My name is Chad Clark. I am a fitness, nutrition, defense, and stress recovery coach based in Tempe, Arizona. My goal is to make strength and safety accessible to everyone, not just the people who can afford it or already feel welcome in those spaces. I work with women, the LGBTQ+ community, neurodivergent people, and others who often feel excluded from fitness and self-defense environments.

I began my career in law enforcement because I believed police were supposed to help people who could not help themselves. I was one of the youngest officers in Arizona when I started, and I wanted to focus on community policing and victim advocacy. But I learned quickly that the system was not designed to change. One day I responded to a stalking call, and I watched a woman shrink in fear as her stalker appeared behind me. I realized in that moment that even with a badge and a gun, I could not truly protect her. What she needed was the confidence and ability to protect herself. That experience changed everything for me.

I left policing and started Stronger Than Wellness and Defense to teach people how to build physical, mental, and emotional strength. My classes are evidence-based, inclusive, and open to anyone, often free or donation-based. I believe empowerment is not about becoming aggressive or dominant. It is about feeling capable, secure, and calm in your own body.

The best part of my work is watching someone go from afraid to confident. Seeing that shift in their posture, their eyes, and their energy is what keeps me going. I want people to know that strength belongs to everyone. Fitness, nutrition, and self-defense are not privileges. They are basic human rights. If I can help even one person feel safer, stronger, and more in control of their life, then I am doing the right thing.