Meet the True 180 Personal Training For Women Team
Our Coaches
Josef Brandenburg
Triggered by a series of events in his childhood during which he was given grief about his weight, Josef's interest in fitness and healthy living began at a young age. Between his doctor telling him that he needed to lose weight to being picked last for sports teams and being teased relentlessly with nicknames, Josef took control of his life and looked into how he could use the fitness industry to solve his own problem.
Soon, people began to notice the change and asked him for help as well. When a friend asked him to join him when he was running a training program, his path toward personal training was solidified. Over the years that followed, Josef spent time working in a variety of settings in the industry from big box gyms to health clubs, but he was at odds with the philosophies and lack of career path. He rented his first personal training studio space in 2004 offering comprehensive personal training programs that included: strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, core conditioning, balance training, range of motion training & nutrition consultation. In 2009, 2010 and 2011, Josef and his wife expanded their personal training studio and created what would transition into the first True 180 personal training gym in Georgetown. When an opportunity arose to relocate to North Carolina to be closer to his wife’s family in 2016, they took it. As luck would have it, Josef and Natillie found a struggling personal training studio to reinvigorate and become the location of the new True 180. Ensuring the level of comfort and security of working out in a women’s-only environment, Josef and his team have brought the philosophy that a combination of custom exercise programming, proper nutrition and personal accountability ensure long-term, sustainable success. Today, Josef is an Amazon.com best-selling author, co-owner of True 180 and can be found training clients on a daily basis. Josef was a contributor to the #1 Amazon.com bestselling book Results Fitness, and the author of several other books. He was also the fitness expert for the PCOS Challenge reality TV series and has been featured in The Washington Post, on ABC, News Channel 8, WUSA 9, and in newspapers coast to coast and is a contributing writer for Active Life DC.
Education: Studied Dietetics at Temple University and The University of Maryland
Certifications: Senior Fitness Specialist Training Peri and Menopausal Women Functional Kettlebell Training Precision Nutrition DVRT Certification FMS Level 1&2 Strong First KB NASM ACE CHEK NCEP
Natillie Brandenburg
A North Carolina native, Natillie has always had a passion for helping others coupled with a love of fitness, especially yoga. Drawing on her affection for fitness to promote health and wellness in others, she decided to become a trainer. In fact, she was running a yoga studio when her husband, Josef, asked her to join him in 2009 to create what eventually became the original True 180 in a 550 square foot space in Georgetown.
Recognizing the need to move well, regardless of life stage, Natillie was instrumental in helping to define the direction of the gym. She wanted to ensure that there was a studio setting for busy women who care about doing the right thing for themselves in an effective, fun environment. Today, if you don’t find Natillie taking care of scheduling, billing or membership questions, you may find her working out right beside you during your next session!
Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Master’s Degree, Corcoran School of Art, Washington DC
Certification: ACE FMS 1 & 2
Gregory Clifton
Former NFL Wide Receiver and North Carolina native Gregory Clifton, has always had a passion for fitness. (Fun fact: he was the 13th player signed by the Carolina Panthers!) He became involved in sports at an early age, setting the foundation for a lifetime career in the fitness industry. Invoking a holistic approach to personal training, Gregory takes True 180's three-pronged approach to heart.
Focusing on a combination of customized nutrition, cardio and resistance programs with personal accountability, he ensures that each workout and nutrition program he designs is customized to garner the best results in his clients. He believes that you have a responsibility to give something back to society. Using his unique background combined by a healthy respect for women instilled in him by his mom growing up, Gregory has found his calling. Leading by example, Gregory has dedicated his life to motivating and encouraging others to achieve a positive, healthy, and active lifestyle through physical fitness.
Education: Johnson C. Smith University Virginia Military Institute
Certifications: Certified Functional Strength Coach FMS Level 1 & 2 American Sports and Fitness Association, Personal Trainer Certified Body Training Systems Instructor for Group Centergy, Group Ride, Group Power and Group Boot Camp Pilates and Yoga Instructor