Coaches
Abby Havens
Coach/Owner
HIIT/Barbell
“Don’t Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream”
Qualifications
CrossFit L1
CrossFit Weightlifting L1
CrossFit Spot the Flaw
CrossFit Judges
About Abby
Helping people feel better physically and realizing that their only roadblock is themselves; is the best job EVER!
Turning Point
I was out of shape! All through high school I was active in softball & basketball and as time passed and two kids later I realized I was tired & out of shape. I found sanity in working out, it gave me “ME” time! I finally decided that focusing on me made me a better mom. I found my first love of “HIIT workouts” during that time and have since found another love with CrossFit there is nothing like having a barbell in hand and working off the frustrations of the day.
Motivation & Passion
My Passion is helping others become or stay healthy. Unfortunately, the world is stacked against us so being able to move functionally throughout life is my passion and my motivation is watching people achieve this. There is no better feeling than receiving messages from athletes of “my blood pressure is lower”, “my cholesterol is lower” “I feel better” “my balance is better”.
Bottom line is helping people realize their capabilities and watching them do the work is quite frankly the biggest reward!
Derek Havens
Coach/Owner
Barbell/HIIT
Qualifications
CrossFit L2
CrossFit Spot the Flaw
CrossFit Scaling
CrossFit Judges
Certified Fitness Trainer (ISSA)
About Derek
Take ordinary people and make them extraordinarily strong.
Turning Point
I was an avid sports enthusiast throughout my youth playing baseball, basketball, running track & swimming in the Gasconade. After high school I joined the military and served for 24 years with the Missouri Army National Guard and retired November 2021 at the rank of Master Sergeant . During that time I was deployed twice, once to Baghdad, Iraq and the other to the Sinai Peninsula sandwiched between Egypt and Israel. It was there in the Sinai that I found my love for Crossfit and HIIT. Upon returning from the Sinai deployment it did not take long and AK HIIT was born. Born out of a necessity and community responsibility. As I looked around I noticed a trend. People were just tired and out of shape. They needed a place to go get sweaty - burn off some stress - and leave fitter and better functioning humans. AK HIIT opened in 2013 and quickly word caught on.
Motivation & Passion
My Passion and Motivation stems from helping someone drop the word "can't" from their vocabulary. We humans are remarkable creatures and are capable of so much. I love seeing someone do something they once thought was impossible. The smile on their face when they complete the task is all I need to know that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. Helping people become better version of themselves.
Casey Bruce
Coach
Barbell/HIIT
Qualifications
CrossFit L1
CrossFit Weightlifting L1
CrossFit Judges
About Casey
Been in an active lifestyle my entire life from basketball, softball, track, and crosscountry through out high school even though I was not the most athletic person. I loved the feeling of satisfaction playing a sport gave me. I loved the environment of being around likeminded people. After school I went to running as my only fitness. I still love running but never saw the results I wanted. I coached high school crosscountry and track but never got the same enjoyment as being on a team of peers. When this gym started I jumped at the opportunity to get back in shape, to be with friends, and it has been one of the best choices I have ever made!
Motivation & Passion
Watching doubt and fear on an athletes face as they hear a workout turn to a smile of pure joy because they conquered something when they doubted themself is the most amazing feeling as a coach. Walking through the door is always going to be the hardest part because once inside the people, the atmosphere, the owners/coaches will allow you to do great things!
Brittany Brune
Coach / AK HIIT Media
Qualifications
CrossFit L1
CrossFit Judges
I began my fitness journey in 2012 with Jillian Michaels and Beachbody videos. When I purchased my first AppleWatch, things got pretty serious and consistent. (Laugh it up 😉) I strived to close my ‘Move Ring’ every day for several years; that watch owned me for a looong time. But I always felt as if something was missing…
In 2018, AK HIIT’s new location was built in Westphalia. I had never been a gym member in my life, never touched a kettlebell or jumped on a box, and CrossFit was never part of my plan. I walked in the door and my life forever changed… As I kept showing up day after day, I gained strength and confidence. I gained a family of like-minded individuals which included a TON of accountability. I also gained Coaches that pushed me past SO many comfort zones and believed in me long before I believed in myself.
As the years passed I grew more and more passionate about the methodology of CrossFit and its lifelong health benefits for all ages. I began to understand the importance of movement and how to move with PURPOSE. I was reaping the benefits myself and I wanted nothing more than to share and lead others to their own success. I wanted to push others to understand what I didn’t know when I started: “You are your only limit.”
I enjoy watching the determination and growth of athletes over time. The look of pride when someone accomplishes a task that they once thought was impossible… seeing the mindset shift to “I CAN” and “I DID”. No matter the level of fitness, I love to see athletes striving to be better than yesterday.
Leslie Berhorst
Coach
HIIT
Qualifications
CrossFit L1
CrossFit Judges
Fitness and an active lifestyle have always been important to me, and I missed the camaraderie and competitiveness that many years of playing basketball and softball offered.
AK HIIT provided an opportunity to fuel my competitive spirit again. It pushed me to grow mentally and physically, and see the importance of not fearing failure, all while surrounded by the most amazing group of supportive, like-minded individuals. Not only am I in the best shape of my life, but the personal growth - more mental toughness and believing in myself (outside the gym too) - is what I’m most proud of.
I want to authentically inspire and motivate others to do the same - to believe in themselves, understand that failure is an opportunity to grow and learn, and to find out what their bodies are truly capable of. The journey may not always be easy, but it’ll absolutely be worth it. Together, we can achieve great things! Feeling confident, strong, healthy, and happy is so important to our overall well-being. Movement is medicine, necessary for the body and the best form of self care.
What started as simply stepping outside my comfort zone, quickly turned into one of my biggest passions. And I love breaking the stigma around ladies lifting weights - Lift. That. Shit. I promise you won’t regret it. Strong is the new sexy!