Our Team

Ruben Belliard

FOUNDER

Ruben Belliard, founder of The Training Lab, grew up on the Lower East Side of New York City. Seeking a more active lifestyle and new surroundings, he joined the Marine Corps and served from 1997-2004 as an infantry rifleman, Instructor at The Basic School in Quantico, VA and overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

After the Marines, Ruben decided to follow his passion and followed a career in the fitness industry in Manhattan. He quickly learned in the Marines that you are capable of so much more than you think if you just try, and applies this to his personal daily lifestyle and client training. He’s competed in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at a national level, Ironman, all distance triathlons, cycling, running and obstacle races.

In 2008, Ruben started Warrior Fitness Boot Camp which he owned and operated until 2016. Throughout his career he saw how his clients’ interest in fitness evolved and the struggles they had when trying to make a change. He created The Training Lab to help people build a foundation that would allow you to do anything you wanted. He’s educating and breaking predetermined assumptions people have about their capacities with inspiration from his military training – at The Training Lab you train hard and train smart!

Colter Mancini

DIRECTOR OF TRAINING

Colter played high school basketball and socccer and immediately went on to join the Marine Corps from 2002-2007 where he served as an infantry rifleman and embassy guard. When he left the military he decided to attend college in Manhattan where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. During this time he studied Karate for 6 years and also started working as a fitness instructor in 2013 at Warrior Fitness Boot Camp located in Manhattan. In addition to teaching group classes at the boot camp he started personal training at 24 hour fitness. He loves to hike and when he works out he focuses on strength training and Weightlifting as a sport.

Certifications: ACE Group Fitness Instructor, ACE Personal Trainer, NASM Corrective Exercise Speccialist, USAW Advanced Sports Performance Coach.

Matt Sabo

Johnny Garcia

Gabi Dunkley

While growing up in Bermuda, Gabi shared her time between running for her high school cross country team, the swim team, being in a dance company and playing multiple instruments. Since dance and music were her first loves, she attended The American Musical and Dramatic Conservatory in NYC then transferred to The New School graduating with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre in 2013. After graduation, Gabi spent time performing and working as a music and movement teacher for preschools in NYC. She was introduced to the group fitness world in 2014 and hasn’t looked back since. Gabi’s sport is obstacle course races and she’s done over 20 in the past 3 years. In 2018, she podium twice at a competitive level. She is currently training to be able to compete at an elite level.

When Gabi isn’t training, she’s baking, traveling, spending time with family and friends and going to see stand up comedy. She has goals to some day have to guts to do stand up or film one of her many unfinished sketches.

Marisa Michele

As a mobility specialist & sports recovery-focused trainer, Marisa is passionate about exploring different styles of movement. Originally trained as a competitive swimmer, she went on to pursue dance and eventually compete in Muay Thai. She is currently training in Circus Arts. Marisa graduated Hunter College with a B.A. in Psychology with special interest in Neurophysiology. Since then, she’s worked in multiple sports physical therapy clinics, received training as a Fascial Stretch Therapist & Medicupping Therapist, and is pursuing acceptance into a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program. Marisa is dedicated to a career of helping people learn about the human body’s capacity to adapt & recover when given the right opportunities.

Bobby McMullen

Mike Ramirez

Brian Levine

A three-sport athlete in high school, Brian Levine went on to receive his bachelor’s degree with honors in exercise physiology from the University of Delaware in 2013. Upon graduation, Brian discovered triathlon and immediately fell in love with the sport upon completing his first sprint in August 2013. Since then, he’s dabbled into many professional areas, including tech startups, education, personal training, and group fitness instruction. In his spare time, Brian has created a triathlon community on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with a vision that the sport should be more accessible in New York City to all skill levels and abilities. Brian has completed over 20 triathlons of all distances, including two full IRONMAN races. He is pursuing his USA Triathlon level one coaching certification in fall of 2018.

When he’s not coaching or training for his next race, Brian enjoys hiking outside of NYC, seeing live music, reading all genres of fiction, spending time with his family and friends, and going for long bike rides up 9w that conveniently end at doughnut shops.

Daria Daspin

During Daria’s childhood, she was a figure skater and during her high school career, she was a competitive cheerleader. She then attended the University of Louisville from Fall 2011-Spring 2015. She earned her Bachelors Degree of Science in Health and Human Performance (concentration: exercise science) and a minor in Sports Administration in May 2015. She represented the University of Louisville as not only a competitive cheerleader, but also football and men’s basketball game day cheerleader. After college, Daria moved back to New Jersey where she started her personal training career. Currently, Daria trains at d&I Fitness in New Jersey as well as coaches cheerleading athletes (age 6-18) in tumbling and conditioning at Star Athletics. For fun, Daria likes to spend time with her 3 dogs (a Yorkie, Beagle mix, and Great Dane), and travel the world! She enjoys challenging herself, being outdoors, and experiencing life!

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