How I became a coach
I got my start at Bev Francis’s legendary gym in Syosset, Long Island. I was fortunate to have that environment as my introduction to strength training—it sparked an interest that would grow into my career.
I went on to Siena College to play football. Then a physical revealed a bicuspid aortic valve and an ascending aortic aneurysm. My football career ended before it had really begun.
That experience changed my direction. I wanted to understand how the body worked and how to approach strength training with greater purpose.
I transferred from Siena College to the University of Michigan, where I studied kinesiology and became involved with the football program’s strength and conditioning staff under Coach Mike Gittleson, a legendary strength coach. His mentorship shaped how I coach: understand the science, pay attention to the individual, and make every repetition count.
I went on to earn my master’s degree in exercise physiology at Eastern Michigan University. The education mattered, and so did the hours spent coaching—learning how to turn that knowledge into instructions someone could actually use.
Building Hardpressed
My career took me through university strength programs and private training settings before I founded Hardpressed Strength Training in Chicago.
At Hardpressed, I brought the structure and close attention of collegiate strength coaching to people with careers, families, and limited time. Controlled repetitions, focused effort, and efficient sessions were central to the approach.
Building that business gave me the opportunity to coach a wide range of people and develop my methods through years of hands-on work. It also reinforced something I still believe:
Hard is not a program. Hard has to serve a purpose.
The workout needs to serve the person—their goals, experience, schedule, and ability to recover.
I know what starting over feels like
In 2017, I underwent open-heart surgery. Returning to activity meant rebuilding gradually and learning to appreciate progress from a very different starting point. That experience changed how I approached both my own training and coaching others.
A couple of years later, I faced another kind of rebuilding. Hardpressed closed in 2019, which was heartbreaking. I continued coaching, but struggled to find a place that felt like a true home for my work. Then COVID led to my departure from strength training altogether.
I eventually took a job at Southwest Airlines, where I still work today. Working outside of training gave me a perspective I hadn’t fully understood while spending my days in a gym: what it takes to stay fit and strong when exercise has to fit around an entirely different job.
That experience shapes how I coach today. I understand why a program needs to work with your schedule, energy, and responsibilities—and why having a realistic plan matters.
GReps is my return to building something of my own, bringing together my years of coaching experience and a better understanding of the everyday challenges my clients face.
A life outside the gym
Today, I’m also a husband to Alexis and a father to Milo. Family, work, and building a business all matter to me, alongside my own health.
I’ve also struggled with managing my weight and staying consistent with my own habits. Having the education and knowing what to do doesn’t make putting it into practice automatic. I know the frustration of wanting to make progress while juggling fatigue, work, family, and everything else that needs your attention.
That’s an ongoing part of my story. It gives me a personal understanding of how difficult change can be—and why coaching needs to start with where someone actually is.
I know what it’s like to have a plan for the week and then have life change it. Your training needs room for that. Sometimes that means adjusting a workout, finding a shorter option, or simply getting back into your routine after time away.
The goal is to build something you can keep doing.
Why GReps—and why the reps matter
The GReps name brings together Geraci, Gittleson, and great reps. The nickname grew out of my obsession with coaching quality repetitions—an approach shaped under Coach Mike Gittleson’s guidance at Michigan.
That attention to detail remains at the center of my coaching.
Push or pull hard. Pause. Control. Repeat.
I want you to understand what a quality rep feels like and be able to repeat it. When your execution is consistent, the weights and reps you record become more useful measures of progress.
We build from there: progressing exercises, adjusting the plan when needed, and keeping your training engaging enough to stick with.
What working with me looks like
GReps workouts generally take 30–40 minutes, two to three times a week. You can train at home with minimal equipment or in a fully equipped gym.
Your first priority is consistency. During the first 90 days, we focus on establishing a routine you can maintain while building strength along the way.
Some people want a plan they can follow independently. Others benefit from monthly reviews, weekly coaching, or live sessions. GReps offers different levels of support so you can choose what fits your experience, budget, and needs.
I coach online clients from anywhere and offer in-person training at The Club 312 on Ashland Avenue in Chicago, along with in-home sessions within approximately three miles of the gym.
Whether you’re new to lifting or finding your way back, we’ll start where you are.