Get to know the coach behind Double A Fitness. I’m not just here to count your reps. I’m invested in your progress every single step of the way.
Aaron Caryl
Head Coach & Founder Mesa, Arizona
I’m originally from a small town called West Branch, Michigan, but I moved to the East Valley when I was 5 years old and have called Mesa home for the last 20 years. This is my community, not just where I happen to run a business.
Outside the studio, I’m a husband and a dad of five. My wife, Alaytin, and I have two daughters, Mckenzie (12) and Cody (2), and three sons, Aaron Jr. (9), Dylan (5), and our newest addition, Zachery. I coach my sons’ football teams, and being a present, dedicated parent matters to me as much as anything I do professionally. A lot of what I teach in the studio about consistency and showing up, I’m trying to live out at home too.
I still practice what I preach. I run a lot, including multiple half marathons and my first full marathon last year, and I love functional strength training. Most weekends you’ll find me dragging my kids to a trampoline park or some other activity neither of us wants to stop doing. As of recently, I’m also rehabbing a torn ACL I picked up playing dodgeball at my son’s birthday party (worth it, would do it again). It’s been humbling, but it’s given me a firsthand look at what my injured clients go through, and I plan on running that next marathon faster once I’m back.
When I’m not training or chasing kids around, I’m a self-described sports-aholic and a diehard Cardinals fan. You’ll usually find me paddleboarding, camping, or fishing when I get the chance, and our family recently got obsessed with a ping pong table I gave the kids for Christmas. Friday nights are for family movie night, pizza, and wings, my go-to cheat meal and proof that you don’t have to eat perfectly to stay in shape.
People are often surprised that trainers aren’t all ego and intensity. I’d like to think I’m proof of that. I take the work seriously, but I also believe you need to laugh during a workout for it to actually stick, and “lively with laughter” is probably the compliment I hear most from clients. I’m told I’m easy to talk to and find common ground with just about anyone, which I think makes that first session a lot less intimidating.
My MMA days gave me one of my proudest moments: my second fight was a true war against an opponent nicknamed “The Junkyard Dog.” Three rounds in, I wanted to quit on my stool. I dug deep instead, came out for the third, and got the finish. Having my hand raised that night is still one of my favorite memories, and it’s a feeling I try to help every client chase in their own way, whatever their version of “the finish” looks like.
I live by one phrase: life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself. I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from people like Mike Boyle and David Goggins, but mostly I’ve learned the most from my own clients, who teach me as much as I teach them.
If there’s one thing I want you to take from this, it’s that I’m not some untouchable fitness guru. I’m just like you, someone trying to build a better life one habit at a time. My job is to meet you exactly where you’re at and help guide you to wherever you’re trying to go, no matter what that currently looks like.
Aaron Caryl’s Approach to Personal Training
Every client Aaron Caryl works with gets a training experience built around their specific goal, schedule, and fitness level. Here’s what you can expect:
- ✅ A real assessment before your first session — not a generic intake form
- ✅ A program that evolves as you get stronger and fitter
- ✅ Honest feedback and clear direction every session
- ✅ Check-ins and adjustments between sessions when needed
- ✅ No judgment — just coaching
I work with clients at all levels. Complete beginners who have never touched a weight to adults getting back into it after years away. If you’re in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, or anywhere in the East Valley I’d love to connect.