John Haubenstricker

DrPH, MS, RD, CSSD, ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist®, IPE Professional Bodybuilder

My love for bodybuilding and health started when I was 15, and my father received a barbell weight set for his birthday. Instead of my father putting the weights to use, I did! I was hooked from the first barbell bicep curl and completely fell in love with lifting weights. I was amazed that these exercises could redefine your physique and health. I began going to the public library to read up on how to work out from the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joe Weider. In high school, I took weightlifting classes to continue to hone my exercise form and programming skills. Once I graduated high school, I enrolled at the University of Maryland, taking many exercise science and nutrition classes that earned me a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. That’s when I knew I was completely committed to lifelong learning on how to achieve health and the ultimate physique.

Fast forward 20 years, and I now have several degrees under my belt. I hold a Doctorate in Public Health with an emphasis in Health Education from Loma Linda University. Prior to this degree, my years at San Diego State University culminated in two master’s degrees—Exercise Physiology and Nutritional Sciences. The acquisition of these degrees also helped me to become a Registered Dietitian, Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, and an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist.

During and after graduate school, I have held numerous professional academic positions, which have assisted in cultivating and enhancing my education and experiences as a health professional and coach. I was the Measurement Director for the San Diego State University Pasos Adelante Investigation of Pedometers and Step Counters for Physical Activity Promotion. Similarly, I was a Faculty Research Associate for the University of Pittsburgh’s Human Performance Laboratory within the Special Operations Forces community. Both research positions helped me develop my research acumen and resulted in several peer-reviewed research publications.

Currently, I am the Wellness Coordinator for the American Red Cross Southern California Region’s Women, Infants, and Children program. I design, coordinate, and evaluate their wellness, weight management, and cooking staff and client programs. In addition, I mentor and precept numerous undergraduate and graduate nutrition, exercise physiology, and public health students each year. Also, the California Women, Infants, and Children Association has hired me as a Wellness Consultant tasked with writing their statewide staff wellness newsletter. Finally, I have been a personal trainer/coach for over 25 years, helping thousands of people from all walks of life, e.g., corporate executives, endurance athletes, physique competitors, and medical professionals, achieve optimal health and wellness.

I’m fortunate that my professional career is inextricably intertwined with my passion–bodybuilding. I am a Professional International Pro Elite Natural Bodybuilder who has been competing for over 15 years. I won my professional card in 2014, prior to returning to school for my doctorate. Speaking of which, my doctoral dissertation was entitled Dietary Intake and Behavior in Competitive Women Bodybuilders, and I have several manuscripts submitted for publication.

Whether you want a healthier physique for life or aspire to do a bodybuilding competition, the combination of my knowledge, professional experience, and competitive success can help you achieve your goals. This is epitomized in my mission, “To provide you with an evidence-based, individualized training and nutrition coaching experience to educate, inspire, and empower you to achieve your health and physique goals for life and competition. Together, let’s create a physique worthy of your vision. I strongly believe your path to success should not be average; it should Be EPIC!”

Be EPIC

Dr. John Haubenstricker, DrPH, MS, RD, CSSD, ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist®, IPE Professional Bodybuilder

My Ethos

The fundamental values are:

Educate & Empower

I don’t just coach you on what to do, but I educate you on why we are doing it. Together, we will devise an evidence-based program to inform and empower you to achieve your goals.

Personal Health & Physique

My coaching not only helps you achieve your physique goals, but also your health goals. You won’t just look healthy; you’ll be healthy.

Individualized & Inspired

We work together to individualize every facet of your programming. In addition, we regularly review where you started, where you are currently, and continually set new goals for your success. This not only helps us to stay on target, but also ensures you stay inspired every step of the way.

Coaching & Competition

Whether you want a healthier physique for life or aspire to do a bodybuilding competition, working with me is like getting three coaches in one. I am here to help you with your training, nutrition, and behavior changes. This combination not only accelerates your ability to reach your goal/s but also streamlines your journey to achieve the physique worthy of your vision.

