Our coaches will help you FEEL Amazing
Meet the team thats dedicated to making your goals a reality.
mike carr
our story
Friction Grand Rapids was founded originally by Jeff Burlingame in June of 2014. Bobby Armock and Mike Carr were the first coaches and worked their way up the ranks into the CEO and COO roles respectively. In 2018, Bobby and Mike took over for Jeff as operators of the business. Fast forward to September of 2019, Jeff sold the gym to Bobby and Mike. Ever since, the two have led the gym to have 10 staff members and to have helped the greater Grand Rapids area!
bobby armock
meet your support team
angela silsby
COACH
How you found fitness: I started attending Friction Grand Rapids shortly after it opened. I was bored with working out on my own and wanted something a little more challenging.
Athletic background: I started this journey at a more "mature" age and without a long history of athletic endeavors.
How you got into coaching: The decision to come to coaching really lies with the athlete that walks in and thinks it looks impossible due to age, previous injury, or overall health/conditioning. I wanted to continue my pursuit to learn as much as possible and share it with others to break down those barriers.
What it means to you to coach or what you love about it: We always applaud the loudest for the athlete that has to push their own personal boundaries, no matter how long it takes. It is one of my favorite things about coaching and fitness, bringing everyone together.
What is your favorite thing to coach or specialty or type of client you enjoy working with: Hero Workouts
Anything else people should know about you: When not at Friction, I am involved in dog rescue/fostering and my full-time job that won't let me wear gym clothes.
Certifications: CF-L2, USAW L1
jake
COACH
How you found fitness: Started right before I got to college when my friend's dad had built a small home gym and they taught us to lift over a few months!
Athletic background: I played soccer and ran track through high school and played on soccer club teams for 6-7 years. In college, I played intramural soccer and power lifting.
How you got into coaching: I got into coaching after internships through my exercise science program at GVSU, which led me to want to pursue coaching as a career.
What it means to you to coach: It means helping someone to workout safely and correctly and increase their fitness and quality of life!
Favorite thing to coach: My favorite thing to coach is powerlifting or functional fitness class, powerlifting is my specialty and I enjoy that most, but I love the positive environment of the functional fitness classes.
Certifications: Bachelors in exercise science & NASM CPT
Athletic background: I played soccer and ran track through high school and played on soccer club teams for 6-7 years. In college, I played intramural soccer and power lifting.
How you got into coaching: I got into coaching after internships through my exercise science program at GVSU, which led me to want to pursue coaching as a career.
What it means to you to coach: It means helping someone to workout safely and correctly and increase their fitness and quality of life!
Favorite thing to coach: My favorite thing to coach is powerlifting or functional fitness class, powerlifting is my specialty and I enjoy that most, but I love the positive environment of the functional fitness classes.
Certifications: Bachelors in exercise science & NASM CPT
Jacob Ireland
COACH
How you found fitness: I found fitness while I was in high school at Forest Hills Central. I took a weightlifting
course where I first learned about the basics in strength training and how to develop as an athlete.
The teachings stuck with me and I adopted a consistent lifestyle of fitness.
Athletic background: My main athletic background is in soccer. I've played the sport for most of my childhood, through high school, and at Aquinas College. I love to play all types of sport and attribute a lot of who I am due to my involvement in athletics.
How you got into coaching: I was first approached about becoming a coach by Evan Shirkey; a former coach at Friction Grand Rapids and current Assistant Coach for the Aquinas Men's Soccer Team. I was doing power cleans in the Aquinas weight room and Evan started a conversation with me about my experience lifting. Shortly after I met Robert Armock, the owner of Friction, and began interning to become a coach!
What it means to you to coach or what you love about it: Coaching means that I have the opportunity to positively impact others and help them achieve their goals. I like the challenge of being able to work with people of many backgrounds and I believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to better themselves. I am very happy to have the opportunity to be the person that people can be comfortable with sharing their fitness journey.
