Our Staff

Mike Claytor

Mike Claytor was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. In 1998, Mike moved to Santa Barbara to go to college. During his early years of studying physiology, Mike also completed his personal training certification. From there, Mike worked with several gyms, and rehabilitation centers, as an intern learning from some of the most respected in the industry. After gaining a vast range of knowledge varying from body building, to ironman training, Mike went out on his own and opened SB Training in 2006.

With his love for training, and a state of the art facility, Mike set out to share with the community of Santa Barbara his training concepts, principals, and core values. Mike has a diverse range of experience and knowledge to draw from. He began competing in triathlons, mountain bike racing, and has further pursued power lifting, and Jiu Jitsu tournaments. By using the knowledge Mike gained from his own personal experience of training and competing, he is better able to coach and motivate his own clients, and athletes. Mike strongly believes that variety, accompanied with a well rounded fitness program, is the best way to stay healthy. Mike's abilities extend to sports nutrition, assessments in biomechanics, strength, and endurance training, as well as physical therapy, and rehabilitation.

Mike earned a degree in business and finance as well as a minor in kinesiology. His education credentials include certified personal trainer through ISSA, USAT triathlon coach, certified EMT, as well as current CPR and AED certification. Mike's education enables him to bring a wide variety of skills and competencies to every client.

Currently, Mike has owned and operated SB Training for over six years. Known as one of Santa Barbara’s premier personal training facilities, Mike will continue to share his love for fitness with both his clients and staff. Mike is a motivator, and works to inspire the people around him, by practicing the disciplines he teaches. As he has often been quoted saying, "You get back what you put into something, and there is no substitute for hard work".

Lydia Kitahara

Although born in Santa Barbara, Lydia grew up in rugged northern California. From an early age she developed a passion for the active outdoor lifestyle. Exposure to sports such as snowboarding, surfing, ocean kayaking, backpacking and rock climbing only reinforced a love of the outdoors and the thrill of a great challenge to the mind and body.

After returning to Santa Barbara in 2003, Lydia decided to turn her love of health and exercise into a career. She now is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Lydia originally started at SB Training through their internship program in early 2009. She has gained a wealth of knowledge in the fundamentals of methodical, personalized training. Lydia is also able to draw from personal experience. She has learned firsthand the challenge and success of endurance training, competing in road and trail races of varying distances and completing her first marathon at age 24.

Today Lydia enjoys training private clients as well as teaching group classes of all ages and fitness levels. What Lydia enjoys most about personal training is the relationships she builds with her clients and being able to see people achieve their goals through hard work and discipline.

Shaun Bahn

Shaun was born and raised in San Diego CA where he was always encouraged by his parents to participate in sports. Spending most of his summers in soccer and baseball camps, Shaun grew comfortable in the team sport atmosphere and found baseball to be his sport of choice. Shaun played shortstop and outfield in the minor and junior leagues. In between baseball seasons, he picked up surfing at the age of ten when his father gave him a surfboard and pushed him into his first wave. Joining the surf teams in junior high, high school and college, Shaun found competitive surfing a good fit for his competitive drive. Shaun even joined the NSSA, which is the highest profile amateur competitive surfing association in the United States, and began competing all around the beaches of CA. Shaun moved to Santa Barbara to continue his degree at UCSB, and was introduced to the world of training by Mike Claytor who got him on a path to turn his passion for exercise and sports into a career. Now under the tutelage of Mike Claytor, Shaun has found a way to balance his life and his love of the water and training, through exercise and hard work in and out of the gym.

Chris Bartl

With almost 20 years of under the bar experience, Chris is no stranger to the trials, tribulations and successes of strength training, athletic competition and body recomposition. With a background in competitive lifting and athletics, Chris brings an “old school” approach to his training methodologies.

Growing up, Chris competed in a myriad of sports including soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, track and field and powerlifting, with the majority of accolades coming from his days playing football and hockey.

Life wasn’t always about athletic achievement though, as Chris was faced with his biggest life challenge: obesity.

After ballooning up to almost 300 pounds, Chris enlisted the help of one of the world’s most renowned strength coaches. Three months and almost 100 pounds later, Chris not only changed his body but all his life by making the inspired decision to change his life’s direction and started helping others reach their strength and physique goals.

Combining proven old school training methods, state of the art functional training and including customized personal nutrition programs, Chris helps all ages and levels of people reach and exceed their goals.

Licensed as a Certified Personal Trainer with the American Counsel of Exercise, Chris is continuing his education by looking to add his CSCS and Westside Barbell Strength certifications.