The BLACKROLL® Australia Team

It all started with a simple black roll in Germany. A few smart fitness and medical professionals put their heads together and came up with a simple device with the potential to change training and rehabilitation forever.

Today millions of people from young to old, athletes to pensioners are using myofascial release tools every day, eager to improve their personal level of fitness and performance by training their fascia.

Our team is privileged to bring BLACKROLL® with all the extensive scientific background and of course the innovative quality product and training range to Australia.

Learn more about our team who all have their own passions and life adventures. What brings them together though is that they all have seen the potential in BLACKROLL® to improve the way they move and more important the huge potential BLACKROLL® offers to be that most simple but highly effective tool that they can use to help other people to achieve their goals like improving health, fitness, wellbeing and life in general.

 

This is who they are:

Chris Heppeler (Director and Certified BLACKROLL® Trainer)

Chris has a passion for and skills in many sports. He loves to be active and on the move all the time no matter if out in nature, in the gym or on a pitch playing team sports. In order to keep him going he discovered BLACKROLL® as the most simple and effective way to prepare and recover before and after activities. Excited by the concept he made use of his education and business experience and established BLACKROLL® Australia. 

Chris has a Honours Degree in Business Administration / Sales / Marketing and Logistics and has throughout his professional career accumulated extensive experience in the relevant business procedures to manage and run the business. Besides that he has worked as qualified snowboard instructor, soccer coach and holds a certificate as BLACKROLL® trainer

Leigh Whitehead (BLACKROLL® Master Trainer)

Leigh is a highly qualified coach with over 10 years’ experience in the health and fitness industry. Graduating from Australian Institute of Fitness in the beginning with honors as a Master Trainer and going on to study strength & conditioning with ASCA, movement & fascial anatomy via private study, tutors and mentors, including trips to Europe to learn from some of Germany’s leading fascia reaserchers & educators. Leigh, daily divides his time between his role as owner and head coach of several F45 training studios, his own practice, Sustainable Human Movement.
Besides following his passions surfing, skating, skiing all things outdoors and playing with his son, his goal in life is to provide other people with the learning and practice to improve their ability to move and sustainably improve their health, fitness and performance.

Max Widnig (Brand Development/ Certified BR + BR MOVES Trainer)

Max has a passion for board sports and bodyweight training. He loves being outside, enjoying life and nature as well as being active all day long. He was a professional snowboarder in Austria and now he is into skateboarding. He first got in touch with BLACKROLL® after an ankle injury. The BLACKROLL® helped him to recover fast and to gain mobility again. Following, fascia and functional training became part of his everyday life, mostly to be able to perform best at his sports. He completed the BLACKROLL ® Trainer and BLACKROLL ® MOVES educations to spread the overwhelming benefits of using the BLACKROLL® as a certified Trainer. During his studies in Vienna, Austria he did workshops and fascia trainings in parks and he could finish the Master's degree in Sports Equipment Technology in 2018.
He has joined the BLACKROLL® Australia-Team to make the  BLACKROLL® internationally accessible.

David Dawes (Physiotherapist / BLACKROLL® Master Trainer)

Dave completed his Bachelor of Physiotherapy at La Trobe in 2006 and more recently completed his Graduate Certificate in Sports Physiotherapy. Over the past twelve months, Dave has collaborated with Blackroll in an effort to further educate himself and others in the role of fascia, self myofascial release and self-care. Dave was, until recently, the head physio at the Western Force Rugby Club; a role which included diagnosis, treatment and exercise prescription for the professional rugby players during the week and being on the sidelines on game day. Dave also spent four years between 2011 and 2015 working in the AFL for North Melbourne Football Club in the role of full-time senior physiotherapist. In this time, the sports medical team at the Kangaroos was responsible for the club having the lowest soft tissue injury rate in the AFL.
He takes an active approach to rehabilitation – whether it be post-operative care, management of an acute injury or an ongoing problem, he will provide tailored exercises and tools specific to you that will help increase the speed of your recovery and prevent the risk of re-injury.
Outside of work, he is the proud father of three young children, and spends as much time as possible with them and his wife. He also enjoys running, footy and golf. 

Alison Slater (Physiotherapist / BLACKROLL® Master Trainer)

Alison is an internationally-trained Physiotherapist, graduating from the University of New South Wales followed by Cumberland College of Health Sciences in 1986. With a wealth of post-graduate study behind her, including a Master of Manual Therapy from the University of Western Australia, Alison offers 32 years of knowledge and practical clinical experience. Following graduation from her Masters, she was offered and accepted an Adjunct Teaching Fellowship at UWA, and held this position for some years. Alison is a Blackroll Master Trainer with a passion for all things fascia. She has travelled extensively to ensure she is up-to-date with the latest developments in the field, including several of the Fascia Research Congresses and Fascia Summer Schools. She is also involved in the Fascial Net Plastination Project, having visited the Plastinarium in Guben, Germany in June, 2018. Alison attends a 5-day full-body dissection Course in the United States every year, and has tutored for Tom Myers in this environment on occasion. She has also undertaken countless post-graduate education Courses, including Facsial Manipulation, Craniosacral Therapy, Dry Needling, Myofascial Release, Mulligan Technique, Sacroiliiac and Pelvic assessment and treatment, sports injuries and specific joint-based manual therapy approaches. Alison has also taught extensively throughout the United Kingdom and Australia in Muscle Energy Technique. She is a self-proclaimed “sworn enemy of densification” from the most recent International Blackroll Summit, understanding the essential part rolling plays in the rehabilitation and maintenance of healthy fascia for all people, athletes and mere mortals alike! Outside of professional concerns, Alison is a keen triathlete, and even has a go at the odd half-marathon!

MARVIN BAUMEISTER (The BLACKROLL go to person in Queensland)

Marvin is a legend in the world of kite surfing and amongst the fastest kite racers in the world, pushing limits every day. His passion for speed has taught him besides kite surfing many other fun things like motor bike racing, snowboarding, SUPing and therefore he always has a reason to keep fit and healthy. BLACKROLL® has become an important part of his training schedule and since he is on the road all the time he became our go to man and point of contact especially in the QLD area, but really where ever he turns up in Australia. He can point you in the right direction with your product or training enquiry. In his own business "In The Loop" based in Townsville QLD that includes a board store and the organisation of fitness and adventure activities he is also offering BLACKROLL® classes and product sales.

Nathalie Joachim (Marketing / Certified Trainer)

Nathalie is a former ski racer from Germany who has moved to Australia to pursue her passion for windsurfing and surfing. She is a certified ski, snowboard and windsurf instructor who, with BLACKROLL® , found the perfect tools to accompany her favourite action sports and to prevent injuries. 

Holding a Honours Degree in e-Business / Marketing she heads the marketing department of Sea to Summit Pty Ltd, a company that imports 30 sport brands to Australia. Balancing a busy office job with all her sports, Nathalie is passionate about educating people on the importance of activation, functional training and recovery.