Meet Sahand Rostami | Movement & Performance Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sahand Rostami and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sahand, let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
I think the biggest principle that matters most to me is about caring. “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” ― Theodore Roosevelt

That mantra has been instrumental for me my entire career. The clients you work with have to know that you truly care about their success and wellbeing. I always believe that their success is my success. I don’t pretend to have the answer to everything. When my clients and I ever come across a case, question or dilemma that we aren’t completely sure about, they know that I will to do everything in my power to learn and to find out.

For me caring leads to curiosity. That curiosity leads to me wanting to expand my knowledge and further my education which leads to growth. That growth is what will set you apart from others. None of that is possible though if you don’t care.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
At The Movement Engineer, my focus is to help people obtain peak performance doing the activities they enjoy. Through experience, I have learned that every person has different needs to get to their health & fitness goals. I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Every one of my clients receives individualized attention from a neurological and bio-mechanical perspective in order to maximize their results. Whether they need to lose that extra 10-15 pounds, improve their range of motion and mobility or correct their stubborn aches and pains, I have the knowledge and experience to help them get there.

What I’m most proud of is how my business offers more than just standard personal training. I offer a combination of personal training for both corrective & performance goals, nutritional coaching for those who need more support with their nutrition and lifestyle. Finally, I offer pain relief manual therapy helping clients experiencing acute or chronic pain, I help clients overcome the symptoms & pain by helping them reprogram dysfunctional movement patterns by using NeuroKinetic Therapy® and manual modalities such as Active Release Technique® and other soft tissue treatments to help treat problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Most of my clients benefit from a customized combination of training, nutrition coaching and manual therapy. This three-part system allows my clients to address their health in a holistic multi-faceted method.

If there is one thing people should know about The Movement Engineer is that it doesn’t matter where you start, we will help you feel, move and perform at your absolute best!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would want my friend to come during Comic Con week so we’d have the best people watching experience! I would take my friend sightseeing in Coronado and La Jolla cove. I would definitely want them to eat at Javier’s, George’s at the Cove and Sushi Ota! For drinks I would want to enjoy an evening at the Pony Room at Rancho Valencia.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many to list! There are two that stuck out to me the most.

I was pushed into the fitness industry by my now good friend Morgin. He was the manager at The House Fitness – a small, family owned studio that specialized in Les Mills classes. He approached me one day as I was about to graduate high school and told me that I should take a Bodypump instructor training. I was a little surprised, but I always had a knack for finding new ways to challenge myself so I decided to just go for it.

For a 17 year old to go up on a stage and try to lead 20-30 adults into exercising was so frightening at first. Him and his now wife Charlotte spent so much time working with me and mentoring me until I built up my confidence. I loved how they were so tough on me and pushed me to be the best I could be. Thanks to that, after my time there, every other gym I went to and taught Les Mills classes at, I was one of the most liked and popular instructors. They didn’t want me to meet a standard, they wanted me to set it.

A few years later, when I got hired at The Sporting Club, my group fitness manager Anne really pushed me to get certified as a personal trainer. While they loved me teaching group fitness, The Sporting Club didn’t want me to be a personal trainer there. A lot of that had to do with my lack of experience as a personal trainer as well as my age. I was only 20 years old and all the other trainers there had years of experience. Anne fought for me and helped me get a shot. I always said to myself that once I get a shot I’m going to prove everyone who doubted me wrong. After 2 years of personal training, I was one of the busiest trainers there and haven’t looked back since.

I think most defining trait of a mentor is to be able to see greatness and potential in someone before they even believe in themselves. Morgin & Anne both saw something in me when I was still a young kid trying to figure it all out. I wouldn’t be where I am today if not for all their help and guidance.

Website: Themovementengineer.com

Instagram: @themovementengineer

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