YOU'RE STILL AN ATHLETE.
TIME TO TRAIN LIKE ONE.
You're not out of shape because you lost the edge. You're out of shape because you lost the structure.
THE PROBLEM
THE TEAM'S GONE.
THE SCHEDULE'S GONE.
YOU'RE WINGING IT.
When you were competing, someone handed you a plan, pushed you past your comfort zone, and expected you to show up. Now you're building the plan yourself, after work, after the kids are down, when you're already spent.
You've tried apps. You've tried YouTube programs. You fall off after three weeks, get nagged by an old injury, and feel worse than when you started. Not because you don't care. Because nothing you've tried was built for where you are right now.
THE SOLUTION
1-ON-1 REMOTE FITNESS COACHING FOR FORMER ATHLETES IN THEIR 30S AND 40S
Comeback Athlete gives you back what stopped when the sport did: a real coach, a real program, and someone who actually knows your name, your history, and what you're capable of.
Blake and his team have worked with 150+ former athletes. They know that muscle memory is real, that your body responds faster than you think, and that the biggest thing standing between you and looking, feeling, and moving like an athlete again is a plan that fits your actual life.
THREE BENEFITS
1
A program built around your life, not someone else's.
Your schedule, your equipment, your injury history. Your coach builds from scratch every time. No templates, no guesswork.
2
A coach who doesn't let you disappear.
Weekly check-ins, real feedback, real adjustments. When life gets loud, your program bends with it. But you don't get to go quiet for three weeks and wonder why nothing's working.
3
Training that accounts for where you are now.
You're not 22. Your program isn't pretending you are. Recover smarter, build harder, stay in it longer. That's the whole point.
NOT READY TO APPLY YET?
START WITH SOMETHING FREE
Three ways to get a feel for how we coach before you book a call.
LISTEN
The Podcast
Blake talks with former athletes and other fitness enthusiasts about all things health.
TRAIN
Free Workout
A sample training schedule, built the same way we program for real clients.
READ
Top 5 Mistakes
The most common mistakes we make when we try to get back in shape on our own, and how to avoid them.
athletes’ stories
How it Works
Apply
01
Click below to fill out an application to work with one of our coaches. We will contact you ASAP with the next steps.
CONSULT
02
Complete a one-hour consult with your coach. Together you'll begin to map out a game plan to achieve your goals.
PERFORM
03
Work one-on-one with your coach to implement your customized training, nutrition, and lifestyle plan.
04
RESULTS
Get the results that you have been missing.
The Former Athlete's Guide to staying fit when the competition ends
This free guide gives you some of my greatest tips for staying in shape beyond your sport.
Our Coaches
-
I grew up in Baltimore and I'm a proud former Marylander who lives in the wonderful state of Florida. For 10 years, I did inner city ministry in Baltimore, walking alongside people in some of the hardest seasons of their lives. That work shaped a lot of who I am and about how I coach.
I'm an OPEX Certified Coach and Precision Nutrition Certified, and I've worked with 50+ clients across years of 1:1 coaching. I coach in-person out of Lakeland Athletic Club and I founded and run Comeback Athlete as a remote coaching business built specifically for former athletes in their 30s and 40s who still have something left in the tank.
Comeback Athlete exists because I kept seeing the same person: competitive, driven, used to being an athlete… but somewhere along the way life got loud and the training fell apart. These aren't people who need motivation. They need a structure that actually fits their life and a coach who holds them to a real standard. That's the work I built this for.
Outside of coaching, I'm a husband to Leeza (who runs our household, homeschools our three boys, and keeps the business from falling apart) and a dad to three sons who remind me every day that the standard you set matters. Faith, family, and competition have always been the throughline.
If you're a former athlete who's been coasting and knows it: I built this for you.
-
Hello, my name is Orion Mathis, I’m from Roaring River, NC, I’m a Christian, husband, father, and competitive CrossFit athlete.
I have a four year degree in exercise science, and a certification in Olympic weightlifting. I have been coaching others for about 7 years now.
I have a passion for coaching the whole person and not just helping you physically but also mentally and spiritually!
I look forward to working with you!
-
I grew up with a deep passion for sports and a love for all things strength and conditioning. From an early age, I was drawn to the process of improving; getting stronger, moving better, and pushing my limits every day.
I earned my degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, along with a Master’s in Sport Business Management, which gave me both the scientific foundation and the practical understanding to help athletes and individuals reach their full potential.
I also had the opportunity to play college football at Southeastern University, where I truly developed my appreciation for hard work, discipline, and the grind that comes with chasing big goals. That experience shaped how I coach today.At Comeback Athlete, my mission is simple: help people improve their performance, build confidence, and become the best version of themselves both physically and mentally. I genuinely love helping others and being part of their journey.
