Helping fitness and rehab professionals better manage pain, injury, and strength training.
Barbell Rehab provides practical, evidence-informed continuing education for fitness and rehabilitation professionals. Our goal is to help clinicians and coaches build the confidence and skills to keep people training while navigating pain, injury, and performance limitations.
Barbell Rehab by the numbers
Dr. Michael Mash is a physical therapist, strength and conditioning specialist, and the founder of Barbell Rehab. He earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Duquesne University in 2016, his Bachelor of Science in Biology from St. Vincent College in 2014, and has been an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist since 2015.
Early in his career, Michael worked extensively with older adults, teaching the use of multi-joint compound movements to improve strength, power, and long-term physical function. He later combined that experience with his work helping barbell athletes continue training through pain to create the Barbell Rehab Method Certification, a live course designed to help fitness and rehabilitation professionals more confidently manage clients dealing with pain.
Since 2019, Michael and the Barbell Rehab team have taught more than 250 live courses across the United States, Canada, and Europe, educating more than 10,000 fitness and rehabilitation professionals. Today, Michael leads the overall direction of Barbell Rehab and works with its team of educators to develop practical, evidence-informed continuing education for fitness and rehabilitation professionals.
Cristian Vasquez is a physical therapist assistant and Barbell Rehab’s Director of Media & Operations. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Texas Tech University before completing his Physical Therapist Assistant education at Tarrant County College. His interest in rehabilitation and strength training grew while working at a sports medicine clinic, where he gained experience with evidence-based treatment approaches and saw the role strength training can play in both rehabilitation and performance.
At Barbell Rehab, Cristian leads much of the company’s media production and supports its day-to-day operations. His work includes social media content, podcast production, video, creative projects, marketing support, and the behind-the-scenes systems that help Barbell Rehab’s educational programs run smoothly.
Outside of work, Cristian is a father of three and enjoys incorporating fitness into family life. His broader interests continue to sit at the intersection of rehabilitation, strength training, and content creation.
Dr. Joe Camoratto is a physical therapist, earning his Doctor of Physical Therapy and Bachelors of both Health Sciences and Biology at Duquesne University in 2016.
Joe has worked in multiple different physical therapy settings, applying his love of barbell training across them all. Most of his career has been spent working for the US Military as a contract physical therapist, helping active duty members in California, Mississippi, and New Jersey decrease risk of injury and return to their duty asap. After working for the military, Joe transitioned to educating other physical therapists online in the art of applying strength training to rehabilitation, as well as managing athletes remotely during injury through intelligent programming.
Now a full-time stay at home dad, Joe has been able to take all of his experience of strength training, physical therapy, online entrepreneurial work and express all of those skills as the Director of Education for Barbell Rehab, mostly while his daughter naps.
Dr. Miles Nicholas is a physical therapist and strength and conditioning specialist who earned both his Doctor of Physical Therapy and Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Science from Northeastern University in 2019. During his undergraduate education, he completed a concentration in Sports, Strength and Conditioning along with minors in Exercise Science and Psychology. He has been an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist since 2019 and has completed additional education through Plus Plyos and the EXOS Performance Specialist curriculum.
Miles’ clinical interests include working with overhead athletes, field and court sport athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and active older adults. His approach emphasizes education, activity modification, goal-directed exercise, and the integration of strength and conditioning principles to help individuals prepare for the demands of the activities that matter to them.
At Barbell Rehab, Miles teaches the Barbell Rehab Method Certification and is a co-creator of the Barbell Rehab Sports Performance Certification, where he helps fitness and rehabilitation professionals apply strength, conditioning, and rehabilitation principles to athletic performance.
Dr. Ben Geierman is a physical therapist and strength and conditioning specialist who earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Chatham University in 2019 and his Bachelor of Science in Clinical Exercise Science from Grand Valley State University in 2017. He has been an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist since 2017.
Ben has a particular interest in pain science and enjoys working with individuals experiencing persistent spine and extremity pain, as well as active people navigating everyday aches and pains. His approach focuses on helping people return to meaningful activities with greater confidence, resilience, and physical capacity while integrating strength and conditioning principles into rehabilitation.
At Barbell Rehab, Ben teaches the Barbell Rehab Method Certification, hosts the Barbell Rehab Podcast, and authors the Research Roundup email newsletter. Outside of work, he is a longtime hockey and fitness enthusiast and enjoys recreational strength training.
