Meet the founder
I'm Chris Wertman, and this is the story of why Aspire Athletic Club exists — and who it's really for.
Where it all started
In 2018, while I was in college, my uncle and godfather — a second father to me — died suddenly of a heart attack while walking with his family in Disney World. No one saw it coming. At his funeral, people waited four hours just to reach his casket. He was a successful entrepreneur who never missed a Little League game and coached his kids’ softball team.
Watching that outpouring of love taught me something I’ve never forgotten: life isn’t about what you do, it’s about who you impact.
The second piece came a couple of years later. I’d just graduated with degrees in exercise science, nutrition, and dietetics, and competed in bodybuilding along the way. At the peak of COVID, I started training a couple of middle and high school athletes out of my parents’ basement. Watching them grow — not just physically, but in confidence and life skills — I knew exactly where my passion was.
Those two moments together are why Aspire exists.
Where it started: a couple of athletes, a barbell, and my parents’ basement.
Building something bigger than a gym
When I first sat down to write a business plan, I realized there were no real numbers behind it — just a concept. A safe haven where people got excited to show up, connected with others chasing the same goals, and felt supported in every part of life, not just their workouts.
We opened officially in 2021. In the early days I was training clients 13 to 14 hours a day — and I loved every minute of the grind. What’s changed since isn’t the mission, it’s the scale: my role has shifted from being the guy on the floor with every client to building a team and helping our staff grow real careers, not just jobs.
The philosophy behind Aspire
It’s the whole business model. None of what we’ve built is possible without the people who believed in us first. The more we take care of our community, the more people we get to help. It’s that simple.
Our approach is built for people of all abilities — especially people in their 40s through 70s balancing full lives and families — even when they don’t yet believe change is possible for them.
That belief comes from my mom. She carried more than 100 pounds of extra weight for years and, despite being surrounded by fitness knowledge in our own household, wasn’t ready to accept help — until she was. Watching her go from resistant to willing, then from a first small step to eventually losing over 100 pounds, taught me exactly how transformation actually happens.
That’s why our approach is never one-size-fits-all. We ask what this specific person needs — mobility, balance, nutrition, strength, weight loss, real-life function — and build around that answer instead of fitting people into a program that already exists.
Why I started the LEAD Foundation
LEAD grew directly out of a youth strength program we ran at Aspire. I watched kids build a real foundation — and a real passion — for lifting, one that stuck with them long after the program ended. I wanted that same opportunity for kids in underserved districts who didn’t have anywhere to go after school.
We formed LEAD in 2024 and launched at Troy Middle School in 2025. We’ve grown fast: two schools in fall 2025, six by spring, and heading into 12 schools for fall 2026 — an estimated 500 kids across the school year.
The moment that’s stuck with me most: a student whose family had been evicted and was living in a single motel room — two parents, five kids. It took three conversations before he trusted me enough to tell me they needed help. I left that day, went straight to the store, and came back with clothes and an Easter basket for every one of them. That 30-minute commute to Troy, every single day — worth it, every time.
The moments that keep me going
Two stories stay with me constantly. One is Launa — she lost 100 pounds to make sure she’d be around for her grandkids’ graduations and games, and now she can hike alongside them.
The other is Michelle, who used to have panic attacks just walking into the gym, even at 6 a.m. when it was nearly empty. Today she walks in, warms up on her own, and carries herself like the confident person she’s become.
My own path wasn’t perfect — during my competitive bodybuilding years I struggled with disordered eating, even while it looked like I was doing everything “right.” That taught me there’s only one approach that works long-term: a sustainable lifestyle, not an extreme one. Real results whileyou can still have a slice of cake at your kid’s birthday party.
Beyond the floor
Aspire's nonprofit, founded and directed by Chris Wertman, building youth wellness, fitness, and leadership across the Capital Region — 12 schools and an estimated 500 kids in the 2026 school year.
Home of an official USAPL powerlifting team led by Jack and Bridget Gardy, and host of the annual Gardy Classic powerlifting exhibition.
A community basketball league on the club's outdoor court with its own season at theaspireleague.com, plus a free weekly run club.
The team
I look for problem-solvers — people who take initiative and treat Aspire like it’s theirs, who put the community and the client experience first every time. Exercise science degrees, national certifications, a registered dietitian, and coaches who compete on the platforms they coach for. This is who you’ll actually see when you walk in.
Founder & CEO
Degrees in Exercise Science and Nutrition & Dietetics. Voted Best Personal Trainer in the Capital District at the Bestie Awards, Guilderland's Emerging Professional of the Year 2022, and founder of The L.E.A.D. Foundation. Has coached clients from age 6 to age 90.
Trainer & Gym Manager
Exercise Science degrees from SUNY Cortland and HVCC. Writes Aspire's weekly training blog.
Trainer & Fitness Director
B.S. Fitness Development, SUNY Cortland. NASM CPT. Former collegiate lacrosse player specializing in athletic performance, weight loss, and strength.
Trainer & Total Metabolic Analysis Specialist
B.S. Exercise Science, SUNY Cortland. Former college football player focused on athletic performance and injury prevention.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
RDN, CDN, MSAN, Doctor of Clinical Nutrition in progress. Leads Aspire's nutrition services and medical nutrition therapy.
Trainer
A.S. Exercise Science, HVCC. Doctor of Physical Therapy student at Russell Sage.
Trainer
B.S. Exercise Science, Rhode Island College. COTA/L and ACE CPT, pursuing an M.S. in Occupational Therapy.
Trainer
Certified personal trainer and competitive powerlifter with four state records in his first year on the platform.
Trainer
NASM CPT with an extensive background coaching youth athletes. Leads Aspire's HIIT classes.
Trainer
Certified Fitness Specialist, HVCC, studying Exercise Science. Lost roughly 60 pounds on his own training journey.
Trainer
Exercise science background with HVCC football roots. Leads the free weekly Stretch & Mobility class.
Trainer & Social Media Manager
NASM CPT with a swimming, gymnastics, and lacrosse background, currently training for an Ironman 70.3.
If you’re walking through our doors for the first time
“Congratulations — showing up is the hardest part, and you’ve already done it. The moment you let your guard down and ask for help is the moment you hand that weight over to us. From there, we guide you the rest of the way.”
Chris Wertman
Founder, Aspire Athletic Club
Aspire to Achieve
Seven days of Aspire, free. Day One is your Strategy Session — a sit-down about your goals and your history, not a workout. Then a movement assessment, coached small group classes all week, and the full club: the floor, the coaches, the community. On day seven you'll know if this is your place. No pressure, ever.
