HPLS Alumni Profile
Mark-Anthony Bailey
Exercise Science, BS (2002)

"A lot of people get into the fitness industry and don't walk the talk. People will respect you more if you can actually do what you preach. Exercise and fitness have to be your passion, or people will see right through you. Clients want a role model to learn from."

Growing up with parents in the Marines and airline industry, Mark-Anthony Bailey has an appreciation of diverse places and people. His interest in fitness began early and continues today. Mark-Anthony began competing in natural bodybuilding contests after high school; he was the junior category winner in the NABF Florida Supernatural competition (2000) and placed third in their light heavyweight category the following year. Mark-Anthony definitely walks the talk.

Barry University

Following his early interest in strength and conditioning, Mark-Anthony found Barry University by searching the Internet for universities that offered programs matching his interests. Through Barry's website, Mark-Anthony learned about the School of Human Performance and Leisure Sciences (HPLS) and that Barry was ideally located in South Florida, a major hub of the fitness industry. Moving from Vermont, Mark-Anthony soon began anticipating the warmer climate of Miami Shores!

After discussing his interests and goals with his academic advisor and other HPLS professors, Mark-Anthony discovered that the Exercise Science program was where he wanted to be. He was pleased to find himself being taught at the undergraduate level by top-notch faculty - experts in their respective fields and most holding Ph.D.'s; many were also former athletes. By the end of his senior year at Barry, his HPLS professors all knew him and his professional interests. Mark-Anthony balanced out his studies by participating in intramural athletics, serving as a Resident Assistant in the dorms, and working as a supervisor in the strength and conditioning facility for four years.

During his years at Barry, Mark-Anthony felt compelled to offset the vast array of misinformation circulating in commercial gyms and on the Internet. With the help of his roommate, he decided to start his own website (MostMuscle.com) to spread accurate fitness-related information ranging from nutrition and training to motivation and special needs.

Mark-Anthony graduated in May 2002 with a BS in Exercise Science . He found that the Barry University name was well-respected in the marketplace. The hours he spent in classes, labs, the gym, and gaining real-world experience prepared him to work with a diverse clientele ranging from professionals in peak physical shape, to small children and post-operative senior citizens.

Career

To gain even more experience in the workplace, Mark-Anthony accepted a position at the professional training studio where he had done his internship. He then worked for the U.S. Department of Defense as a civilian; he was the Afloat Fitness Director on the U.S.S. Harry S. Truman where he worked alongside Marines and Navy Seals assigned to the aircraft carrier during the war in Iraq. In that role, Mark-Anthony was responsible for fitness and wellness needs of the over 5500 officers and enlisted men and women onboard the Navy's flagship carrier. He found the challenge exhilarating and enjoyed the opportunity to push himself harder. Plus, he had the chance to see many things and situations that most exercise physiologists don't have the opportunity to.

Back on dry land in July 2003, he was hired as the Director of the Wellness Center at Miami-Dade College's Wolfson Campus in South Florida. Mark-Anthony is in charge of the Center's activities, providing equipment training for employees and specialized training for clients with a variety of special needs such as blindness, amputations, and cerebral palsy.

Mark-Anthony plans to further his education by attending graduate school in the future and hopes to earn a position working with professional athletes. He considers the ability to maintain an open attitude and willingness to adapt to new situations as the most valuable lessons he learned throughout his Barry education and experiences. In his own words, "fitness is not a hard science, like physics or chemistry, and there are many different ways to get in shape. The ability to accept new ideas, take a little piece from another program, and apply all of it to your own routine is how you can continually improve and make a name for yourself. You must continue to grow.avoid becoming stagnant.take yourself to that next level."