Maria Buendia

Karin Venegas
“Pregnancy and childbirth taught me that women’s bodies are magic. Iron Lion is teaching me that they can be strong and resilient, too.
I joined ILP looking to regain my fitness [after] battling pain from various injuries. It was debilitating and I was desperate to become a normal, active person again. I realized by transformation was about showing up. Years of pain with unpredictable triggers had left me a very nervous person, but despite my reluctance, I kept showing up. I’m really proud of that and I think the coaches are too. They’ve helped me face my fears and with each new program, I grow more confident.”

Mike Mannino
One of the biggest things I’ve learned about “transformation” is that you cant let yourself be overwhelmed by the total amount of change your attempting.Just try to be 1% better everyday and turn little actions into big goals… because you can’t look at losing 100# all at once. You have to make it an obtainable goal in your mind. Something incremental in the middle. It’s a mental game. You achieve your first goal and then go to the next one. And honestly, the key is the support. The support I get from this place helps me sustain my life transformation.

Melissa Devito
“I wanted to transform to be my best self- to be strong both mentally and physically. I wanted to live the best life I could. The support from the incredible coaches, dietitian and community at ILP have really helped me thrive and to love the daily process of working towards my goals.Find your tribe. Find support. The guidance and encouragement I have received [from the team at Iron Lion] is truly priceless and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.”

Chad Frye
“THE BIGGEST SURPRISE FOR ME OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS HASN’T BEEN THAT I’VE GOTTEN IN GREAT SHAPE (TONED)—WHICH I HAVE—BUT THAT I’M STILL COMING AND THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO EACH WORKOUT. MY COACHES HAVE ALL BEEN GREAT AND I’VE EVEN NOTICED THE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE ARE A DIFFERENT CALIBER AS WELL. IT’S A GREAT ENVIRONMENT TO BE A PART OF AND THAT’S MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.”

Enrique P.
I’ve been working out on my own for over 30 years and I believed I had all the basics covered.Then I heard about how Iron Lion could teach me new steps to an old tune.

It all began with my assessment to set up an individualized program to work on some adjustments and my physical goals. I was hooked! I feel more balanced, stronger, and confident then I had anticipated that I would. I look forward to continuing my participation at Iron Lion. It’s the real thing!

Fred A.
I am on the path to achieving my goals. Since joining Iron Lion I am beginning to fit into clothes I wore when I was a lighter weight, but feel that I am carrying the weight better than I did before. I am also happy to be more focused on form and feel I am getting more bang for my buck with the workout plans I have done at Iron Lion. I have also enjoyed getting to know the trainers and other members. It has been nice to have a community of people who are motivating and all working on a common goal.

Spiredoula
I was motivated to join Iron Lion to continue to lose and maintain my weight, a health journey which began for me in 2013. My weight seemed to have gotten stuck and I really wanted to keep training to lose weight while gaining more strength at a local place. I chose Iron Lion because the gym’s environment didn’t feel intimidating or overwhelming, I felt comfortable.

Over time Iron Lion, for me, turned into a place where I had a moment to myself and was in an environment where I felt safe enough to take on more challenges so I could meet my goals. Iron Lion has been the best place that I have trained in. All of the trainers are knowledgeable and easy to work with and their enthusiasm for fitness and proper form keeps you motivated and inspired.

Matina K.
I joined Iron Lion Performance because of my beautiful friend Joanne. I saw the great results it gave her after giving birth to her two beautiful babies! I wanted some of that! My experience at Iron Lion is always great ! I enjoy the fact that every month my work out is different so I don’t get bored…cuz I get bored really easily!

I enjoy the motivation that the coaches bring as well as my fellow denizens. I love the sense of community and team work that is fostered at Iron Lion! I won’t lie, my goal coming to Iron Lion was to look good. As I have evolved with my work outs it has also transformed me to want to be healthier and more fit so my old lady bones don’t always hurt!

