ABOUT YOUR TRAINER

A.J. Harper

I wasn't always the guy writing the programs. In college I went from 265 to 175 pounds — 90 pounds gone through learning, failing, and figuring out what actually works. That journey taught me the most important lesson I still carry into every session: what works for one person won't work for another. Fitness is individual, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something.
I came up as an athlete — wrestling and football — so hard work was never the problem. Understanding the science behind how the body adapts, recovers, and grows was a different story. That curiosity sent me back to school, overseas to teach athletic courses at Braunschweig University in Germany, and eventually to San Francisco where I've spent a decade training clients at some of the best facilities in the world — including Google and now DIAKADI, SF's premier personal training gym.
In 2023 I completed my Master's in Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology at SFSU. I train under the KILO Strength Society methodology and stay in constant continuing education because the moment you think you know everything is the moment you stop getting better.

THE PHILOSOPHY

Move Better.

Most people think strength and mobility are separate goals. They're not.

Better mobility means better range of motion, better mechanics, and better muscle recruitment. That translates directly into more strength, more muscle, and a body that holds up over the long haul.

The clients who move well don't just perform better — they get hurt less, recover faster, and keep making progress long after others plateau or break down.