Dr. Hays Estes is a physical therapist and orthopedic clinical specialist who earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Florida in 2012 and his Bachelor of Science in Biology from The Pennsylvania State University. He is an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties and has been a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach since 2018.
Hays is the owner of Premier Physical Therapy in Clearwater, Florida, where he works primarily with barbell athletes and high school athletes. His clinical approach emphasizes graded exercise, exposure, and helping people return to meaningful training as safely and efficiently as possible. He routinely incorporates athletes’ desired lifts into rehabilitation to help rebuild confidence and physical capacity.
At Barbell Rehab, Hays teaches the Barbell Rehab Method Certification and is a co-creator of the Barbell Rehab Weightlifting Certification. Outside of the clinic, he has competed in amateur Strongman events and is an avid golfer.
Dr. Sophia Veiras is a physical therapist who earned both her Doctor of Physical Therapy and Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Science from Northeastern University in 2015, along with a minor in Psychology. She later earned a Certificate of Advanced Study in Orthopedic Physical Therapy through Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies and has continued her education with an emphasis on strength training, women’s health, and the psychological aspects of injury, pain, and rehabilitation.
Sophia has an extensive background in strength sports, earning All-American honors in both wrestling and powerlifting while at Northeastern. She won a national championship in wrestling and a world championship in powerlifting and continues to train, compete, coach, and volunteer within the sport of powerlifting. Her clinical interests include working with strength athletes, women, and individuals transitioning from injury back to performance.
At Barbell Rehab, Sophia teaches the Barbell Rehab Method Certification and is the creator of the online courses Unique Considerations for the Female Barbell Athlete and Programming Principles. Her educational work focuses on helping fitness and rehabilitation professionals apply practical, evidence-informed strategies to strength training, rehabilitation, and programming.
Dr. Susie Spirlock is a physical therapist, coach, and movement optimist who earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2016 and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Western Carolina University in 2020. After beginning her career in outpatient orthopedics, she transitioned to remote rehabilitation and fitness coaching and launched Move Your Bones LLC in 2022.
Susie’s work focuses on strength training, human movement, program design, and helping people navigate pain and injury without unnecessarily stepping away from the activities they value. She has worked extensively with women through online coaching, helping them build confidence under the barbell, return to training, and develop a more positive relationship with strength training.
At Barbell Rehab, Susie teaches the Barbell Rehab Method Certification and is the creator of our upcoming online course focused on hypermobility and strength training. Her educational work emphasizes practical, evidence-informed strategies that fitness and rehabilitation professionals can apply directly with their clients and patients.
Dr. Derick Luu is a chiropractor, powerlifter, and educator who earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Sciences from York University and his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. He has also pursued graduate education in Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University and has experience working with interdisciplinary rehabilitation teams in hospital settings.
Derick’s clinical and educational work focuses on pain management, strength training, and helping active individuals continue training while navigating injury and performance limitations. As a competitive powerlifter, he won the 2023 Canadian National Powerlifting Championships and represented Team Canada at the 2023 IPF World Classic Championships.
At Barbell Rehab, Derick teaches the Barbell Rehab Method Certification and helps lead our Canadian division. He is also the only chiropractor on the Barbell Rehab team, bringing a unique clinical perspective to our approach to pain, rehabilitation, and strength training.
Dr. Jessie Czarnecki is a physical therapist, Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with extensive experience in CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting. She also holds her CF-L2 and USAW-L2 certifications and brings experience as both a coach and strength athlete.
Jessie’s clinical and educational work focuses on helping athletes return to high-intensity training and weightlifting following pain or injury. Her approach emphasizes exercise modification, progressive loading, and individualized programming to rebuild strength, confidence, and long-term capacity.
At Barbell Rehab, Jessie is a co-creator and instructor for the Barbell Rehab Weightlifting Certification, where she helps fitness and rehabilitation professionals develop practical strategies for managing pain, modifying training, and guiding weightlifting athletes back to performance.
Patrick Nolan is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with more than a decade of experience coaching speed, strength, and athletic performance. He earned his degree in Exercise Science from Florida State University and has worked with athletes ranging from youth programs to NFL Combine prospects and professional lacrosse players.
Patrick’s experience includes serving as Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Premier Lacrosse League, leading high school strength and speed programs, and working extensively in NFL Combine preparation. His approach focuses on developing the strength, speed, agility, and confidence athletes need to meet the demands of their sport.
At Barbell Rehab, Patrick is a co-creator and instructor for the Barbell Rehab Sports Performance Certification, where he helps coaches and clinicians systematically progress athletes from rehabilitation back toward the physical demands of competition.