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Melanie Ortanez, Beaverton, OR Fitness Coach

Melanie Ortanez

Fitness

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My passion is to help others live their healthiest, longest, & ultimate best lives. I help to optimize your functional fitness & long-term health, while maximizing performance. View all coaching experience

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Fast Response Rate:
The percentage of time Melanie Ortanez responded to client inquiries within 48 hours in the last 3 months.
100%
Training Locations
Training Locations
  1. Portland, OR
  2. Beaverton, OR
  3. 97003, Hillsboro, OR

Coach is willing to travel up to 25 miles

Packages

Light Package
In-Person Training for a single athlete

1 session package with Coach Melanie. 60 minute session length

Session Length: 1 hour

$120 1 session + applicable fees

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3 pack (new clients only)
Recommended
In-Person Training for a single athlete

3 session package with Coach Melanie. 60 minute session length

Session Length: 1 hour

$315 3 sessions ($105/ea) + applicable fees

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Pro Package
In-Person Training for a single athlete

5 session package with Coach Melanie. 60 minute session length

Session Length: 1 hour

$540 5 sessions ($108/ea) + applicable fees

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Elite Package
In-Person Training for a single athlete

10 session package with Coach Melanie. 60 minute session length

Session Length: 1 hour

$1020 10 sessions ($102/ea) + applicable fees

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  • San Francisco State University (CA)

  • 10 years

  • Qualified Private Coach
    Passed Coach Course

  • Adults, Kids, Teenagers

  • Weight Loss, Tabata Training, Powerlifting, Obstacle Training, Nutrition, HIIT, Cross Training, Conditioning, Bodybuilding, Aerobic

  • Upper Body Strength, Trx, Thera-Band, Speed/ Agility, Rehabilitation, Medicine Ball Workouts, Lower body strength, Front Squat, Flexibility, Explosiveness, Deadlift, Core Conditioning, Bench Press, Balance, Back Squat

Credentials

  • San Francisco State University (CA)

  • 10 years

  • Qualified Private Coach
    Passed Coach Course

Services

  • Adults, Kids, Teenagers

  • Weight Loss, Tabata Training, Powerlifting, Obstacle Training, Nutrition, HIIT, Cross Training, Conditioning, Bodybuilding, Aerobic

  • Upper Body Strength, Trx, Thera-Band, Speed/ Agility, Rehabilitation, Medicine Ball Workouts, Lower body strength, Front Squat, Flexibility, Explosiveness, Deadlift, Core Conditioning, Bench Press, Balance, Back Squat

More About Coach Melanie

My name is Coach Mel and I have been a fitness professional since 2015. I have a variety of training specializations in coaching strength & endurance training for outdoor fitness enthusiasts, endurance athletes, trail racers, obstacle course racers, hikers, backpackers, runners, bodybuilders, powerlifters, and those desiring to improve their overall fitness & longevity.

I worked with competitive athletes: powerlifters, bodybuilders, obstacle course racers, runners, triathletes, and martial arts. Some of my athletes have won their first shows in INBF (International Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation) and was qualified for the WNBF, winning, receiving their pro-card, and placing 1st at their first shows! I have a variety of training specializations, working with men and women to run races, and women over 60+ that compete in running and triathlons!

My focus is on helping others optimize their functional fitness & long-term health; moving pain-free, strategies to increase your healthspan, creating a healthy relationship with food & feeling confident in your own body, increasing mobility, improving posture & overall health, guiding through nutritional planning, injury prevention, and even beyond to training the high-performing athlete. I worked with all walks of life; ages 8- age 88. Even focusing on improving older populations health & fitness throughout their marginal decade!

Education:
-BA Political Science (Health, Environmental, Food, and Nutrition Policy)
-National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer

-Equinox Federation of Training Institute (EFTI) Tier II (Level II) Personal Training
-Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Anatomy, Physiology, Biomechanics, Nutrition
-UCSF Level III Instructor/Mentor/Educator/ Personal Trainer/Coach, F45 Coach
-United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Powerlifting Coach
-National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Bodybuilding Coach
-National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Corrective Exercise Specialist
-American Council on Exercise (ACE) Metabolic/HIIT Training
-Precision Nutrition, Nutrition Coach
-United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy (UESCA) Running Coach Certification
-National Academy of Sports Medicine/ASTI CPR/AED

I am a fitness coach, educator, and a former physical therapy assistant. I am a former powerlifting competitor (USPA) and a former bodybuilding NPC (National Physique Competitor,) (Women’s Physique).

I have placed first in USPA (United States Powerlifting Association) Powerlifting Competitions.
I have placed in the top 3 at NPC (National Physique Committee) bodybuilding show.
I placed top 10 in competitive Spartan Obstacle Course races in my age group.

