Steve Freides

Steve Freides is an EXPERT teacher.

As a beginning student who is sincerely seeking to learn correct form/technique as well as a deep understanding in the methodology of StrongFirst, I consider it a tremendous BLESSING to have found Steve as my instructor/mentor/pathfinder on the journey of "strength with a purpose"!

For anyone who is serious about building true strength (inside and out) and significantly improving their health and longevity, I wholeheartedly advise you learn from Steve.

His direct experience and earned wisdom with strength training is deeply inspiring. His clarity of explanation, his compassion in action and authentic expertise, continues to be something I am profoundly grateful for. He has helped me effectively get through the toughest year of my entire life and the physical strength I've developed in training with him has literally been instrumental in helping me save my 80 year old mother's life when I had to (with no one else's assistance) lift her off the floor after she fell and in an another instance, catch her mid air before she fell again.

Steve has my highest endorsement and recommendation to anyone who may inquire about his abilities, talents and skills to powerfully & effectively teach.

By learning from him, I've become the STRONGEST I've ever been in my entire life, yes both inside and out!

And if you love coffee, you're really in for a bonus because he makes a cup as strong as Pavel!

- Shiva Baum
49 years old

Steve is a true master. He is a a kind and attentive teacher, able to teach a group of people with different levels of experience, from beginner to advanced, meeting everyone where they are. I have only had the pleasure to do two classes with Steve but it has given me the motivation and confidence to work out more and listen to my body. I am very excited to continue on the strong first journey thanks to Steve.

For the past two years, I've trained with Steve, seeing him every 2-3 weeks. He is an exceptional strength coach and a real master at his craft. His ability to assess and adapt to my unique needs has been truly impressive. He has a keen eye for detail. Through subtle adjustments he recommends in my form, I've experienced significant improvements in strength, and enjoy the benefits in my day-to-day activities. Before Steve, a consistent strength training routine eluded me for over a decade. However, under his tutelage and encouragement, I’ve been able to integrate it into my daily life. Anyone seeking genuine progress in their fitness journey would benefit immensely from Steve's expertise. He’s also such a genuine and nice person; it’s been a pleasure getting to know him. Highly, highly recommended.

As a 65+ woman who did not like any physical activities, now i am looking forward for my Saturday morning class.

Thank you ? Steve, for your expertise, your explanations and patience for such a novice student. I definitely feel that my abilities are improving ?

Steve is an exceptional strength coach. I can attest to his thorough understanding of anatomy, physiology, and technique as I am a sports medicine physician by trade. He helped implement changes in my kettlebell training that have me making tangible gains for the first time in a year. Further, techniques that were previously painful are no longer painful. He is attentive, thorough, and has an excellent demeanor.

Steve has drastically changed my training. Before meeting him, I had a back and shoulder injury that discouraged me from lifting heavier bells out of fear of reinjury. He has this unique way of instilling confidence while teaching fundamentals. Within the first few weeks, my technique improved, and I began using appropriately sized bells. My “heavy” bells became light, and he has shown me how to harness my strength to take on heavier weights and more advanced movements.

I have always seen his name in the forum and knew he was well-respected in this community. When I realized that he was 15 minutes from me, I was beyond excited to train with him. Steve is kind, patient, and intelligent. He can tease out the small details that cause me discomfort or instability, and he effectively communicates how I could make them better. Every time I train with him, I am fascinated with the wealth of knowledge he has acquired and how effective he is at teaching those concepts. It is a privilege to know him, and I am honored to have him as a teacher. I highly recommend him to anyone from beginner status to those that look to fine-tune their technique.

Steve is an amazing instructor. I knew he was highly regarded when I first sought him out but after training with him he far exceeded my expectations.

He clearly and concisely instructed us on the correct technique, form and drills. He is a exceptionally polite and well mannered individual and it has been an unbelievable privilege to refer to him as my teacher. He is patient and very methodical in his instruction. You wont find a more courteous and thought provoking kettlebell instructor and also someone who practices what they preach - his numerous accolades testify to that. His is an inspiration to novices like me.