The Coaches

Matt Winchar

Owner / Head Coach

Matt’s introduction to fitness was a winding path. Growing up he excelled at track and football but spent most of his time skateboarding. Blooming in to his twenties, skateboarding was starting to lose its appeal, and a torn MCL wouldn’t allow him to continue instructing snowboarding. Lethargy set in and the next step was unknown. Out of pure frustration Matt began running again and soon sought out the help of a trainer to become stronger and faster. Intrigued by strength and speed, a fire had been lit and Matt decided that fitness was his calling. Upon moving to Toronto, Matt took a job at an executive level fitness club and climbed his way up to the role of Elite Trainer. He spent three years as a personal trainer, however, Matt felt that fitness clubs were lacking rawness and soul. At the same time he had fallen in love with CrossFit. The answer was clear and so Matt decided on a return home to Winnipeg to develop his own CrossFit. His intentions are simple, share the gospel of CrossFit and find fitness in as many people as possible.

Competition Experience: Too many half-marathons to count (PR: 1:28:30). Warrior Dash 2011 and 2012 (42nd/9000+), FrostFit 2012, CrossFit Open 2012, Choices 2012, Spring Fling 2012, Bridge City Beatdown 2012, FrostFit 2013, CrossFit Open 2013.

Wendy Novotny

Coach / Nutrition Coach / Manager

Wendy grew up in small town Manitoba where “workouts” were all over the place! At 15, she started attending step classes at the community hall in the next town over, with a home-made step her dad made out of plywood. At 16, Wendy earned her National Lifeguard Certificate. As soon as she got a car she got a membership at the gym “in the city” (Winnipeg) and attended religiously. After earning a Bachelor of Education at the University of Manitoba in 1999, Wendy moved to Vancouver to teach French as a Second Language. Before moving to Calgary She earned a Post Baccalaureate in Second Language Learning at Simon Fraser University.

After moving to Calgary Wendy completed her AFLCA fitness theory and group exercise courses, finished her Keiser M3 training and then pursued her Pre and Post Natal Specialist through Fit4two. After becoming a Certified Personal Trainer Specialist through Can-Fit Pro, She completed her Yoga cert through Maureen Rae as yoga is a love of hers. She is also a regular fitness contributor to Winnipeg Women, a local magazine, and on Breakfast Television Winnipeg. Needless to say, Wendy’s passion for teaching and fitness needed to go out on a date. Always being a student of life Wendy was intrigued when she heard murmurs of this thing called CrossFit.

This single mother of two is always up for a challenge! After taking the plunge into the world of CrossFit, Wendy realized this is where she needed to be. The physical and mental challenges, combined with a strong surrounding community focused on optimal health and nutrition was where she felt at home. Her natural leadership and mentoring qualities made her an ideal coach for the sport of fitness, and the rest … as they say… is history.

Competition Experience: Warrior Dash 2011, FrostFit 2012, Choices 2012, CrossFit Open 2013

Lisa Widmer

Coach

Lisa first became interested in the fitness world at the age of 16. Since then, her passion has rapidly grown over the last 10 years.

She remembers always wanting more out of her “work-out routine.”  She was bored, tired of the same old machines and frustrated with her “stubborn” body. At the time, she didn’t know the difference between being physically “fit” and trying to achieve a “fit”-looking physique. CrossFit showed her the difference between being fit and looking fit. CrossFit gives you the best of both worlds, and Lisa believes there is no superior way to become fitter, faster and stronger.

April 19, 2010 marks the day that Lisa found the love of her life. She called her parents immediately after her first WOD, with the highest adrenaline rush and sense of “I FINALLY FOUND IT!” Within three months, Lisa had greater results physically and aesthetically than she was able to accomplish in all of her previous years doing the same old machine work-outs. Lisa quickly realized that in CrossFit, your body is the machine.

Within a short amount of time, Lisa quickly appreciated the many unique advantages CrossFit brings: raw human power that comes from within, energy, health, physical strength, mental strength, confidence and her favorite part―a strong family-like community. “We laugh together, yell together, sweat together, fall down together and pick each other up,” she says. “The massive amount of love, respect and support we have for each other is what keeps us coming back. We never stop.”

CrossFit has changed who Lisa is today in every positive way possible, both personally and professionally. For as long as she has CrossFit in her life, Lisa is 100% fulfilled to the person she wants to be. There is nothing Lisa would rather choose to dedicate her life to.

Lisa couldn’t be more excited and humbly honoured to be a family member and coach at UNDEFEATED.

Competition Experience: Spring Fling 2012 (3rd place women’s advanced)

Kristen Mitteness

Coach / Nutrition Coach

Kristen found her love for athletics through gymnastics and track at a young age. After running track in college she continued her training style using interval training and plyometrics to supplement her running and yoga.

Being transplanted to Winnipeg from Minnesota, she was introduced to CrossFit and was instantly hooked. It added the competitive edge to her workouts that she had been missing. With a passion for paleo nutrition, the design and style of crossfit workouts matched her lifestyle too perfectly. After being introduced to Matt and Undefeated Crossfit, she found the comfort, community and support she wanted in a gym and never looked back.

Competition Experience: CrossFit Open 2012, Choices 2012, Bridge City Beatdown 2012, FrostFit 2013, Valentine’s Day Massacre 2013, CrossFit Open 2013

Dave Kolisnyk

Coach

“Growing up playing hockey, baseball, soccer and lacrosse, physical activity has always been a major part of my life. I wasn’t the best by any means, but damn did I give it 200 percent. Going into my adult years I had to shed a few sports to pick up some others. I also started to enjoy growing a good mustache. Skateboarding, snowboarding, running and weightlifting slowly kicked all my youth sports (except for soccer) to the wayside. I always knew that living a sedentary lifestyle would never be for me. I just didn’t know how far fitness and sport would take me. Taking two years of Kinesiology at U of M showed me the broad range of sport and fitness that I didn’t know was out there. What the f@#* is handball? It’s awesome, that’s what!

Spending countless evenings at the gym, hitting several plateaus and even trading gyms a few times, I found Crossfit. Crossfit immediately made its way into my daily routine, and I haven’t looked back. Nowadays I eat Paleo, play co-ed soccer, Olympic weight lift, Crossfit and teach the ever growing sport of Crossfit. Now say “Beer Can” in an English accent. Doesn’t it sound like “Bacon” in a Jamaican accent?!? Eat Bacon!”

Competition Experience: Spring Fling 2012, Choices 2012, Warrior Dash 2012, CrossFit 204 Classic 2012, FrostFit 2013, CrossFit Open 2013

Clare Wowryk

Coach

Tommy Howes

Coach

Tommy grew up as an athlete. He began playing football at the young age of nine years old and developed in to a full scholar athlete playing for the Okanagan Sun. In the off season, Tommy was becoming bored with typical football work outs. Challenged by a friend to try CrossFit, he gave it a shot and was hooked after the first workout.

Tommy loves CrossFit because it embraces his competitive nature. In his youth, he was always being told to tone it down it in rec league sports and was under the impression being competitive was a negative character trait. He believes that competition brings out the best in everyone, wether you’re an elite athlete or a grandma.

Competition Experience: FrostFit 2013, Valentine’s Day Massacre, CrossFit Open 2013