge, and evolving his methods to better serve the individuals and athletes he works with.

With a background in boxing, Chris remains active as an athlete himself. His competitive experience deeply influences his coaching philosophy, inspiring him to instill discipline, commitment, and a strong work ethic in others—qualities that extend well beyond the gym and into everyday life.

As a coach, Chris takes a science- and data-driven approach to programming, while recognizing that training is about more than physical performance alone. He believes movement and strength training are powerful tools for building character, confidence, resilience, and lifelong relationships—supporting people of all fitness levels in becoming stronger, more capable, and more self-aware both in and out of sport.

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Experience

We’re more than a gym — we’re a space dedicated to elevating how you move, feel, and live. At Freeform Fitness, science meets care through personalized training, nervous system-informed coaching, nutrition, and recovery strategies that support performance, health, and longevity.