What is your favorite thing to coach or specialty or type of client you enjoy working with: I most enjoy coaching gymnastics and weightlifting. Gymnastics is something that comes more naturally to me than other forms of exercise so I enjoy the learning process behind a lot of the movements and teaching others. Weightlifting is quite the opposite for me as it does not come as naturally to me. I like coaching weightlifting because the movements are so interesting, complex, and difficult to perform.
Certifications: USAW Level 1 Cert., B.S. in Exercise Science
Athletic background: My main athletic background is in soccer. I've played the sport for most of my childhood, through high school, and at Aquinas College. I love to play all types of sport and attribute a lot of who I am due to my involvement in athletics.
How you got into coaching: I was first approached about becoming a coach by Evan Shirkey; a former coach at Friction Grand Rapids and current Assistant Coach for the Aquinas Men's Soccer Team. I was doing power cleans in the Aquinas weight room and Evan started a conversation with me about my experience lifting. Shortly after I met Robert Armock, the owner of Friction, and began interning to become a coach!
What it means to you to coach or what you love about it: Coaching means that I have the opportunity to positively impact others and help them achieve their goals. I like the challenge of being able to work with people of many backgrounds and I believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to better themselves. I am very happy to have the opportunity to be the person that people can be comfortable with sharing their fitness journey.
What is your favorite thing to coach or specialty or type of client you enjoy working with: I most enjoy coaching gymnastics and weightlifting. Gymnastics is something that comes more naturally to me than other forms of exercise so I enjoy the learning process behind a lot of the movements and teaching others. Weightlifting is quite the opposite for me as it does not come as naturally to me. I like coaching weightlifting because the movements are so interesting, complex, and difficult to perform.
Certifications: USAW Level 1 Cert., B.S. in Exercise Science
MIKE
COACH
How you found fitness: One of my high school teachers told me about CrossFit in the weight room during one our morning lifting sessions. He told me I'd be pretty good at it and that I would like it. I started and never looked back. During high school, I played basketball and ran track. Into college, I found GV Strength Club at Grand Valley State University. This club helped forge friendships within the fitness community and inspire a deep love for fitness and helping others within this field.
Athletic background: During high school, I played basketball and ran track. Into college, I found GV Strength Club at Grand Valley State University. This club helped forge friendships within the fitness community and inspire a deep love for fitness and helping others within this field.
How you got into coaching: During my freshman year of college, I signed up at a Globo gym because they were starting to offer CrossFit in one of their rooms. This is how I might Jeff (former owner) and Bobby. I was the first member of Friction. After a year or so, I came back to Friction Grand Rapids during my sophomore year of college and got my CrossFit L1, and started coaching. I then acquired my USAW L1 and started Victory Kid Barbell Club. I have since progressed from coach to manager, to now Co-Owner.
What it means to you to coach or what you love about it: I want people to understand that they have the capacity for change and discipline. Helping others realize that is what truly makes coaching enjoyable for me. I love giving them the tools for those skills and having them come back because they enjoy going through that process with me.I also love knowing (or finding out) how to take people from where they are, to where they want to be. The journey is the best part.
What is your favorite thing to coach or specialty or type of client you enjoy working with: I really enjoy working with people who are brand new to exercise. Their minds are like sponges and I want to soak it with every ounce of knowledge I can squeeze out of myself. I also love coaching weightlifting. I think I have an eye for it and can simplify it so that everyone, at any skill level, can enjoy it and make progress.
Anything else people should know about you: When I'm not at Friction, I'm with my wife and little man Wilder. Anything outdoors is the best. Mountain Biking, Archery, or Hunting.
Certifications: USAW L1, Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science (GVSU)
Westside Barbell Personal Training & Athletic Coaching
Athletic background: During high school, I played basketball and ran track. Into college, I found GV Strength Club at Grand Valley State University. This club helped forge friendships within the fitness community and inspire a deep love for fitness and helping others within this field.
