Professional Athlete
Shane "Hurricane" Burgos, UFC Featherweight
“Been working with @believeelitetraining @nxtleveltc for almost a year now. I can honestly say he’s been a missing link for me, not just in my physical preparation for competition but even more so in my mental preparation! Way more then just a coach, he’s someone who pushes me to the absolute max and doesn’t ever let me give less then 100%. Always reminding me to visualize the win and to constantly tell myself how I’m gonna get the job done! He’s brought out the best in me in only 10 months. Can’t wait to see where I’m at this time next year. Thank u my brother!”


Professional Athlete
Mike Tobey, Professional Basketball Player
“I always really enjoyed doing my summer workouts with Coach J.R. He is very knowledgeable about his approach to training and pushes you be better with goal setting in and out of the weight room. Over the years he has become a good friend and I continue to go to him for advice about all aspects of what it takes to become an elite athlete. I wish I had something like believe elite training when I was growing up because it is never too early to start a professional approach to athletics and nutrition if you want to get a step ahead of the competition. Coach J.R and believe elite training are doing everything the right way and are on par with the strength coaches I have seen and worked with at the NCAA, European, and NBA level.”
Professional Athlete
Justin Reyes, Professional Basketball Player
“I can’t say enough about coach JR and Believe Elite Training and how it helped me and continues to help me to this day. Since I’ve graduated I signed with an agent, trained in California with pros, eventually made an NBA G- League team(Salt Lake City Stars), and am currently playing in Puerto Rico with potential offers to play on their national team. I am blessed to not only have trained with Coach JR but just to have him in my life. He became family to me, and that means more than anything I have accomplished.”

“I once learned that the sport of wrestling is more than 90% a mental game. Being a Division 1 wrestler, I have learned that when it comes down to the inches and the seconds, the more mentally motivated person usually finds a way to win. JR over the years has not only pushed me physically, but he has helped shape me into a man willing to go through the mental pain of those last inches and seconds of a match and come out victorious.”
Vincent Vespa, College Athlete
Hofstra University Wrestling - 1st EVER BELIEVE ATHLETE
“Working with Coach Rahn over the years has not only made me physically better, It has made me an even better man today. He has instilled core values that I carry with myself to this day like hard work, commitment, and chasing opportunities. He has been able to give many athletes including myself a sharp mindset that can get them through any obstacle that they face not only in athletics but in life. Coach Rahn is able to get the most out of any athlete by continuously strengthening their mindset, as well as
coaching them to be the best versions of themselves. As I continue my career in wrestling I am grateful I have coach Rahn in my corner because I know how big of an impact he has had not only my life, but in the lives of others.”
Marco Vespa, College Athlete
Penn State Wrestling
“With the help of coach J.R.’s coaching, life lessons and training, I was able to dig deep, and come out of the darkness better and stronger than ever. It has been a challenging journey, but keeping this positive mindset and not letting anyone “outwork” me in the gym or on the field, led to me earning 1st team all-conference honors my freshman year and leading my college baseball team in multiple categories. The bottom line is nothing is promised, you have to set your mind to it, put in the work and go get it. So dream big, work hard and make it happen. No excuses, just Believe!”
Drew Jemison, College Athlete
Saint Thomas Aquinas College Baseball - 1st Team All Conference
“Working with Coach J.R. at Believe Elite for the past 2 years has not only changed me as a student athlete physically but, also mentally. Coach J.R. has instilled the concept of “hard work pays off” and has taught me that there is no such thing as an excuse. Working with Coach J.R. has given me more confidence in myself, a more disciplined work ethic, and a stronger mindset. With Coach J.R.’s help, I have been able to reach multiple goals that I had once thought were unreachable. He has worked my mindset to one of a champion. He has helped me bring my game to a much higher level. I am excited to be working with Coach J.R. this summer to help me get ready for the collegiate level.”
Erin Smith, High School Athlete
Goshen High Schools Girls Varsity Basketball Class A Player of the Year, 1st Team All Section & All Time Leading Scorer
“After a few weeks I could feel the physical advantage that I was gaining over my competition, and eventually the mental edge. I knew that the work I was putting in with John, far exceeded anything anyone else was doing. That type of confidence that he instills in all of us is priceless . I can’t stress enough that the mental side of the game I learned from John is equally as important to the physical work that we put in. Working with John is without a doubt the main reason why I’m playing Division 1 football today.”
Mike Boyle, College Athlete
Stony Brook University Football
“Coach J.R. and Coach Dawn took an awkwardly, tall 15 year old girl and turned her into the coordinated powerhouse that I am today. Months later I started getting compliments from coaches and parents of other teammates on how much stronger and faster I was compared to other girls, and personally, from my previous year. However, not only did I physically change, I was more confident. I was confident on and off the court, which I attribute to my confidence in knowing what I was doing. I knew the system, I had to work hard, train hard and eat right in order to be the best that I could possibly be and with that I owe so much to Believe Elite Training for showing me and supporting me every step of the way.”
