Co-owner / Head Coach

Samantha Lusk is a Los Angeles based coach, personal trainer and an owner of Strange Strength and Conditioning. After high school and college athletics in swimming and rowing, Sam decided to take her fitness pursuits full time in 2013. Now a full time trainer, competitor and gym owner, it is Samantha’s desire to share her passion for fitness with all her clients and push them to achieve goals they would never have otherwise attempted. In 2018, 2019 and 2021 she qualified for the acclaimed Wodapalooza fitness festival in Miami, FL. In 2019 Samantha won the Cascade Classic in Seattle, WA, and in 2021 Samantha and her team of 3 placed 3rd at the Granite Games in Minnesota. In April of 2018, Samantha and business partner Shane Wilson opened Strange in North Hollywood, CA.

Certifications

• CrossFit Level 1

• CrossFit Level 2

WOD / Engine / Olympic Weightlifting

Nile Franklin, a native of Los Angeles, is a multi-sport athlete turned CrossFit enthusiast. After graduating from San Francisco State University with a film production degree, she discovered she had a natural ability for gymnastics. She found her calling in Functional Fitness, which allowed her to combine all her athletic interests, including her love for Olympic weightlifting. Since 2013, she has focused on competition, coaching, and self-improvement, achieving remarkable success as a five-time USA Weightlifting American Open qualifier, a three-time Senior Nationals qualifier, and a medalist in various national events. Nile's dedication to her athletes reflects her unwavering passion and decades of practical experience.

Certifications

• USA Weighlifting Level 2

• Sports Performance Coach

• FirstAid CPR and AED

• CrossFit Level 2

• Barbell Rehab Method Certified Professional

Olympic Weightlifting / WOD / Gymnastics

Charles Chung, born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, was drawn to sports and physical activity from a young age. While he tried team sports, he found his true passion in bouldering. It taught him that technique and strength can be developed, and not everyone is born a natural athlete. In 2012, after relocating to Los Angeles, he embraced the sport of Functional Fitness. Functional Fitness led him to explore movement mechanics, coaching, and the disconnect between people and movement. He has dedicated himself to understanding individual movement patterns and firmly believes that anyone, with guidance and dedication, can become a stronger, faster, and fitter version of themselves. His fascination for human mechanics and thirst for knowledge has made him an invaluable resource for our team. With his guidance, many of our members and athletes have qualified for National sanctioned USA Weightlifting events.

Certifications

• CrossFit Level 1

• CrossFit Level 2

• USAW Level 1

WOD / Hyrox

Nicolette was introduced to competitive workouts in 2014 and immediately fell in love and knew there was no turning back. In February 2018, Nicolette made a huge change in her career path and decided to become a full time Coach and Athlete, and get out of Production completely. Her passion and love for fitness is shared through her energetic personality by conveying how to live and pursue a loving and healthy lifestyle through her classes and by example.

Certifications

CrossFit Level 1

Aerobic Capacity Certification

WOD

Coach Anna grew up playing soccer at a high level before transitioning to the sport of rugby. She has spent the last 5 years coaching the D1 Women’s Rugby Team at CSU Northridge. Anna is also a cancer survivor, who began struggling with the effects of a Neurological Movement Disorder called Dystonia in her young adulthood. After being diagnosed, Anna worried her time as a competitive athlete was over, however she was introduced to Functional Fitness, and has never looked back. As a proud disabled woman, Anna has been competing as an Adaptive Athlete since 2018. Anna is the current reigning Fittest Woman in the World competing in the WheelWod Neuromuscular Major Division, and was the 3rd Fittest Women in the world in 2021.

Certifications

• NASM-CPT

• USAW-L1

• USAR-S&C

• ATA - Adaptive and Inclusive Trainer

• MRx - Advanced Adaptive Strengthening

Gymnastics / WOD

Growing up in the midwest, Coach Caitlin spent her sports seasons on dance teams and poms squads. After graduating from college, she found weighlifting and the functional fitness community in LA. Despite not having a traditionally “athletic” background, she dove in head first, and started competing in 2020, proving that it truly can be for any and everyone. Thanks to her dance background, Caitlin brings the expertise of body awareness, mobility, and flexibility to her coaching, and has designed the gymnastics program at Strange to guide athletes through the mechanics and fundamentals of every gymnastic movement, regardless of skill level or experience.

WOD

JR Jaquay is a Texas native who began gymnastics at the age of 3. Described by his coach as "...not a thoroughbred, but a work horse", JR took that as a huge compliment. JR put in extra hours of work to be able to succeed in a sport that didn't come easy to him. JR continued competing in gymnastics until the age of 24, finishing his career on The University of Texas club gymnastics team.

After his gymnastics career ended he immediately took up running, competing in numerous Half Ironmans and marathons. He began CrossFit in 2012 and received his L1 in 2014. He also has been coaching club gymnastics for 33 years. A life-long advocate of movement, JR believes taking the slow approach to improvement. Focusing on the small details to master basic skills required to prevent injury and learn a skill correctly.

Certifications

CrossFit Level 1
CrossFit Level 2
CrossFit Endurance
CrossFit Mobility 

Engine / Hyrox

Vija spent her youth dancing, skateboarding, rollerblading, and hiking all over Southern California. In high school, she couldn’t decide on which sport to play so she tried for any team that was suggested to her and ended up playing basketball, volleyball, and participating in shotput, discus, and pole vault, as well as snowboarding on her own time. She found CrossFit in 2016 when she was recovering from a herniated disc in her lumbar spine and saw the way functional fitness was adaptable for everyone and encouraged rehabilitation and recovery. She is passionate about injury prevention and post-injury recovery, as well as overall health, nutrition, wellness, and stress management.

Certifications

500-Hour State Accredited Diploma - Personal Training
NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist
Crossfit Level 1
USA Weightlifting Level 1