Meet Our Coaching Staff
Alex Kennedy
Alex Kennedy is a coach and co-owner of Atlanta Barbell and has been coaching for 12 years. He served as a Starting Strength Coach from 2013-2020. Alex has coached a wide array of demographics in various sports such as cycling, weightlifting, marathon running, powerlifting and many others. His focus is on everyday people working towards creating a significant change through strength training. Prior to his career as a Coach, Alex attended college at GSU, and served 4 years in the United States Marine Corps Infantry.
Mac Muse
Mac has been passionate about barbell training for as long as he can remember, and over the past few years has channeled that passion into coaching. His focus is simple: build real strength through mastering the basics, and help clients understand not just what to do, but why it works. If you’re serious about progress, Mac is serious about getting you there. A former varsity rower, Mac knows firsthand what it means to train with purpose and push through discomfort and he brings that same drive to the gym floor. Outside of coaching, he’s a premed student, tutor, and endurance athlete who has completed both marathon and ultramarathon races, crediting time under the bar for keeping him strong through all of it.
Dee Fordella
Co-owner and coach at Atlanta Barbell, Dee is deeply experienced and passionate about supporting others on their strength journey. As a collegiate soccer player with a masters degree in exercise science & a strength and conditioning coach, she understands the value of strength. She believes that the motto of each training session should be, “to be stronger tomorrow than you are today”. Personally, strength has always been a priority of hers and she has dedicated her career to helping others of all backgrounds, generations and levels to understand and appreciate its value as well. Whether it is hitting the trails on her bike, going out for a jog or enjoying a hike in the mountains she credits the time spent under the barbell for its role in keeping these activities enjoyable. When she is not coaching, you can find her hanging out with her 3 children doing the job she values most, that of a mom!.
Peter Kelly
Peter Kelly is a barbell coach from Atlanta, GA. He graduated from Mercer University with a degree in organizational leadership and completed Atlanta Barbell’s in-house internship coaching program. Peter has over 10 years of experience with strength training and has helped many people realize their strength training goals. Peter creates a training experience and program tailored to each client’s needs; whether you’re a novice learning the ropes or an intermediate wanting to elevate your training, he is eager to spread the value of strength training to the community!