Marilena Lauretano, the lioness
“I must say, I continually surprise myself with my own achievements and this is what drives me to move onward to keep learning, keep trying and keep strong. I enjoy the satisfaction that comes from hard work. I enjoy staying strong. I enjoy being inspired by great workouts and being around such a great group of individuals.”

Carla Vilches
I have loved my experience at IronLion, and share it with everyone all the time. I have found community, awesome training experience from all the coaches, and it’s a very fun and empowering environment across the board.

My goal was to find a place I could train doing functional exercises, not exacerbate my injuries,get stronger, do a strict pull-up, no pain when doing DL or squat, do a push-up, have guidance and support a long the way! I am well on my way in achieving all of my fitness goals and lots more! My booty is tightening up too! Thank you IronLion!

Dennis Hrska
Prior to this point, I would enter a gym, make no eye contact and go to an elliptical machine or treadmill, do my thing and hurry out. It was not a place I felt comfortable in and put me right back in my teenage insecurities. If someone had told me that I would end up at this age waking up at 6am to head to a gym and deadlift 285 pounds I would have doubled over laughing. And yet here I am.

Iron Lion has become such a bright spot in my life. I look forward to seeing everyone there and feel so encouraged (and challenged) to be my healthiest self. All of the coaches take such care to guide and motivate everyone who walks in the door. Iron Lion has helped my confidence grow, leading to positive changes in many areas of my life.

I appreciate you all and thank you, especially when you ignore my whining and force me to succeed.

Mary Nash
The programming at Iron Lion was something that I had never experienced before. In the back of my mind I still clung to the association of cardio being the only way to stay fit and keep my weight in check. Being a woman in my mid-forties, that philosophy can backfire on you leading to overuse injuries and seeing the scale creep upwards. Lifting weights was never my thing, I didn’t get the connection between how lifting and performance for athletic competition or keeping you primed for life’s demands are intertwined. I had read that lifting can have psychological benefits and I can say that lifting has made me more mentally strong which is a huge plus when dealing with the midlife demands of family and career.

Iron Lion will give you a roadmap to achieve your short-term and long-term goals. If you are looking for the final piece to push you to a personal best or give you the edge over the competition in your preferred sport then Iron Lion will definitely help you achieve that. For me, I am not as intimidated by the gym as I have been in the past and I love the challenge of learning new skills.

Maria Buendia
I am an accountant and I spend most of my days sitting down with poor posture. I love tennis and running, and I decided to give tennis a shot a few years back. As a result, I injured myself and ended up with knee and shoulder pain. The knee pain was so bad that I had a hard time walking.

After calling Iron Lion, I had an assessment with Jason was amazing and when I left, I realized that this was a gym that I could work out without getting any injuries.

The team was patient with me, they were able to communicate their knowledge of fitness to me with ease. I am almost pain free and I feel stronger than ever. I am glad I came across Iron Lion!

Amanda B.
Iron lion has helped me feel energized after my workouts. The programming makes me feel like I’m using all my muscles in the right way, makes me feel healthy and gives me just the right amount of push.

Albert Revoltoscano
I found Iron Lion through our CrossFit coach when they closed down their space. It’s been a year and a half working out at “the den” and I am so happy of the decision we made to join them. I really like all the coaches here, the knowledge they have, the community they create and the energy at the Den is fun, challenging and encouraging!

I found a new enthusiasm for kettlebell training, and for the technique behind it. To the point that I participated in a Tactical Strength Challenge and now want to get certified for the Strong First Certification.

I’m feeling stronger and in the best shape ever and being here feels like home to me. I encourage everyone to live healthy, be the best version of yourself, keep active and working out. And remember that we are capable of doing anything we set our minds to. See you at the Den!!!

