meet the Founding coaches

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Tanya Bickham  has extensive background in nutrition. She is a Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, certified as a Personal Trainer and a Lifestyle and Weight Management Specialist. She is a certified 200 hour Yoga Teacher, a Certified Yoga Trapeze instructor, a Certified Stretching Coach, and a Certified Breathing Coach. She was also one of the first certified Spartan SGX Coaches in the state of Georgia. She is a proud two-time World's Toughest Mudder Finisher and has several Spartan Trifectas and a Spartan Double Trifecta. She holds a BS in Nursing and currently works as a Critical Care/ER RN. In addition she serves on Piedmont Macon's Wellness Committee.  She also has a Liberal Arts Degree and has held teaching certifications for multiple disciplines. She is also Co-Race Director for The Gauntlet Endurance Race.

Being a coach is different than being a trainer. A trainer develops exercise and conditioning programs to help clients reach their physical fitness goals. A trainer will also work one on one with clients during their workouts. A coach may do some of the same activities but takes it one step further and acts as a guiding light to help their clients attain a better life beyond just fitness. We think exercise is a critical component, but we like the idea of a holistic approach that blends the lines between the physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and social wellness.

Matthew Waller has extensive background in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). He is certified in Group Fitness and was one of the first certified Spartan SGX Coaches in the state of Georgia.  Matthew is also a 2014 Spartan Winter Death Race Finisher, 2014 Team Death Race Finisher, 2015 Mexico Death Race Finisher, and a 2015 Final Summer Death Race Finisher, as well as Finisher of many other Endurance events including SISU, TPK, Agoge, and World's Toughest Mudder. He is the Creator and Race Director for The Gauntlet Endurance Race. Although his fitness path has taken him to other opportunities and Matthew no longer coaches here, The Compound was founded on his passion for helping others, including Coach Tanya, and we'd be remiss in not acknowledging his contributions.

The Compound provides group functional fitness training (FFT). Functional fitness exercises train your muscles to work together and prepare them for daily tasks by simulating common movements you might do at home, at work or in sports.  FFT is for all fitness levels.   

The Compound was the first certified Spartan SGX Training facility in the state of Georgia and had the first 2 certified coaches in the state. SGX utilizes an independently developed system of periodization that allows specific components of one's athleticism, nutrition, fitness, and attitude to be formed and developed throughout a training cycle. SGX is about getting the world's population off their couches and moving more, eating healthier, and more confident and comfortable in their own skin. 

The Compound is proud to have expanded our programs to include Intro to Yoga, Yoga Trapeze, and Compound Chill - our signature Deep Stretch class designed to improve your flexibility. Each yoga class incorporates breath work to help deepen the poses. We also offer Private Yoga classes by appointment.