How you got into coaching: During my freshman year of college, I signed up at a Globo gym because they were starting to offer CrossFit in one of their rooms. This is how I might Jeff (former owner) and Bobby. I was the first member of Friction. After a year or so, I came back to Friction Grand Rapids during my sophomore year of college and got my CrossFit L1, and started coaching. I then acquired my USAW L1 and started Victory Kid Barbell Club. I have since progressed from coach to manager, to now Co-Owner.
What it means to you to coach or what you love about it: I want people to understand that they have the capacity for change and discipline. Helping others realize that is what truly makes coaching enjoyable for me. I love giving them the tools for those skills and having them come back because they enjoy going through that process with me.I also love knowing (or finding out) how to take people from where they are, to where they want to be. The journey is the best part.
What is your favorite thing to coach or specialty or type of client you enjoy working with: I really enjoy working with people who are brand new to exercise. Their minds are like sponges and I want to soak it with every ounce of knowledge I can squeeze out of myself. I also love coaching weightlifting. I think I have an eye for it and can simplify it so that everyone, at any skill level, can enjoy it and make progress.
Anything else people should know about you: When I'm not at Friction, I'm with my wife and little man Wilder. Anything outdoors is the best. Mountain Biking, Archery, or Hunting.
Certifications: USAW L1, Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science (GVSU)
Westside Barbell Personal Training & Athletic Coaching
Bobby
COACH
How you found fitness: I grew up in a large family with a lot of older brothers and I started working out to keep from getting bullied.
Athletic background: As I got older and started getting into sports, fitness was something that I put a lot of effort and work into for a competitive edge and to avoid injury. When I finished playing competitive sports I had this leftover hobby that I had learned to really enjoy.
How you got into coaching: I pursued my love for fitness with education at Central Michigan University, majoring in exercise science and minoring in athletic coaching. Throughout college, I volunteered during my semester breaks training wrestlers and football players from my former high school. After school, I found a job as a personal trainer and eventually found an opportunity to help start Friction.
What it means to you to coach or what you love about it: I've learned that coaching others through fitness creates an opportunity for the individual to define themselves in their own unique way, to develop a better version of themselves with exercise and nutrition as the medium. The results will always speak for themselves and the failures will always show direction on what to work on next. Teaching others a healthy living that is required to excel in the gym is synonymous with bringing about a more balanced person that inevitably will allow them to succeed in life as well.
What is your favorite thing to coach or specialty or type of client you enjoy working with: My favorite clients and members to coach are those that are faced with a challenge and need some help with creative problem solving to elevate their fitness and health to yield a higher quality of life.
Anything else people should know about you: When I'm not at the gym I am spending time with my wife Michelle, daughter Millie and dog Clyde.
Certifications: CF-L3, USAW L1
Athletic background: As I got older and started getting into sports, fitness was something that I put a lot of effort and work into for a competitive edge and to avoid injury. When I finished playing competitive sports I had this leftover hobby that I had learned to really enjoy.
How you got into coaching: I pursued my love for fitness with education at Central Michigan University, majoring in exercise science and minoring in athletic coaching. Throughout college, I volunteered during my semester breaks training wrestlers and football players from my former high school. After school, I found a job as a personal trainer and eventually found an opportunity to help start Friction.
What it means to you to coach or what you love about it: I've learned that coaching others through fitness creates an opportunity for the individual to define themselves in their own unique way, to develop a better version of themselves with exercise and nutrition as the medium. The results will always speak for themselves and the failures will always show direction on what to work on next. Teaching others a healthy living that is required to excel in the gym is synonymous with bringing about a more balanced person that inevitably will allow them to succeed in life as well.
What is your favorite thing to coach or specialty or type of client you enjoy working with: My favorite clients and members to coach are those that are faced with a challenge and need some help with creative problem solving to elevate their fitness and health to yield a higher quality of life.
Anything else people should know about you: When I'm not at the gym I am spending time with my wife Michelle, daughter Millie and dog Clyde.
Certifications: CF-L3, USAW L1