Matt Stockdale
“While I certainly have additional short-term milestones I want to hit (bodyweight bench, unassisted pull-ups, etc) The long term goal is just to keep doing what I’ve been doing – Trust the program, show up consistently, and put in the work with a smile on my face. The rest is going to take care of itself.” -Matt “Hammer” Stockdale

Jenna Robichau
Iron lion has unCAGED me by teaching me to take pride in how strong my body is!

I called Iron Lion because it was 2 blocks away from my house and I felt like I couldn’t use the distance as an excuse, and it was the one thing I never really tried— kettlebells and weight lifting!

During my initial phone call with Chris, I already knew I was going to like it. He understood my background as a dancer and theater person. You could hear it in his voice, how passionate and intelligent he was about this stuff. He sounded like I do when I talk about the benefits and approaches to teaching movement to children. My assessment confirmed my hunch. These coaches knew what they were talking about and completely tailored a workout built for my needs.

In my first program I noticed major differences in my posture and core strength— two things I had really lost after performing.

Everyone is inspiring and makes me want to strive to be better!

Mel Sanassy
I could not be more grateful for how iron lion has not only transformed my physical performance and mental wellbeing, but my life. I feel so loved and really have never experienced coaches being so actively involved not just inside the den but in every aspect surrounding my overall wellbeing and providing unconditional support.

I have had the pleasure of working with all coaches and each one brings a uniqueness to the den and to my personal experience and I end up leaving feeling that I have just learnt another life lesson….you all inspire me and are absolutely fantastic at what you do.

I walked into the den as a baby cub and you have transformed me into this lioness that now stands in front of you with her head held high ready to tackle whatever comes into my path. Iron Lion has completely uncaged me.

Parsa S.
“Iron Lion has uncaged me as the athlete that I used to be and a healthier person today. Never thought I’d be able to deadlift over 300lbs in my life.”

Kyle Huey
On my 30th birthday I ran a Spartan Race and it kicked my butt.
On my 31st birthday I had surgery on my spine (unrelated to the race) and I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to really compete in something like that ever again but *maybe* I could do it for fun. I have been working my butt off with the team Iron Lion Perfromance and this weekend, 9 months post-op, I ran another Spartan Race and my results were…
Top 6% of males in my age group.
Top 7% of males over all
Top 5% of all #spartans
And I had a BLAST!!!

C’il Brewer
I was pleasantly surprised when I finally squatted and extremely hyped when I squatted with a bell and didn’t lean forward! I started noticing my increased flexibility and getting closer to touching my toes. I am very happy with my progress and eager to continue to improve my health. I am taking nutrition classes to work on eating healthy and decreasing stomach fat and kinstretch classes to improve my flexibility.

I continue to get stronger and feel better. I love the individualized attention I receive and the coaches are second to none. Iron Lion has a great family vibe that makes working out enjoyable. Someone always makes me laugh when I am there and I smile as I leave to take on my day.

Annie Tang
I am grateful that I am able to walk, although still awkwardly. I want to take advantage of my mobility to discover different places and cultures. I will continue to train at Iron Lion Performance to be stronger. My coach, Jason will see to that I will be strong enough to continue traveling stronger to see the world!”

Jen G.
After having my daughter, my chronic back pain was preventing me from showing up as the kind of mom I wanted to be and a friend told me about Iron Lion. Weight training was out of my comfort zone, but I took a chance and have not regretted it. Every coach here is so knowledgeable and non-judgmental. I feel so much stronger than I ever have before. I had to carry my sleeping 35# daughter from the beach to the train station while wearing a giant backpack, and while it wasn’t easy, I did it. That, to me, is accomplishment.

Jeremy Ruiz – UnCaged 2019 Winner
I entered the 6-week transformation competition at Iron Lion to cut the crap out and get back to living a healthier lifestyle. I busted my ass for 6 weeks straight, meal-prepped at home and ended up winning the competition with a total loss of 19 lbs. I am currently down a total of 25 lbs and am feeling amazing again, thanks to the amazing coaches at Iron Lion.