Testimonials

Real people. Real testimonials.

“John, I can’t say enough about your patience with me! Through all my nonsense you were able to wrangle me…”

FAQs

Q: Why should I hire you?
A: This is a great question and one I don’t answer lightly. I know that hiring me, or any coach for that matter, can be quite an investment. I, however, want to quickly share why hiring me not only saves you frustration and time but also money. First, research indicates that less than half of people who start a new health behavior quit within a year. That means most people don’t succeed in achieving their goals on their own and often fail multiple times in the process. That can make people feel quite frustrated and like failures. Now, when people had professional support, they were much more successful in achieving and maintaining those new health behaviors. These health professionals helped people set up achievable goals and checked in on them monthly to enhance accountability. This type of support is precisely what I provide, but check-ins are weekly with monthly virtual discussions! In addition, I not only help you with health behavior changes, but also with your training and nutrition programming. I have advanced degrees in public health, exercise physiology, and nutrition, plus, if you do bodybuilding competitions, I’m a professional natural bodybuilder too (See my bio for more on me). So, working with me is like getting three coaches in one, plus a professional natural bodybuilder. This combination not only helps you achieve your health and physique goals more cost-effectively but it also accelerates your ability to reach them and streamlines your journey.
Q: How do I get started working with you?
A: Great question! Just go ahead and contact me via email. Please let me know what service/s you are interested in from the Home page, and I’ll take it from there and get back in contact with you to get you set up. Even if you’re not entirely sure, contact me, and we will set up a free 15-minute consultation to help you make the best choice for you.
Q: Once I’ve paid for the services I want, what are the next steps?
A: Depending on which service you purchase:
1. I will send you comprehensive intake forms to capture all the necessary information I need to craft your individualized nutrition and training programs.
2. We then meet virtually for 30 minutes to review the forms and answer all your questions.
3. Once your program is created, we will meet virtually for 30-50 minutes to review it together.
Q: Are the programs for training and/or nutrition a one-size-fits-all?
A: Absolutely not! We work as a team and use an evidence-based approach to craft every facet of your training and nutrition programs to best meet your needs, preferences, and goals. In addition, we regularly review where you started, where you are currently, and continually set new goals for your success. This not only helps us to stay on target, but also ensures you stay inspired every step of the way.
Q: How long should I expect to be working with you?
A: This ultimately will depend on your goal/s and the information you provide on your intake forms. At a minimum, you will be working with me for at least a month, but most end up working with me longer as they are excited by the results they are achieving. If you are planning to compete in a bodybuilding competition, however, you should plan to work with me for at least six months to ensure you have enough time to prepare.

Q: Once I get started, what’s the process for follow-up?
A: After we have developed your training or nutrition programming:
1. I will have you follow up with me by filling out a comprehensive coaching data sheet and pictures (as needed) to make sure you are on track to reach your goal.
2. In addition, we will also have a monthly 30–50-minute virtual discussion.
Q: What is the Lifestyle Nutrition & Training Programming?
A: This is for anyone interested in improving their physique and health. This program focuses on increasing your energy levels, reducing body fat, adding muscle, providing better workouts and nutrition, and improving your overall health.
Q: What’s the difference between off-season/pre-season and competition/post-show nutrition and training programming?
A: The off-season/pre-season nutrition and training programming are designed for bodybuilding contest recovery, building muscle, injury recovery (Note: I don’t provide physical therapy or other forms of sports medicine treatment), correcting asymmetries, and fixing imbalances to create the physique you want before you begin to prepare for a bodybuilding competition. The pre-contest/competition/post-show nutrition and training programming is a much more rigorous process of maintaining the hard work you have done in the off-season/pre-season to put on muscle, while chiseling and sculpting away the excess bodyfat to bring out your best physique on stage. Post-competition, the goal is to increase your calories and body fat levels to help you recover from your show and prime your physique for a productive off-season.
Q: What if I’ve never done a bodybuilding competition before?
A: No problem! This is the ideal situation as I can help you get on the right path from day one. I will walk with you step-by-step through the whole process to take all the guesswork out of achieving your best physique for the stage.
Q: Do I need a personal trainer?
A: If you need assistance on how to perform the recommended exercises correctly, you have a couple of choices:
1. You can work with me virtually to help you learn how to perform those exercises.
2. Alternatively, if you are in the San Diego region, I may be able to meet with you one-on-one to assist you.

