Meet Our Athletic Development Intern: Joshua Guillory

My name is Joshua Guillory and I am a 24 year old student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette). I was born and raised in South Louisiana, specifically the small town of Youngsville right outside of the city of Lafayette. I’ve lived in Louisiana my whole life and this is my first time moving out of state (and thus living in North Carolina). I am the oldest of four (4) children including a seventeen (17) year old sister, ten (10) year old sister, and eight (8) year old brother. I am also the first person to attend and graduate college in my immediate family. Growing up, I played a variety of sports in junior high and high school. During my high school years, I participated in football, soccer, and track. I ran the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and 4x200m relay. My best times were 11.75 in the 100m and 24.25 in the 200m. I also held office in many different clubs including Key Club, FCCLA, and Campus Christian Club.

Upon the completion of high school, I decided to pursue a degree at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. My original intention was to double major in Exercise Science and Dietetics. After discovering how clinical and medically based the curriculum was in the Dietetics program (my interests were in sports nutrition and performance), I declared a double major in Kinesiology with concentrations in Exercise Science/Health Promotion and Wellness. My expected graduation is May 2014. At UL Lafayette, I’ve been a member of numerous exercise science and sports medicine organizations including the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association), the NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), the KPA (Kinesiology Professional Association), and the SDA (Student Dietetic Association). I hold office in the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) as the student representative for the NSCA Louisiana State Board and previously held office in the KPA (Kinesiology Professional Association) as the Vice President for 2012-2013. Also during my time at UL Lafayette, I’ve been involved with Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church and Student Center as well as the UL Lafayette Ragin Cajun’s Powerlifting team where I was a member of the inaugural 2009 Men’s Collegiate National Championship team (please ask to see my national championship ring if interested). I’ve been a member of the USAPL (USA Powerlifting Organization) and competed at the national level both geared (with the use of lifting equipment such as squat suits, bench press shirts, knee wraps, etc) at 67.5kg (148lbs) and raw (without the use of lifting equipment and using only a singlet/belt) at 75kg (165lbs). This organization is drug-tested. My best lifts include:

Other gym lifts that are pertinent to Olympic weightlifting and CrossFit include PRs in the:

Besides my formal education and lifting experience in kinesiology and powerlifting, I’ve worked in the fitness industry for almost six (6) years now. I’ve worked in all capacities at health clubs ranging from the front desk, as a floor technician, as a general manager of a health club, and as a certified personal trainer. My focus over the past three (3) years has been specifically on personal fitness training. I’ve obtained multiple nationally accredited and internationally recognized fitness certifications through the Resistance Training Specialist program (RTS), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a Certified Personal Trainer (RTS, NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, ACSM-CPT). I am currently pursuing advanced certifications through the NSCA as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), NASM as a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES), ACSM as a Health Fitness Specialist (HFS) and FMS as Functional Movement Screen Specialist (FMS). All of the afore mentioned advanced certification credentials require a four (4) year degree in Kinesiology.

My future career goals include pursuing a master’s degree in strength and conditioning/sports performance with research interests in the application of resistance training program design for strength and conditioning/personal fitness training professionals. Upon completion of a master’s degree in this area, I would like to pursue my PhD in exercise physiology or biomechanics in the hopes of becoming a university professor in kinesiology so I can teach students, conduct research, and bridge the gap between the science and application of physical training for athletes and general population clients. I’ve been blessed at this point to participate in three (3) research studies at the undergraduate level with one (1) study being presented as a poster abstract at the 2013 NSCA National Conference in Las Vegas, NV. This research looked at the ‘Construct Validity of Traditional and Alternative Methods of Scoring Pull-Ups’. I have another study that I recently completed in December 2013 that may possibly be presented as a poster abstract at the 2014 NSCA National Conference in Las Vegas, NV. I am thankful for the opportunity to intern at Athletic Lab over the next six (6) months under the direction of Dr. Mike Young. I plan to be a sponge and learn as much as I can while I am here while also assisting athletes/members when appropriate with their training if requested. Thank you for welcoming me as an intern at Athletic Lab.