Who We Are

Starting out in a 2 car garage in 2011 and making the leap to obtain our CrossFit affiliation in March 2012, the gym began with grass roots in the heart of Manitowoc and has grown with every move along the way. Our initial locations were rough, cold, and authentic, but the nostalgia of how we began, what we have gone through, and the members that have been with us throughout our journey is what makes our gym community one of a kind. In 2026 we made the decision to step back from affiliation with CrossFit Inc. and form our own independent gym that offers more freedom and flexibility. That vision is what you see now - The Bar

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Matt DiMarco - HEAD Coach/owner

A graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, followed by 8 years of US Navy service with his primary tour of duty onboard the submarine USS West Virginia SSBN736(Gold), deploying 6 times and serving his final year supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom working for the Department of the Army Inspector General in Baghdad, Iraq. After Matt’s military service he worked in the civilian power industry as a Project and Field engineer in North and South Carolina before moving to Manitowoc in 2011 for a large Power Plant Project, but left the corporate engineering world to follow his passion of owning and operating a fitness facility and seeking to create relationships and change lives in the process.

Matt is a life-long fitness enthusiast and national-level competitive swimmer. He was first introduced to CrossFit while on duty in Iraq in 2006 which opened the door to many avenues of study in physical training, anatomy, physiology, and strength and conditioning programming for different physical goals. Since that time Matt has coached over 20 years in CrossFit and led more than 15,000 sessions as well as spending 7 years as a High-School Strength and Conditioning coach training individual athletes and teams in the weight room and on the track. He has never stopped seeking to learn more about all facets of the health, fitness and nutrition industry and his pursuit of wisdom and love for learning drive him to continue to evolve the gym’s programming and methodology to reflect current research in strength, conditioning and recovery.

DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES:

  • Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University

  • US Navy Nuclear Engineer Qualified

  • CrossFit Level 1, 2

  • CrossFit Kids

  • USAW Level 1, 2

  • NASE Speed and Sprint Coach Certification

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Audrey DiMarco- Chief Operating Officer

With a successful career in wildlife conservation which included working with Cheetahs in Namibia and hand raising baby cheetahs in Florida, Audrey met Matt while playing volleyball back in 2003. Her desire to stay home with her kids, has now given her the opportunity to work side by side with Matt in the ownership and administration of the gym for 14 years, but that’s far from all she does. She loves the community aspect of the gym and having some “adult time” when she is not working as Event Coordinator for Strand Adventures or as the School Board Chair for Legacy Christian School of Manitowoc, which she founded in 2023. Audrey is not only a coach, she is also the gym’s photographer, graphic designer, apparel manager as well as director of marketing and social media manager. She is the engine behind innumerable details needed to run the gym!

CERTIFICATES:

  • CrossFit Level 1,2

  • CrossFit Kids

  • CrossFit Mobility

  • USAW Level 1

  • CrossFit Rowing

  • CrossFit Gymnastics