Melissa Alifano, College Athlete
Saint Thomas Aquinas Women’s Basketball
“The person that has been the biggest inspiration in my life, besides my parents, is coach J.R. He taught me every value I live by today, literally. Dream big and once you believe in that to an extent dream even bigger. Dreams also come with the responsibility of out working your self and out working your competition. You are your own test, and you have to surpass that test every single day to get to where you want to be. Coach J.R. taught me mindset is EVERYTHING. Do workouts when your opponents are asleep, you worked out when he was being lazy and you take that to every opponent and in life. You have to be different. You are your own obstacle everyday and you make the choice how to overcome through your work ethic and discipline. You know what the right thing is to do everyday, but the hardest part is taking action. Coach J.R. told me to go get it everyday & don’t let anything stop me until I hit my goal. He made me BELIEVE in myself. He transformed me!”
Dylan Earl, College Athlete
Ithaca College Wresting
“I started working with Coach J.R. a couple of years ago, it changed everything. His passion for athletics mixed with his desire to be the best was contagious. He helped me with my nutrition, my mindset, and my training. His guidance went far beyond sports and without his help I know I wouldn’t be the athlete or the man I am today. The content that lies within this book goes beyond athletics, it should be taken very seriously. The journey of self improvement never ends.”
Ryan Rodriguez, College Athlete
Binghamton University Men’s Golf
“Working with Coach JR has honestly changed my life. When I got to Believe, I was a good athlete that got away with just having more skill than most. I was an average high school athlete. Coach JR has taught me to never take the foot off the gas pedal and to always, no matter what, give it 100%! With him in my ear, I was able to get stronger, faster and smarter. He has taught me so much about life in general through his workouts. When coach speaks, we listen because of all the knowledge that he has! With all he has done for me, he helped me become more than the average high school athlete. He helped me achieve my goal of becoming a division 1 baseball player. The journey is not over and I can not wait to see what more we can achieve together!”
Ben Avila, College Athlete
Division 1 - Grambling State
“Truthfully without John Rahn I would not be the man I am today with all the positive life lessons he has taught me. The main 3 people I can truly thank are my parents, John Rahn, and John Gartiser for giving me the ability to; win 3 section titles, 2x state place winner, 2nd in NYS wrestling tournament (with only one loss the whole season), All American becoming nationally ranked and becoming his first BIG10 athlete . Over the years John influenced positive thoughts into my head to make me BELIEVE I am the best. The different thing with John Rahn is; he did not know my attitude, motivation, and work ethic to make me become the best but he worked with me to find out all of my mental and physical pros and cons.”
Nick McShea, College Athlete
Maryland University Wrestling (Big10)
“One of the best parts about being a Believe athlete wasn’t just Coach J.R.’s ability to push me when I was tired, or wanting to give up, but the impact he had on me when he wasn’t around. John made me give 110% every-time I went to the gym alone, or was at school and didn’t have one on one time. Honestly that was one of the many incredible parts about working with Believe Elite Athletic Training, they truly instill a mindset that takes your athletes to the next level, always, not just when I was with there training. Forever thankful for that.”
Mike White, College Athlete
Marist Football Quarterback
“I’ve been working with Coach John Rahn since my freshman year of high school (I’m a senior now). I’ve always known baseball was a mental sport but I never realized how much that actually meant until I started working with Coach JR. JR was always telling me about these books and motivational videos and at first you think to yourself “why?’, but then you realize. You realize that to really accomplish your goals and to do what you want to do you have to set yourself apart from others. Coach JR made me realize all this and one day it just clicked. I took everything he had been telling me, the books, the videos, the speeches, and I started watching and reading all of them. You can have the talent but JR has engraved it in my head that if you don’t work for it and if you take your foot off the gas pedal, you’re never going to reach those goals, whether it is in sports or in the real world. Coach JR has helped me dramatically with bettering my mindset and is one of the reasons I was able to reach my first goal of committing to a division 1 school. I know JR and I will continue to work both with the weights and the mindset training because Coach JR is working as hard, or harder, than all of us.”
Brandon Ortiz, College Athlete
SUNY Binghamton D1 -Baseball
“When I first started out I found it very hard to stick to a routine of working out when I wasn’t being forced to do so. Since meeting you my mindset has completely changed. Coach J.R. has shown me how much I could grow both mentally and physically so that I could achieve my goals. Every time I thought I couldn’t make it through a workout, he was there to help push me to the end and in those times he helped me realize how important the mental side of this game was. How it was important to keep a positive attitude to help you reach your goals. Coach J.R. and Believe were there when I had questions about anything and always gave their best effort into everything they do and it has been great to look toward all of the trainers role models. I came to John to work out but he has given me so much more along with a friendship that I’ll never forget. Now along with his help, I have been able to complete my goal of playing baseball in college at a D1 level, but just like he has said before – “Now’s the time to put your foot on the gas”… and I cant wait to see what happens next.”
Ethan Sarmiento, College Athlete
UMASS Lowell - D1 Baseball