Joe Rojas
Let it Fall off Challenge was an excellent experience and one I plan to continue. I found it informative and i especially learned how to eat (slowly). It is hard to lose weight as you get older. But slowly changing my eating habits and drinking more water. I feel lighter and more energetic. The support via email from my coaches and teammates was invaluable. Now continues the journey, I want to lose additional 15lbs to my already 13lb lose.

Matt Nolan
The team and the family here at Iron Lion has reminded my wife and I just how grateful we are to have people that genuinely care about us- not just when we’re working out, but in all aspects of life. We all need coaches, at any stage in our careers, but as a fitness professional, learning from others in the field is everything. It’s like the “Harvard of Fitness”, right here in NYC.

My hips and knees used to be really sore after my longer runs, and overall the toll of my weekly mileage, which can get up to 50-65 miles per week would take its toll. Not to mention my work as a fitness instructor also taking a lot out of me physically (I teach 19 classes a week). So feeling stronger, healthier, and happier has made all the difference. I was able in November to run my fastest NYC Marathon ever, 3:05:22, and finally just this past February, broke 3 hours and Qualified for the Boston Marathon 2020 in 2:54:58. Almost 9 minutes off my previous mark and I won the Clydesdale Division, (200 Pound Plus runners)!!

Nando
I am Fernando Ciccarelli, I am a union worker in 32BJ, born and raised in Queens, NY. When I am not in the Iron Lion I am checking out breweries near and far, hiking, and trying new things. I am an OG Den member. My fiancé would probably say I have more Iron Lion apparel than regular clothes.

I chose Iron Lion because wanted a new challenge for myself! I worked with Chris in the past, I knew his teaching methods and I knew I would learn better in a group environment than on my own.

I also hold the record for 27 pounds lost during Iron Lion 6 week transformation challenge.

Alan Paramore
Iron Lion has a welcoming and positive environment that encouraged my fiancée and I to make positive steps to better our health and meet our goals. The step-by-step programs, guidance and nutrition classes helped us develop healthy habits for life.

Salem Paramore
Working with the coaches at Iron Lion was a great experience for me! There was always someone available to support me in reaching my goals. I learned a lot about my body and healthy eating habits by working with the dietitian as well. With Iron Lion’s help, I became stronger and lost the weight I wanted to. I would definitely recommend Iron Lion to anyone in the NYC area.

Nick Devito
Reached out to Chris around Memorial Day weekend to get back to the gym. Said he had a 6 week program for me that would get me right back on track. Kept consistent after the 6 weeks until my trip and was in the best shape I’ve been in some time. Was able to hike all days thanks to the conditioning kick, and was 1/2 of 12 to complete the Angels Landing hike in Zion National Park.”

Matt Moschetto – Uncaged Winner 2018
In 8 weeks, ILP helped me drop the weight I gained during my wife’s pregnancy PLUS another 10 lbs. I cannot recommend this program highly enough.

Carmen F.
When I was introduced to Iron Lion I felt broken from multiple injuries. It took a lot of trust in both the staff and myself, but both have surpassed my expectations. I am now much more confident in my ability to exercise than I was before. Iron Lion has enabled me to reach my goal of remaining physically active so I can have fun with my family. A few weeks ago I was able to go stand-up paddle boarding with my husband and daughter with no problem. I was so happy!

John Sanders
Iron Lion has changed my body forever. I’m stronger, leaner and more confident than ever before. When I broke my toe, I was worried I’d be on the couch for months, but my coach built a program I could do while wearing a boot and I continued to workout 5-6 days a week. Iron Lion is a great place to work out, but what really makes it stand out is that it’s built around its people-around family. Knowing I could showup everyday and get good vibes and encouragement is what kept me going through some real tough times. I’m grateful for that. I’ve since moved away from Astoria, but I’m keeping a connection with Iron Lion. It’s the place to be if you’re serious about taking your body to the next level.

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Maria Buendia

Biography