Melissa Kamphake is the owner and head coach at Big Blue Strength. In her 20+ years in the fitness industry she has worked with a variety of sports teams, athletes, and everyday folk. She has also handled many clients with assorted conditions and injuries, post-surgery, and post-physical therapy… from ACL’s, ankle sprains, and rotator cuff tears to spinal fusions, spondylolisthesis, and herniated discs to heart attacks and lung transplants. Everyone deserves to move well and Melissa has the eye to get them there. Her clients age from 6 years to 99 years old.
Melissa has been coaching since high school, personal training & Pilates since 2001. She established FitCamp and small group training in 2005 while living in New Hampshire, her home state. After moving back to KY in Fall of 2007, she specialized in Pilates for a few years before bringing back FitCamp and small group personal training in 2010.
After being solely in a Pilates studio for years, studying to be a Fully Certified Level 2 Stott Pilates Instructor, Melissa noticed many of her clients would go elsewhere for additional fitness needs. Whether it was cardio or strength training, she felt there was a need in Lexington for a facility that provided both… Pilates and Strength Training.
Melissa started Olympic lifting while in studying Kinesiology & Exercise Science at the University of Kentucky and continued while living in NH. After a hiatus (to focus on her Pilates practice) she returned to the sport in 2010. In 2011 she joined Central Kentucky Weightlifting under the eyes of Coach John Spurlock. She currently lifts with East Coast Gold WL Team under head coaches Phil Sabitini and Leo Totten. She is a KY state record holder and American Record Holder and has been competing at a National level for 10+ years and Internationally as a Masters Lifter. Melissa became World Champion in the 45kg weight class (40-45yo) in 2022! Melissa also serves on the board of directors for the Tennessee-Kentucky Weightlifitng State Organization.
Big Blue Strength is an East Coast Gold and USA Weightlifting certified club with Melissa being a USAW Level 2 Coach.
Big Blue Strength is the only one of its kind featuring a full personal training, Pilates and strength training studio with a competitive weightlifting team in the country. A unique offering to the Lexington, KY area.
