Meet Tia Norris and FitPro, LLC
Fitness is everything to me. It’s my world, my heart and soul. I believe that the pursuit of fitness is infinitely interesting and has a lifetime of lessons in store for those who regularly engage. On the physical side, fitness can offer: strength, power, endurance, agility, balance, rhythm, grace, flexibility, and mastery. But on a deeper level, fitness can offer a myriad of benefits worth pursuing: confidence, patience, courage, clarity, persistence, tenacity, poise, composure, and an unshakable sense of self.
I have made a name for myself as a trainer, entrepreneur, athlete, and person on my indomitable will and laser-precision focus. When I set my sights on a goal, nothing in this world will derail my determination… nothing! My mission is to empower my clients to reach their goals in fitness, and beyond… and to pay forward my unyielding persistence and unstoppable drive to help those who dare to dream big in their own lives.
Education and Certifications:
- Juris Doctorate, University of Arizona Law
- Psychology B.A., The Ohio State University
- Certified Personal Trainer, American College of Sports Medicine
- Precision Nutrition Level 1
- Kinesio Tape Certified
Business, Training, and Community Records:
- FitPro has been established in the Arizona fitness community since founding in 2011
- Prior to founding FitPro, Tia served as the head of personal training departments at Bally Total Fitness, LA Fitness, and Mountainside Fitness
- Tia has extensive personal training experience with a wide variety of goals: weight loss (up to 100# and more), bodybuilding, powerlifting, fitness modeling, contest prep and posing coaching, sport-specific training (volleyball, swimming, soccer, martial arts, motocross, basketball, jump training, and more), law enforcement and military training (local police, Air Force, FBI, and more), disabled and special populations, youth training, and more
- FitPro is also involved in the local community fitness scene (Girl Scouts troops special sessions, free bootcamps, and more)
- FitPro has a partnership with Arizona State University to provide internship opportunities for both undergraduates and graduate students
- Tia was a column writer for Phoenix-based Echo Magazine from 2016-2020 (“Talking Bodies”)
Notable Personal Fitness achievements:
- Widely respected fitness model and bodybuilder
- 4x Ironman triathlons and several 70.3 triathlons (All World Athlete in 2019/2020/2021)
- 3x Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rims
- Ultra marathons, marathons and many more running/triathlon races
- Other significant experience in powerlifting, kickboxing, fitness photography, and ballroom dance
- Proud member of Team Coeur ’20, Team MoxiLife, and Team HoneyStinger
My Story:
I got my first weightlifting book when I was 11. I grew up in a quaint, small town in Northeast Ohio. I didn’t really know what I was doing in terms of technique back then, but… let’s just say that amidst teenage angst, isolation, pressure, stress, and feelings of powerlessness in a number of situations, the gym evolved into my sanctuary. Throughout the rest of my life, and still to this day: fitness is my deepest and surest source of power, confidence, refuge, and clarity. When life gets hard, I keep my fitness strong and that keeps me strong, no matter how challenging life may be at the moment.
I studied psychology from 2005-2009 at Ohio State and genuinely loved it. I’ve always been fascinated with people, and their unique why‘s as to what they do. The power of the mind, in the realm of fitness, is truly omnipotent… they say that the athlete is the mind, rather than just the body.
I moved across the country in 2009 for law school at the University of Arizona. At the time, I was convinced that I’d be donning glamorous power suits and litigating high-stakes court cases for the rest of my life. But, alas, destiny intervened: soon after starting, I found that I loathed law school and also wasn’t really good at it. This, of course, spurred one of the greatest existential crises in my life so far: to practice law and trudge on through what I “should” do; or to choose a different path and follow my passions of fitness and psychology?
The answer, soon enough, became crystal clear to me: in 2010, I became a personal trainer and started working at Bally Total Fitness while finishing law school. I still remember the overwhelming sense of righteous purpose, fulfillment, and pure joy in my first hours on the training floor… I knew from those moments that I was on the right path, albeit the more difficult one. Up until that point, my own personal workouts had been the highlight of my days; but now, my clients’ record-breaking workouts took their place as my favorites.
It hasn’t been an easy road being an entrepreneur in fitness, that’s for damn sure. But it certainly has been worth it! Like all great accomplishments, there is a price to be paid on the road to success. It’s the same equation in fitness, and it’s one that I know well: and I strive to help push and guide my clients through similar struggles on the roads to their own goals.
You can do absolutely anything that you set your mind to! With a smart approach, and unyielding determination, anything you can dream is within your reach. I’ve proven it to myself a hundred times; and I’ve helped thousands of people across the country prove it to themselves as well.