About STAY SMART

Cole (owner) was born out of my own transformation and passion for fitness. I’ve lived the grind of prepping for physique competitions, balancing nutrition, training, and discipline every single day. That experience showed me how powerful structured guidance can be — not just for building muscle, but for building confidence and discipline in every part of life.

I saw firsthand how much trial and error people go through when they try to figure it out alone. That inspired me to start coaching: to cut through the confusion and give others a clear, proven path to reach their goals.

What Makes STAY SMART Different?

STAY SMART is in Leland, North Carolina, offers a unique approach to personal training:

Personal Experience: I'm not just a coach with a certification — I’m an athlete who lives this lifestyle every day.

Holistic Guidance: Training, nutrition, mindset, and accountability are all part of the package.

Reputability: I know how it feels to start from the ground up, so clients feel supported rather than judged.

Training and Expertise

Hold NASM-CPT (National Academy of Sports Medicine – Certified Personal Trainer) certification.

My expertise includes:

Bodybuilding & Physique Prep: I’ve been through full men’s physique preps myself, including structured macro-based nutrition, staged cardio, and advanced resistance training splits (PPL, bro-splits, and hybrid-athlete style programming). That firsthand experience gives me unique insight into both fat loss and peak-week conditioning.

Strength & Hypertrophy Programming: I design programs that balance aesthetics with performance — blending compound-heavy strength work (for power and size) with isolation volume (for symmetry and shape).

My favorite part about helping people

My favorite part about helping people achieve their fitness goals is watching the shift in confidence that happens along the way. It’s not just about the weight lost, the muscle gained, or the numbers on the bar — it’s seeing someone realize, “I can actually do this.”

There’s something powerful about being part of that journey:

  • When a client checks in and their hard work finally shows in the mirror.
  • When they hit a PR they never thought possible.
  • When their discipline in the gym starts spilling over into other areas of life — career, relationships, self-esteem.

For me, fitness has always been more than physical. It’s about building self-belief through action, and I love being the guide who helps people unlock that side of themselves.