About us

Meet the Owner...

Nick Koldewey

Nick’s journey in the strength and conditioning world started when he was 13 years old, when he started playing rugby. The sport was his life, and he only cared about becoming a better rugby player. Weight training was a way for him to get bigger and stronger, to dominate on the pitch. He tried many methods of training and read just about every strength and conditioning book he could get his hands on. While on his journey to become a better rugby player, he realized that he really enjoyed researching and discussing physical training and had a knack for showing others how to perform exercises.

Nick attended Radford University in Southwest Virginia, where he earned a B.S. in philosophy. After university, Nick was commissioned into the U.S. Army as an infantry officer. After the military, he moved back to his home state, Virginia, and worked in law enforcement for two years. Yet, during Nick’s years of service, he never stopped weight training, researching, and training others in strength and conditioning. Now, he has turned his passion into his profession.

Currently, Nick lifts and trains clients out of his garage gym, Blue Ridge Barbell, located in Northern Virginia. If you can’t find him in the gym, you will find him on the rugby pitch, shooting range, jiu-jitsu mats, or (most important of all) spending time with his wife, daughter, and son. Nick has a passion for teaching people how to become their best selves through strength training. He holds the Professional Barbell Certification (PBC), a Personal Trainer Certification from the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA-PT), and a Precision Nutrition certification (Pn1). Nick specializes in working with the military, law enforcement officers, first responders, and security personnel.