Who We Are

Smugs Fitness is an Atlanta-based fitness company offering a variety of services to
help you reach your health and fitness goals. We have two locations in the historic
Kirkwood Neighborhood.

Sam Mugavero, Ph.d.

Sam Mugavero, Ph.d.

owner/coach

A two-sport athlete in college, Sam continued to foster his passion for fitness while working on his doctorate at the University of South Carolina. After completing his degree in 2007, he moved to Atlanta with his wife and spent 5 years teaching science and coaching tennis while spending his early mornings and evenings instructing fitness and strength training. While a teacher, Sam started an employee fitness program for faculty and staff at Woodward Academy and simultaneously formed the Smugs Fitness Outdoor Fitness Program in Barrett Park (College Park, GA).

Sam has since opened the Smugs Fitness Lab in the Historic Kirkwood Neighborhood and works with individuals and small groups to achieve their health and fitness goals. Sam’s coaching provides people with the tools they need to move, feel and look their best! In addition to personal training and small groups, Sam works with companies large and small to help develop and maintain corporate wellness programs for their employees.

When not in the Smugs Fitness Lab, Sam drinks coffee (a lot of coffee) and spends time with his wife (Kristy) and daughters (Lilly and Clara).

Kory Nichols

Kory Nichols

general manager/coach

MBA, ACSM-CPT, PN1, SFG, SFL

Kory bases her coaching on the belief that movement should enhance one’s life and food should nourish one’s body. In 2012, Kory decided to transform her own life through the addition of strength training and a healthy diet, and she hasn’t looked back. She takes her role as a coach and educator to clients very seriously and works to provide a truly custom experience for her clients. She draws on her past experience as both a busy finance professional and a stay at home parent to determine solutions that work for a variety of lifestyles. Her mission is not only to help clients reach their goals but also to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge necessary to continue with their healthy lifestyle after the coaching period has ended. 

She currently offers both in-person and online fitness and nutrition coaching to a variety of clients including many of Atlanta’s busiest professionals, including CEOs and local celebrities. Kory utilizes a combination approach including in-person instruction, virtual training, and distance programming to ensure every client has a program that works for their schedule, even through unpredictable times.

If you’re ready for a different approach to health and wellness and want to look and feel your best, Kory will build a program for you. Please contact us to apply for a spot on Kory’s custom training schedule.

Nick Barbas

Nick Barbas

director of programming/coach

CSCS

After researching strength training, conditioning, and motor learning in preparation for an international martial arts tournament, Nick went to study Kinesiology at the University of North Georgia. Throughout his education, Nick worked as a personal and group trainer. Following the completion of his B.S. in Kinesiology, Nick moved to Atlanta to begin personal training full time.

Nick emphasizes a balanced approach to health and wellness through gradual, sustainable changes. His experience with martial arts guided Nick to focus on teaching clients to move safely and effectively while developing strength and decreasing movement-related pain. Nick’s goal is to equip clients to take control of their health and training. In the words of Socrates: “No [human] has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a [human] to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which [their] body is capable.”

Outside the gym, Nick enjoys food (especially pastries; he makes really good cinnamon donuts), board games with his wife, and sci-fi/fantasy books and movies.

Lorna McGee

Lorna McGee

coach

NASM-CPT, SFGII

It wasn’t until Lorna found activities that she enjoyed that she contemplated her own fitness. Her passion for recreational endurance races became much more enjoyable when complemented with a fitness and recovery regime. Throughout years of IronMan triathlon, ultramarathons and adventure races Lorna worked with and learned from amazing coaches that ultimately inspired her to pivot from her long career as a technology specialist to a fitness career of her own. For Lorna the ‘big picture’ of fitness is to enjoy the present while progressing towards enjoyable longevity. Lorna is dedicated to creating fitness programs that will enable you to enjoy your favorite things in life even more; strength training, racing, playing with children or making your day to day activities easier.

Sharee Clarke

Sharee Clarke

coach

SFG

Sharee discovered a love for fitness dating back to when step aerobics was the “it” thing!  Fitness passions later turned to spinning, marathon running, weight training, CrossFit, and kettlebells.  Sharee holds a StrongFirst Level 1 certification in kettlebells and also is certified through the National Personal Training Institute.  She believes in effective training and having fun while you aredoing it!

Outside of the gym, Sharee enjoys cooking and spending time with family and friends.

Emma Rabbit

Emma Rabbit

coach

NASM-CPT

Emma loves to play and move their body. Emma is a NASM-CPT and 200hr RYT yoga instructor with more than 1,000 teaching hours accrued in the past four years. Most of their career has centered around helping male athletes achieve their mobility goals. Emma’s teaching style is casual, playful, and permissive with lots of room for laughter and exploration.

Emma Hyatt

Emma Hyatt

coach

NASM-CPT

 

Emma grew up in Upstate New York where she was surrounded by the Adirondack Mountains. Her love for hiking and all things outdoors, as well as her two beloved sports (soccer and tennis), fueled her growing passion for fitness. After graduating from SUNY New Paltz, Emma moved to Atlanta to follow her interest in the film industry, but after two years of working behind a computer screen Emma decided to seriously pursue a career in fitness. She got her personal trainer certification and re-enrolled in athletic training courses to sharpen the knowledge base she’d built over her years of experience with athletics. Emma is extremely excited to work with people who share her love for fitness and her dedication to movement and continual growth.
Elliot Sheffield

Elliot Sheffield

coach

NASM-CPT, MBA

 

Elliot specializes in helping adults achieve their fitness goals, as well as youth athletes reach their specific performance goals. A Colorado native, Elliot grew up competing in Junior Olympic track (400m and 800m) and simply fell in love with training. Whether he’s training for strength, endurance, aesthetics, or mobility and flexibility, Elliot is constantly testing his own limits and utilizing various forms of training to achieve his own fitness and performance goals. With an MBA and 7+ years working in the tech industry, Elliot wanted to get out from behind the desk and volunteer his time in the community, leading him to serve as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Ronald E. McNair High School where he designed programs and led training sessions for all boys and girls teams. Outside of training, Elliot is an avid traveler and foodie, and he can be found walking the beltline most weekends (he’s all about getting his steps in!). 
Christina Ellenberg

Christina Ellenberg

registered dietition

RD, LDN, CSCS

Christina is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) practicing in the Atlanta Metro Area and beyond.  She has practiced as a Dietitian Nutritionist since 2016, serving a diverse mix of people from those managing complex medical conditions to those who are well and desire to prevent disease. She also has an in-depth knowledge of sports nutrition and holds bachelor’s degrees in Dietetics and Health Promotion from Appalachian State University and a Master’s degree in Health Sciences from Georgia State University.  She believes that every person’s body is different, therefore, there isn’t a blanket approach for everybody’s nutritional and wellness needs. 

Outside of the gym, Sharee enjoys cooking and spending time with family and friends.