Hailing from Houston, Texas (but a New Yorker at heart), David P. is the kind of strength coach who inspires you to step into your power. A former Broadway actor, he dove deeper into fitness while recovering from an injury—and found his passion.
“I want people to start to understand: It’s not just about what your body looks like. Fitness is really about how you feel on the inside. It’s all about building your strength and making sure you feel good when you leave,” David says.
Part educator, part motivator, he’ll always remind you: You are strong enough. Tune in for a Boxing class for high-energy, beat-based combos, or try out Strength for slow, grounding sets that fire up your mind-muscle connection. The cherry on top? He loves a good soundtrack (and a good dance break) to get you walking out of class with a bop.
Get to know his story below, try a class, then follow along at @dave.getsfit.
Tell us a little about your background.
I was raised by two doctors and spent most of my life in hospitals watching my parents take care of other people. Because of that, there’s always been a part of me that’s really wanted to be of service to others in regard to their health and wellness.
Up until my late 20s, I was an actor, working pretty consistently in theater. I’ve been on Broadway twice. I don’t sing and dance though—if I sang, people would run for the hills. I was in War Horse for about two years and actually broke my foot in that show twice. The same foot, in the same place. It was insane!
That injury got me into fitness seriously because my recovery was so intense. I went through almost every single modality you could think of to rebuild my strength, balance, coordination, and core. That was the first time I really understood the value of fitness in terms of improving my life. Before that, it had always been about how I looked. So I got certified by NASM in personal training, and I also went to the Institute of Integrative Nutrition for holistic nutrition.
What are your Boxing classes like?
I have a little bit of a background in dance, specifically tap and hip-hop, so I can’t help but move to a beat. You can expect a high-energy, beat-based class with some type of core strengthening—because, in boxing, your core is your source of power. At some point, you’re going to want to dance. I like to play funk, pop, house, EDM—anything that makes you want to jump up and down. That’s my vibe all the time.
You can also expect little words of empowerment! I love to ask people what they’re fighting for today. I believe that if you have big dreams and big goals, you’re going to have to fight for them at some point. You’re gonna have to push a little bit harder than you expect.
And what about strength?
Strength is a little different. I love strength training because it’s incredibly grounding. I find it’s one of the best ways to really slow down and come home to understanding how your body works. I’m going to try to incorporate tempo and lower reps.
My goal is to inform you about how your muscles work and how to activate them. I also believe the mind-muscle connection is incredibly important, so you know the real-world applications and why you should do certain exercises. I’m trying to be a little bit of a nerd as much as possible.
What’s your favorite part about being a fitness instructor?
The smiles after class. Or somebody saying: “Man, I was in a bad mood today, I was really tired, or I was down on myself. And now I don’t feel as much of that.” Because then I feel like I’m actually making a difference in your life.
My job as an instructor is not just to teach, but to be a partner with you. To help you realize that no matter what’s happening, you have the strength. Whatever you do in class you can do in your life. If you came in one way, I want to know if you feel differently when you leave.
Do you live by a fitness mantra?
The first thing that comes to my mind is literally the phrase, “let’s go.” I like to encourage people to not wait. You can do it now.
What’s your fitness persona?
When I do boxing, I like to tap into my power a little bit. If you see me with a funky face, I’m just feeling myself. Whenever people are exercising, I want them to tap into their confidence and feel like a star. I’m a little bit of a hype coach. In strength, I would say I’m a little bit more of an educator.
In general, I now realize that your body is a vessel for your spirit. What happens on the outside is a reflection of what’s happening on the inside. I want to free people from self-hatred, free people from fear and anxiety. I want to teach them that the fear is gonna be there, but they’re tough enough to get through it.
Let’s get into the life stuff! New York or Texas?
I’m 100% New York! Been out here for 12 years and I love it. My family makes fun of me. They think I’m depressed when I come home because I’m wearing black all the time. When I was 16, I took a school trip to see some Broadway shows, and the minute I got into New York and felt the energy, I knew I was home.
Go-to coffee order?
Cold brew or nitro. I need a zap. I’m like Dorian when it comes to coffee.
What’s your favorite meal?
Anything out of a bowl. Burrito bowls, Vietnamese food—barbecue beef or tofu. Anything where I have rice, vegetables, plus protein and can eat it with a spoon. I like to mix flavors and I’m also a sauce person.
Instant mood booster for you?
Ice cream, nature, traveling. I feel so at home in a foreign country. Even if I don’t speak the language, I come to life. But the number one thing is making my girlfriend laugh. We laugh so much in our relationship. She makes fun of me, I make fun of her. It comes from a place of love. I will be in a really horrible mood and I’ll come home and I’m automatically calm.
Next spot on your travel wish list?
Definitely Asia—Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. My girlfriend Natalie and I are going to Iceland. We have a tradition of going to a different country every New Year. This year, it’s going to be Spain.
Favorite pump-up songs?
Public Service Announcement by Jay Z is number one. Another one in my rotation is Lizzo’s About Damn Time. I’m also a a soul fiend. Give It To Me Baby by Rick James—that kind of thing.
What are you watching right now?
We just finished the Jeffrey Dahmer show. We also still watch SNL, but mostly we like dark, serious shows.
What does your day off look like?
In an ideal world? Wake up and have a huge breakfast with my lady. Then we’d go to a park or a beach. Or just a day when I’m snuggled up on her stomach watching a movie. You know, Netflix and chill.
What’s one thing we can’t google about you?
When I was an actor, we did a year abroad in London, England. At Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre they have this thing called the Sam Wanamaker Festival. They invite two kids from every acting conservatory to come do Shakespeare on stage. My classmate and I were the first Americans that they asked to do that—and we’re both Black.
If you could only do one workout for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Definitely lifting. If I’m ever going through something, I go to the gym. I’ll do a full-body strength workout and leave feeling like the man.
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One response to “Introducing David P.: Your New Boxing + Strength Coach”
Definitely one of my favourite Obe instructors!