Outside of training, I’m a husband who values time with family, and I enjoy having fun whether that’s golfing, playing games with friends, or just enjoying life. I believe in working hard, but also enjoying the process along the way.
-
Yes, and that's exactly who we built this for. Most of our clients played at some level, got busy with life (career, kids, responsibilities), and woke up one day feeling like a stranger in their own body. You still think like an athlete. You just need a program that trains you like one again.
-
Because most programs are built for everyone, which means they're built for no one. Generic plans don't account for your schedule, your injury history, your athletic background, or the fact that you know how to train hard but need a system that actually fits your life. Comeback Athlete coaching is 1:1. Your program is built around you, adjusted as life changes, and you have a coach holding you accountable. Not just a PDF sitting in your inbox.
I'm not sure I'm "athlete enough" to work with a program like this.
If you competed at any level, rec league, high school varsity, college club, competitive CrossFit, whatever, you qualify. You don't have to have been elite. You just need that athlete mindset still living somewhere in you. If you're reading this and it resonates, you're probably the right fit. The discovery call will confirm it. -
Yes, but smarter, not just harder. Your program is designed around where you are now, not where you were at 22. We factor in recovery, sleep, stress, and life load. A lot of our guys feel better at 40 than they did at 35 because they're finally training with intention instead of just grinding through whatever.
IS THIS FOR ME?
-
Your programming lives in the CoachRx app. You log workouts, video movement if needed, and your coach reviews everything. Weekly check-ins keep your training dialed as life shifts. You have direct access to your coach, not a support ticket system. It's a real coaching relationship, just without the drive to a gym.
-
Both. Training without nutrition is like putting premium fuel in a car with a cracked engine. We address fueling for performance, not just aesthetics. How much you eat, when you eat, and how you recover all matter. We're not handing you a cookie-cutter macro sheet. We build habits that work with your actual life.
-
Your program is built around whatever access you have: CrossFit box, commercial gym, home setup, or a combination. We make it work. You don't need a specific facility. You just need to show up consistently.
-
Most clients train 3–5 days per week. Sessions typically run 45–75 minutes depending on your program phase. We design around your actual schedule, not some ideal schedule that doesn't exist. If your week blows up, your coach adjusts. That's the point of having a coach.
-
Depending on your fit, you'll work with Blake, Gabe, or Orion. Every coach on our team is OPEX-trained and works inside the same system. You'll know exactly who your coach is before you start, and if it's not the right fit, we'll make it right.
HOW IT WORKS
-
Remote coaching runs $250–$400/month depending on the tier that fits your goals and the level of support you need. We'll walk through the options on your free discovery call. No pressure, just an honest conversation about what makes sense.
-
We ask for a 3-month initial commitment. Transformation doesn't happen in 30 days, and we're not interested in taking your money for a month and sending you on your way. Three months is the minimum to actually see what consistent, well-programmed training does for you. After that, it's month-to-month.
-
It's a real conversation, not a sales pitch. We talk about where you are, what you've tried, what's gotten in the way, and what you're actually trying to accomplish. We'll tell you honestly whether we're a good fit. If we're not, we'll say so.
-
Start with the Comeback Athlete podcast. We have episodes on training, mindset, and what it actually takes to rebuild your athletic identity as a busy adult. Follow @comeback_athlete on Instagram for daily coaching content. When you're ready, the discovery call link will be there.
COST & GETTING STARTED
THIS ISN'T FOR EVERYONE, AND THAT'S ON PURPOSE.
We'd rather be honest upfront than take your money and waste both our time.
This is probably not the right fit if:
You need someone in the room with you to get moving.
Remote coaching requires self-motivation. Your coach writes the program, checks your work, and holds you accountable, but nobody is going to show up and drag you to the gym. If you need that in-person push to get started, a local coach or training partner is a better first step.You're looking for the cheapest option.
There are $30/month apps for that. This is personalized 1:1 coaching with a real coach who knows your name, your history, and your program. That costs more, and it's worth it. But if budget is the primary filter, we're probably not the right call right now.You're not willing to track or communicate.
Your coach can only adjust what they can see. That means logging workouts, giving honest weekly feedback, and flagging when something's off. If you go quiet for weeks and expect results anyway, this won't work.You're dealing with a serious medical issue that needs to be cleared first.
Recovering from surgery, managing a chronic condition, or not yet cleared for exercise? Start with your doctor. Once you have the green light, we're here.You want a quick fix.
We don't sell 21-day transformations. If that's the promise you're after, it's out there. But it won't last. We build athletes, not before-and-after photos. That takes real time and real work.You've never had any athletic background.
Our system, language, and programming philosophy is built for people who've competed and trained. If you're brand new to fitness entirely, you'd be better served starting somewhere with more foundational structure before coming to us.
Still not sure?
Book a free discovery call with Blake.