Currently, I am a competitive hybrid athlete in Spartan racing, Obstacle Course Racing, and mountain trail racing. I am a worldwide adventurer & outdoor adventurer; I love to trek the highest mountains and travel throughout the world’s most beautiful places to hike, backpack, and adventure. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, California and currently reside in
Beaverton, Oregon.

In the first session, I will ease you in, take it easy, and go through a full body assessment of testing your strength, mobility, and possibly a body composition test, depending on your goals. I perform the Functional Movement System Tests to identify asymmetries which result in functional movement deficiencies. The FMS aims to identify imbalances in mobility, stability, and strength.

I will then recommend mobility drills, then prescribe exercises based upon the assessment. I cue you through proper and safe exercise techniques, educate, inspire, motivate, and offer progressions and regressions to the movements.
Therefore, I can create a safe and effective program tailored to you after getting to know more of your goals and any exercise restrictions.

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Client Reviews

Mel is so enthusiastic and knowledgeable about her work...she did a great job of quickly assessing my 'starting point' both mentally and physically and has been able to provide perfect exercises to get started and then slowly progress to build up my stamina and flexibility and strength gradually...we communicate with one another often re: what is working and what isn't which makes the virtual nature of our relationship work so well!
Mel helped me prepare for my first WNBF bodybuilding competition! She was very knowledgeable and helpful with everything from training programs, diet, getting a suit, how to sign up, etc. and was able to contact the WNBF for me with any questions. I worked with Mel during my off season first where we bulked for about 3 months and I definitely saw a noticeable difference of muscle mass gained in just a short amount of time. I also worked with Mel during my cut and competition prep and was able to get very lean and won my WNBF pro card!! Thank you for all your help Mel!!
I can't even express the gratitude for Coach Mel! If I could hire her year round I would. She was knowledgeable about my physical needs, having had double hip surgery, Sciatica, arthritis. She taught me movements that worked with my physical pain and she challenged me to move my body in ways I didn't think I could. You know your doing things well when your pushing yourself and showing the ugly face and Glace up to see Coach Mel's Evil 😈 grin 😁. Best paid trainer experience I've ever had!
I started training with Coach Mel 1 month ago, and I can barely believe the progress I've made because of Mel's training program. From the end of 2021 to the beginning of this year, I suffered from a series of mysterious intestinal health issues and hospital stays, had diagnostic laparoscopy which did not reveal any answers, and spent a week in the hospital from a routine procedure that caused severe pancreatitis and left me physically depleted and doubled over in posture for over a month. After starting pelvic floor physical therapy recommended by my surgeon to help retrain my muscles to support digestion, I decided to get some support with working out - I have always been a fairly active person, but a year of health problems had left me feeling like a stranger in my own body and muscularly weak and uncoordinated. My intake interview with Mel lasted an hour and a half and she asked every question and detail about my recent health struggles as well as my personal goals. She was so easy to talk to and patient as I expressed everything that had been going on with me, which was difficult because I had still not fully processed everything. Mel and I started working together twice I week, and after each session, I noticed my posture and the unevenness I was experiencing getting better. My digestion improved and my weak muscles looked toned and strong again. She had so perfectly developed a program tailored to my needs and it showed--not just to me but to others as well. Last week I saw my PT and she did an exam. She told me that she didn't need to see me again for a month because all of the muscles she was worried about appeared strong and coordinated and my digestive symptoms were exponentially better. So not only do I notice how well Mel's program has worked for my body and specific issues, but a medical professional confirmed that Coach Mel knows what she is doing!!! I would recommend Coach Mel to everybody looking for a trainer, but especially to those with specific physical issues or goals, as it has become clear that Mel is an absolute strategist and problem solver for those with physical issues to address!
I met coach Mel at the Bakar Center at UCSF in 2018 as she was of the coaches in the F45 classes. I immediately liked her energy and attitude. She was always coming to class with a big smile and was able to spread her energy to us and spur us to give our best. She thoroughly explained each movement and ensured we were doing them correctly. Because of that, I also hired her as my personal trainer once a week, which was a great choice. I achieved goals and results I never thought I would have been able to. This is thanks to Melanie. She is very kind, nonjudgmental, and takes a holistic approach to fitness and wellbeing. She focuses much on stretching and conditioning and deeply knows anatomy and physiology. Melanie has helped me to be more disciplined in everyday life. She gave me a nutritional program and checked my progress, sleeping habits, and overall mental and physical health weekly. Coach Mel is definitely the right choice to progress in your goals!!! You will not regret it.
