About
CrossFit 8 Mile
Our team of fitness and nutrition professionals are invested in your health. We make every decision with our members’ well-being in mind. Achieve your goals with us!
The Team
Nick and Monica Carignan
Owners
Fitness has always been a focus in life. Long before becoming husband and wife, Nick and Monica shared a love for health and wellness. Everything from playing sports to globo gym days to CrossFit to working as medical professionals – it was always about being overall healthy. After realizing a previous coaching job of Nick’s was not a good fit, Monica said to Nick “if you are going to work this hard then it should be for yourself” and that was the birth of CrossFit 8 mile. A combination of passion, courage, and perseverance is what helped open the doors. Nick and Monica were determined to cultivate a life where they could raise a family and build a business together. Each day is a balancing act with all the different hats they both wear – spouses, parents, special needs parents, business owners, firefighter, & nurse; but at the end of the day they remain united in the continuous pursuit of progress in all aspects of life. The amazing CF8M community shares that same goal. Many members share that they joined for the challenge but stayed for the community.
Nick
HEAD Coach
Nick was always a gym rat. He looked forward to practices almost as much as the games! Nick played basketball and football in high school which led him to find rugby in college. Once Nick transitioned home from school he began brazilian jiu-jitsu and kickboxing until he found CrossFit. He has been coaching and training athletes in CrossFit, olympic weightlifting and personal training since 2011.
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
- Precision Nutrition Macro Dietary Coaching Strategies
- CrossFit Movement and Mobility Certification
- CrossFit Strongman Certification
- CrossFit Powerlifting Certification
- CrossFit Gymnastics
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting Level 1
- Certification CrossFit Olympic Lifting Level 2
- Certification CrossFit Dumbbell Training
- USAW Sports and Performance Coach
- State Of Michigan Paramedic License
- AED/CPR Certified
- i99 Level 1 Coach (Gymnastics)
- Aerobic Capacity
Ellie
Coach & CrossFit Kids Director
Anyone who has met Ellie knows that she puts her heart into everything she loves and works hard for everything she has achieved. Although she never played team sports growing up, Ellie has always loved fitness and camaraderie. She thrives in fast paced environments and pushing people to their limit. When Ellie discovered CrossFit in October 2015, she knew she had found her passion and pushed herself to be the best that she could be. She fell in love with what the CrossFit community entails and the family atmosphere created at CrossFit 8 mile. Not only did she learn that she could push herself, she learned that she could inspire others to do the same. In 2016 Ellie received her Level 1 CrossFit and in 2017 she received her Level 2 CrossFit. Ellie currently is going to school to fulfill her passion of becoming a physical education teacher. She and her husband, Maxx, live in Livonia with their dog, Lucy.
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
- CrossFit Kids
- USAW Sport and Performance Coach Level 1
- AED/CPR
Mark
Operations Manager & Coach
The Outer Banks of North Carolina. Where it all started. After being born and raised here in Michigan, Mark and his wife, Jo, moved down to the OBX back in 2010. During the move, the sight of people flipping tires and dragging chains caught the eyes of Nick and Mark. Together, they suffered through the grueling workout “Fight Gone Bad”, and ever since then, they were both hooked! After that experience, Mark joined Crossfit Outer Banks and enjoyed soaking up as much knowledge as he could, received his Level 1 less than a year later and even turned it into a full time position as head coach for the past 5 years. In the fall of 2017, Mark moved back to Michigan and is beyond stoked to join the CrossFit 8 Mile team and is excited to share his experience from coaching, competing in local competitions, and attending weightlifting seminars from some of the best in the sport including Donny Shankle, Travis Cooper and Tom Sroka. Mark lives in West Bloomfield with his wife, Jo and their baby girl, Emma Grace.
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
- Precision Nutrition Macro Dietary Coaching Strategies
- CrossFit Movement and Mobility
- CrossFit Gymnastics
- USAW Sport and Performance Coach Level 1
- Aerobic Capacity
- AED/CPR Certified
Kayla
Coach
Kayla grew up always playing sports, slowly finding a passion for fitness along the way. After a 4 year college basketball career and a summer of marathon training, she joined the Farmington hills fire department as a firefighter/medic. In a search for a training program to increase her overall fitness, she found CrossFit 8 mile in 2017. She immediately fell in love with not only the CrossFit ideology, but also the camaraderie CrossFit 8 mile provides. Now with a CrossFit level 1 certification, she feels privileged to share her passion with others and help them achieve their goals.
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- Aerobic Capacity
- USAW Sport and Performance Coach Level 1
- Licensed and Active Paramedic
- AED/CPR Certified
Steve
Coach
Steve started doing CrossFit in early 2014 and has his CFL1. Steve was involved with Division I athletics and the NFL for 14 years. He was a member of the 2001 Illinois Football team that won the Big Ten and competed in the Nokia Sugar bowl 2002. His experience with college level and the NFL athletes brings a welcomed perspective to our 8 Mile community. Steve’s love of CrossFit started at his first Elements class. After completing his initial Elements WOD, where burpees and wall balls were on tap (the dirty 7), he looked up from the ground and said “I love this!” Steve lives in Livonia with his wife, Lisa and has 2 daughters.
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- USAW Sport and Performance Coach Level 1
- AED/CPR Certified
Josh
Coach
Josh started out in CrossFit at another affiliate in 2013 while his brother was a member at CrossFit 8 Mile. During that time he kept noticing how well his brother was progressing and thought “uh oh! Looks like I need to make the switch!” Josh started as a member at CrossFit 8 Mile in 2014 and came on staff in 2016. Josh loves movement and has and eagle eye for cueing and correcting. Barbell technique is his bread and butter and always has a tip to offer every athlete.
- CrossFit Level 1
- USAW Sport and Performance Coach Level 1
- USAW Sport and Performance Coach Level 2
- AED/CPR Certified
Matt
Coach
Matt grew up playing the major sports like most American kids. After high school he loved to work out and thought about pursuing mens physique when he found CrossFit. After a few years at CrossFit 8 Mile he joined the staff. He loves helping and coaching others to get better and grow their own knowledge of fitness. When Matt isn’t coaching or working he enjoys spending time with family and friends. He’s an enthusiast of the outdoors and riding/working on his motorcycle.
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- USAW Sport and Performance Coach Level 1
- AED/CPR Certified
Dan
COACH
Dan’s early life included playing football, baseball, and wrestling. Throughout college and into the working world his life had become more sedentary, and his eating had increased. Attempting to get his health back on track he decided to try a CrossFit affiliate in 2010. After puking in one of his initial workouts, Dan knew he had found something that rekindled his inner athlete. CrossFit became instrumental in getting his health back on track and helping him live a more active lifestyle in general. In 2013, he got his first coaching certificate hoping to help others make similar changes to their lives. After relocating to Michigan for work in 2016, Dan met most of his new friends through CrossFit and even (several years later) his wife. He remains passionate about helping others make positive changes to their lives and accomplish goals they thought were impossible.
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
- CrossFit Anatomy
- CrossFit Dumbbells
- CrossFit Gymnastics
- CrossFit Kettlebell
- CrossFit Programming
- CrossFit Rowing
- CrossFit Scaling
- CrossFit Strongman
- USAW Sport and Performance Coach Level 1
Take the first step.
We can’t wait to meet you
Chat with a coach at our gym to learn more about what program will fit your goals.