a woman standing in a gym with her back to the camera

Media

Articles

Victory V’s Don’t Always Mean Victory

Interview with John Haubenstricker, Outside Magazine

Male swimmer in a yellow cap exits the ocean, surrounded by competitors. The scene captures the intense atmosphere of a triathlon event.

Haubenstricker JE, Lee JW, Segovia-Siapco G, Medina, E. The Theory of Planned Behavior and Dietary Behaviors in Competitive Women Bodybuilders. BMC Public Health. 2023 23:1716. (Access Link)
Haubenstricker JE, Lee JW, Segovia-Siapco G, Medina, E. Dietary Intake and Supplement Use in Competitive Women Bodybuilders. Sports. 2023 11(8):158. (Access Link)
Beals K, Perlsweig KA, Haubenstricker JE, Lovalekar M, Beck CP, Yount DL, Darnell ME, Allison K, Nindl BC. Energy Deficiency During Cold Weather Mountain Training in NSW SEAL Qualification Students. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018: 1-24. (Access Link)
Beals K, Darnell ME, Lovalekar M, Haubenstricker JE, Nindl BC. Evaluating Diet Quality in SEAL Qualification Training Students. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2017 49(5S):679. (Access Link)
Beals K, Haubenstricker JE, Beck CP, Perlsweig KA, Yount DL, Lovalekar M, Darnell ME, Baker, RA, Sell TC. Decreased Energy Availability During Cold Weather Mountain Training in Special Operators. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016 48(5S):164. (Access Link)
Haubenstricker JE, Beals K, Lovalekar M, Lephard S. Dietary Supplement Use According to Health-Related Behavior Covariates in SQT and CQT Students. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015 47(5S):760. (Access Link)
American Public Health Association 2014 Abstract, Lovalekar M, Abt J, Sell T, Takashi N, Haubenstricker J, Beck C, Yount D, Eagle S, Lephart S. Musculoskeletal Injuries and Associated Healthcare Utilization among Naval Special Warfare Sea, Air and Land Qualification Training Students. (Access Link)
Marshall SJ, Nicaise V, Ji M, Huerta C, Haubenstricker J, Levy S, Ainsworth B, Elder J. Using Step Cadence Goals to Increase Moderate-to-Vigorous Intensity Physical Activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013:45(3):592-602. (Access Link)
Haubenstricker JE, Marshall SJ, Beshgetoor D, Ainsworth BE. The effect of acculturation and socioeconomic status on dietary patterns in Mexican-American women. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41 Suppl(5):S274. (Access Link)

Photos & Videos

UNBA Competition 2014

UNBA Competition 2013

A woman performs a bent-over dumbbell row in a gym while a trainer provides guidance. Other trainers and gym equipment are visible in the background.

Cable One Leg Romanian Deadlift

How to properly and effectively perform a cable one-leg Romanian deadlift.

Please also visit our YouTube Channel.

A woman performs a squat with a dumbbell, while a man provides guidance and encouragement in a gym setting, showcasing personal training.

Dumbbell Sumo Squat

How to properly and effectively perform a dumbbell sumo squat.

Please also visit our YouTube Channel.

A woman performs a squat with a barbell while receiving instruction from a trainer, showcasing a fitness training session in a gym.

Barbell Squat

How to properly, safely, and effectively perform a barbell squat.

Please also visit our YouTube Channel.

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Stricker Elite

John Haubenstricker