Professional fighter and trainer opens therapeutic gym in Greenville
GREENVILLE — Greenville, with its accessibility to Moosehead Lake and the great North Woods has a lot to offer, and now there’s a new addition to the mix – Chip Gerber, former powerlifting world champion, triathlete and professional fighter.
Gerber has chosen, along with his family, to call this area of Piscataquis County home. He recently opened his business, Moosehead Exercise Therapy at the Moosehead Cottage Resort on Route 15 just south of Greenville, and is offering his unique blend of consulting, therapeutic exercise and body compression work to help people overcome their physical limitations and maintain their health.
With vast knowledge and passionate dedication, Gerber mentors individuals and helps them break through the barriers that inhibit their body’s functionality
Observer photo/Shelagh Talbot
MOOSEHEAD EXERCISE THERAPY — Chip Gerber does a series of overhead squats in the gym at Moosehead Cottage Resort in Greenville.
Gerber is from Virginia and was active from a young age. He discovered combat sports (MMA and grappling) and spent years perfecting his abilities. As a professional athlete, he excelled at the craft and began winning championships on the mat and fights in the cage. It takes great discipline to become an MMA fighter, and Gerber took his practice very seriously. He was known in the fighter’s world as the “Leg-Lock Wizard” grappling some of the best in the world. On his quest as an ever-evolving fighter he power-lifted and did triathlons to improve his skill set.
His mom, one of his long-time students and training partners, worked out right along with him. They ended up doing three full Iron Man triathlons together. These events are certainly not for the faint of heart for they involve swimming, biking and running great distances. In 2016 Gerber was 3rd overall male in the Double Ironman World Cup, which consisted of a 4.8-mile swim, 224-mile bike ride and 52.4-mile run.
“It was 34 ½ hours non-stop,” Gerber observed. “It took me two days to get through it.” His performance ranked him 46th in the world by the IUTA (International Ultra Triathlon Association), eighth American. He was also a world champion power-lifter and held the world record in deadlift [490 lbs] in his weight class from 2011 to 2012. “I only competed for a couple of years just to get the world record basically and then I stopped,” he grinned. Gerber was also the owner of Team Animal Fitness, a gym he opened in Boonsboro, Maryland in 2010.
Throughout his journey as an athlete, people were always asking him for training tips and he decided a gym was the perfect place to offer that kind of assistance. He had a team of fighters training for competition on a regular basis as well as many ordinary folks that he worked with. He felt blessed with creating small miracles in many people’s lives and enjoyed being a positive influence in his community.
Contributed photo
FIGHTING DAYS — Chip Gerber from his professional fighting days.
In spite of all the accomplishments and accolades on the world stage, Gerber is a humble man and he and his wife Erin longed for a simpler life. They had twin daughters, Angela and Aleena and wanted to raise them in a more rural environment.
“As we were considering the idea over the next few years of being off grid and building a homestead we started looking for property in Maine,” he said. “Then we found a place that called to us, and we were inspired to make our dreams a reality. I believe God prepared this special place for us and it’s such a blessing.”
This past summer, with agreement of management, Gerber has been setting up a gym at the Moosehead Cottage Resort. “I hadn’t actually planned to do this, but with my motivated family, things just started falling into place,” Gerber said. “One of the things I like best is helping others to overcome the obstacles for improving their health and reaching their goals. I believe strongly that small healthy lifestyle changes can have a very positive effect.”
Already clients in the Moosehead Region are singing his praises. One said recently, “I became stronger, lost weight, got full range of motion; not only physically did Chip help me, but he helped build my confidence. And he taught me how to talk positive, think positive, and eat to change my metabolic rate. I felt more in control of ‘ME’.”
From another: “I had come to Chip as a last resort. A tear in my right bicep resulted in surgery to remove 1 ½ [inches] of tendon at the bone, then reattachment. The doctor said I’d never be able to throw overhanded again, or lift heavy weights, etc. So I had my doubts that doing “PT” was going to help…MAN, was I wrong…. Chip never had a doubt that he WOULD get me back where I wanted to be…I just needed to trust him and do the work…. and he was RIGHT!! I can now do what I did before the surgery with NO PAIN in that shoulder! Thank You Chip!!”
Gerber’s enthusiasm and desire to help others is evident in all that he does and now he’s ready to take on additional clients and motivated to be a positive impact for the Greenville community. Visit his Facebook page: Moosehead Exercise Therapy to learn more and leave a message, or contact him directly at 207-343-3144.