Coach Melanie is da best (I live in Hawaii now)! Whether in person or virtual she is amazing! Always supporting and helping you progress to meet your fitness, health and wellness goals! She is knowledgeable, non judgmental, kind and tailors the training for me! She always takes into account my aches , pains, post surgical condition, schedule, events, nutrition - you name it - Coach Melanie has always made adjustments that help me in my journey. I am so impressed by her! I met Coach Melanie at the UCSF Bakar Fitness Center when I barely exercised after a cervical spine surgery years ago. I was having back and nerve pain and I hadn't done a triathlon or run in eons, couldn't do a push-up and didn't exercise regularly. After working with Coach Melanie I strength train consistently ( super important for us all!), completed the sprint distance Honolulu triathlon, a couple of 10k's and few metric century rides and am on my way to more! My goal is to one day complete the iron- person distance tri and if anyone can help me get there it's Coach Melanie. We talk over nutrition I even meal prep now - not something I did before. I've had a few trainers over the years but Coach Melanie is the absolute best! I also really respect her values and am impressed by her own health, wellness and fitness journey. She's a fantastic person! Start training with Coach Melanie now to progress in your journey - no matter your level. You'll not regret it
I started training with Melanie November of 2016. After one of previous personal trainers left Bakar Fitness I tried a few people before finding Melanie. Melanie's profile caught my eye on the website of Bakar fitness. I have always been on the petite side naturally and one of my goals was to be able to gain muscle and be strong. I never thought it was possible for me to be very strong being a 5'3 and naturally skinny person. Melanie definitely proved me wrong! My proudest moment was when I was able to deadlift 185lbs (I was myself 107lbs). While the number of pounds gained/lost definitely shows progress and reflects great milestones in one's personal health journey, training with Melanie has helped me look at health beyond numbers. Training with Melanie has had cascading positive effects in my life. I have become more disciplined when it comes to my health which in turn has improved my diet, reduced my anxiety, helped with my insomnia. Melanie is definitely unique in her approach. I have had several trainers where training means 1 hour of working out with them every week. Melanie is not your average trainer. She cares deeply about her clients and goes above and beyond for them. Outside of our 1 hour of training, to give an example of how Melanie came through as a coach for me - She gave me a nutritional program and kept me accountable. I broke my wrist from a bike ride; Mel helped me train my lower body in isolation for multiple months which helped me stay healthy physically and emotionally. I also had a shoulder surgery from a sports injury. I experienced a lot of atrophy and stiffness after the surgery. Melanie has supported me over the last 2 years to build back my strength and range of motion. I can do pull ups again! I have gained a lot of strength and muscle with her programs. Melanie is not a trainer that just cares about the number of pounds dropped/gained or to just get you high numbers for squats or deadlifts. She is very cognizant of injuries, she puts a lot of focus on conditioning and stretching and taking care of your body like it is a temple.She is extremely educated about anatomy. These qualities differentiates Melanie's programs from just another personal training experience. People often think having a personal trainer is not worth the money. Why pay someone when you can google exercises/programs. Having done my share of googling programs and investing in a personal trainer like Melanie, I can definitely say I am better off with Melanie. I look at health differently now and investing in having an expert like Melanie has definitely been the right choice and the returns have been more than worth it.
Working with Mel changed my life. When we started, I was doing physical therapy for an early frozen shoulder diagnosis. I had very limited mobility, was in pain and so weak. I had also packed on some weight that I could not get off because I couldn't move. It was a vicious cycle that I really needed help getting out of. I started working with Mel and she customized my fitness plan. She listened carefully to my concerns/discomfort and I always trusted her vision of what was possible. She had a background in physical therapy and was familiar with the issues that I had with my shoulder. It was alot of hard work but Mel has such an infectious positivity. I knew when she pushed, it was always something she knew I could do. All of the work we did really paved the way for me to have a pain-free vacation backpacking Europe for a month and a very active lifestyle when I lived in the UK recently. When I think back to how far I have come in terms of strength and mobility (probably 99% there) - I am amazed at how much we were able to accomplish together. Mel is as committed in your success as you want her to be. In our sessions, we worked hard but it was always alot of fun and filled with laughter. She is a wealth of information, a cheerleader, health and wellness guru and a gem of a human being.
This review is for personal trainer Melanie Ortanez. Mel and I met 8 years ago when I was newly engaged. I was consistently going to the the gym and classes, but struggling to see progress. When I signed on to train with Mel, she helped me build a nutrition plan along with weekly sessions, and homework to do in my own time. She also taught me how to count macros, and ways to incorporate alcohol and cheat meals. With her guidance, after 6 months, I decreased my body fat percentage by 35% to where wanted to be for my wedding. When I was pregnant and postpartum, she helped me stay strong and consistent throughout. What I appreciated was that she understood that goals shift with our life stage changes. As a coach, Mel is very thorough and works with your lifestyle (flexibility on vacations, special occasions, etc.). She even writes me workout plans for when I go on vacation and have limited equipment. She is also my go-to person for supplement questions and is always in the know for the most delicious healthy snacks! With the continued results, I continue to train with Mel and have never felt better in my life. Highly recommend Melanie!
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