Joon Kee Bae

Joon began his fitness career after joining the local gym to try to get bigger for football. He fell in love with the science behind strength and hypertrophy and became obsessed with going to the gym. As much as he loved the physical gains he was receiving, he loved the mental gains even more. He began going to the gym twice a day, before school and after practice, and eating healthier. The goal to excel in all areas, rather than specialize in one area, really connected with him. He took Foundations and got his butt kicked which started his journey to becoming a coach at CrossFit Englewood in New Jersey.

When coaching, he felt he had the answers for most questions regarding form and movement, but stumbled on helping members out with nagging pains and injuries. He switched majors at his local community college from psychology to exercise science, went to massage therapy school, took online courses and seminars about anatomy, and shadowed therapists and doctors. He realized that many people get hurt from poor or limited movement and became passionate about helping people avoid injuries by getting to the root of movement problems.

Joon joined the team at Catacombs Fitness in January 2019. Although he began this career to help people move better, he enjoys helping strengthen people’s mental game the most, not only in terms of being a better athlete but also a better person. He ultimately cares about the character of a person in and outside the gym.

In addition to holding CrossFit Level 1 and CrossFit Level 2 certifications, Joon also achieved the prestigious CrossFit Level 3 certification. He also holds certifications from USA Weightlifting and OPEX.