Get to know the coaches who make our Community Strong. This month we’re catching up with our owner and founder, Noal Dubois and our general manager and head coach Cara Sabin, who both joined Defined 15 years ago!
Watch the video below and read their bios below to learn more about Coach Noal’s and Coach Cara’s passion of helping others on their fitness journey—and why they’re still just as passionate 15 years later.
he/him
KNOWN FOR: pushing athletes to perform at their highest level and achieve goals they never thought possible.
TRAINING GROUPS: CrossFit, Olympic Lifting, Powerlifting, Movement & Mobility, Defined Barbell Weightlifting Team Captain
EXPERIENCE: 16+ years coaching CrossFit (since 2009), Co-founder of Defined (2011) Co-founder of The Pound Pad. (2013)
CERTIFICATIONS: CF-L1, CF-L2, CrossFit Weightlifting, Gymnastics, Powerlifting and Movement & Mobility Coach, USAW Sports Performance Coach, BA Business Communications with Minor in Public Relations
LIKES: traveling, roller blading, swimming, martial arts, power washing the deck
LOVES: applying biomechanics to sport, building strong athletes through diverse programming, and leading competitive weightlifting teams.
Noal's CrossFit journey began in 2009 with a humbling first workout at a commercial gym in Lakeview that showed him his previous training hadn't prepared him for functional fitness. Recognizing the profound impact this type of training could have on people's lives, he transitioned from corporate sales to co-founding Defined with David in 2010. His vision was to create a space supporting diverse community, functional programming, and versatile coaching. With over a decade of Jeet Kune Do martial arts study and teaching, Noal brings disciplined precision to his coaching approach. As a former CrossFit Games Regional team competitor, he leads the gym's primary strength and conditioning program while captaining the Defined Barbell Weightlifting Team.
she/her
KNOWN FOR: her fun, engaging approach to coaching, being your biggest fan and helping you see just how strong you already are.
TRAINING GROUPS: Foundations, Mobility, Olympic Lifting, Pre and Post-natal Training, CrossFit Kids
EXPERIENCE: 15+ years of strength and conditioning coach and 15 year professional dance career.
CERTIFICATIONS: CF-L1, CF-L2, Yoga and Recovery Techniques, Kinesiology, CrossFit Kids Trainer, Precision Nutrition Level 1, CHILL Mindfulness Meditation Certification.
LIKES: traveling, strong coffee, healthy cooking, Chicago culture
LOVES: Ollie her French bulldog, high-fiving herself, and helping people reconnect with their bodies and potential.
Cara has been a professional dancer in Chicago for over a decade, teaching and touring nationally and internationally as a member of The Seldoms. She discovered CrossFit while seeking smarter cross-training for her dance career, with her first experience—which happened to be on a first date—completely reshaping her understanding of functional fitness. Her artistic background informs her coaching philosophy of helping people discover confidence within themselves. Teaching is her passion, and she uses it to help athletes reconnect with their bodies and unlock their potential both in and outside the gym. As General Manager and Lead Coach, Cara specializes in working with diverse athletes across foundations, mobility, Olympic lifting, and specialized pre and post-natal training programs.
–
Thanks for helping make our Community Strong, Coach Noal & Coach Cara! 💪
.jpg)
.png)
