TEAM MODUS
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Meet your coaches Mercedes Pollmeier & Katja Dove
MERCEDES POLLMEIER, MS, CSCS
Modus Founder & Head Coach
I am passionate about coaching motivated athletes to climb stronger not just for their next project, but for how they will feel long term, arming them with the knowledge to know themselves better as they pursue their athletic journey. It is my goal to advise athletes on how to train strength and flexibility effectively, while also working on their nutrition, mindset, and recovery.
I love seeing my clients progress and gain confidence, as well as to hear about all the new things they have learned about themselves through the process of training with me.
I also love to stay up-to-date with current research and am always continuing my education in the areas of health, fitness, and climbing. I have a Master's degree in Human Movement and Sports Conditioning. I am also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach through the NSCA and a Level 2 nutrition coach through Precision Nutrition.
I live in Seattle with my wife, Brenda and dog, Muppet.
MERCEDES' STREET CRED
A.T. STILL UNIVERSITY
MA in Human Movement & Sports Conditioning
METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY
BA of Exercise Science
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE
Certified Health & Fitness Specialist
NATIONAL STRENGTH & CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SPORTS MEDICINE
Performance Enhancement Specialist
PRECISION NUTRITION
Level 2 Master Health Coaching Certification
ATHLETE
I place a lot of value in practicing what I preach. I am a practitioner first and foremost, then a coach. I still compete in climbing and love to go outside and crush some hard boulders. I train myself like I train my athletes, with movement training, lifting, practice drills and good nutrition.
As an athlete, I have put in thousands of hours grinding it out in the gym and working on my skill set.
Before I was a climber, I was a semi-pro tennis player. I played Division I and II collegiate tennis, then went on to compete on the local circuits. I even had the chance to be on the Mauritian National Tennis Team and try out for the Olympics!
It was through this process that I found climbing. I started consistently climbing when I was 23 years old, combining climbing and tennis training together with the help of my mentor and coach Dave Wahl. I started competing in climbing and managed to climb at the National level for several years. If you'd like to know how hard I climb, here is the link to my climbing resume on Kaya.
AUTHOR
PEAK NUTRITION: SMART FUEL FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
Climbing partners Maria Hines , a James Beard-award winning chef, and Mercedes Pollmeier, an NSCA-Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Level 2 Nutritionst, decided that they'd had enough of packaged bars and goos.
As a celebrated chef, Hines can make anything taste great, and Pollmeier knows the science behind exercise nutrition. On their long drives to crags an idea blossomed: write a nutrition book for mountain sports.
SIMPLE STRENGTH: BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES FOR THE OUTDOOR ATHLETE
Learn how to develop efficiency of movement through practice and training of the three basic human movements: the pushup, the squat, and the back bend. I believe training should be fun, challenging, and help you become a master of movement.
KATJA DOVE, PhD
Assistant Coach
My passion for climbing was ignited in 2012 when I fell in love with the complexity of the sport: a physically and mentally demanding exploration of the outer world through inner challenges while connecting with nature. I dove into sport, trad and alpine climbing while exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
In 2017 I switched my focus to boulders after I became a mom. While climbing on ropes I learned to connect with my breath and access the flow state, while bouldering taught me what it means to try really hard.
I still love all kinds of climbing and can relate to the demands of each type. I’m also very passionate about combining motherhood with climbing and strongly believe in aging with athletic grace.
I only started climbing at the age of 29, but I’ve been continually progressing, learning and improving with each year (even through pregnancy!). Now, at 39 I feel stronger than I ever – physically, mentally and skill-wise. and I want to share some of my experience and knowledge with YOU!
I am originally from Germany and spent 12 years in Seattle before moving to Salt Lake City where I currently reside.
TRAINING WITH KATJA
PHILOSOPHY
Professionally, I have a PhD in Biochemistry and I have taught college level classes for many years. I’m also a certified nutrition coach and have been passionate about nutrition for over 20 years now. One of the big lessons that I have learned is that there is no magic pill or a quick fix. The best approach to gaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is gradual and complex. Therefore I’m also currently working on my certification to become a sleep, stress management and recovery coach!
My favorite part about coaching is to figure out where people are at, where they want to go and then meet them right there at the sweet spot of growth! Besides climbing and nutrition, I also love talking about all things mindset which I believe lays the foundation for peak climbing and optimal nutrition. How we make sense of the world is how we move in this world. In other words, our thoughts and beliefs impact our chemistry and biology which then influence our emotions and behavior. I often compare our bodies to race cars and our minds to drivers. We can have the fanciest, fasted car but if we don’t know how to drive it we won’t be able to go very far.
COACHING
- Monthly 1:1 climbing coaching with Katja
- Monthly 1:1 nutrition coaching with Katja
- Individual consultation calls with Katja
Curious about working with Katja? Contact her for a free 15-minute consultation so you can get your questions answered and learn more about each program.
STREET CRED
Precision Nutrition L1 Nutrition Coaching Certification
Precision Nutrition L1 Sleep, Stress Management and Recovery Coaching Certification
Ph.D in Biochemistry
University of Washington
NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
NASM Certified Behaviour Change Specialist
"My favorite part about coaching is to figure out where people are at, where they want to go and then meet them right there at the sweet spot of growth!"
-Katja Dove
