The Team


Nathan Zimmerman MS, CSCS, USAW

Owner and Operator, Krav Maga 2nd Degree Black Belt, BMT Purple Belt

Nathan is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, a certified level 2 Sports Performance Coach through USA Weightlifting, and was a certified a Strong First Girya Instructor from 2009 to 2018. He holds a MS in Kinesiology from Cal Poly, SLO. Nathan assisted at a SFG(certification) for the first time in November, 2015. His experience includes working as a physical therapy aide at the Body and Balance Center in San Luis Obispo and as a volunteer aide at Bell Trace in Bloomington, Indiana. At Bell Trace, he treated shoulder, knee, hip, and back injuries. Since then he has gained experience in the fitness field through working at the Cal Poly Rec Center as a personal trainer, as well as helping with strength and conditioning for a local kickboxing team. He started Sleeping Tiger Fitness & Martial Arts in 2010. Nathan has trained with and learned from the likes of well known and influential trainers in the strength and conditioning community including Dan John, Pavel Tsatsouline, Doug Nepodal, Brett Jones, Jeff O’Connor, Max Shank, Kelly Starrett, Sean Waxman and David Whitley.

Martial Arts:

Nathan started his martial arts training in 1995, training Taekwondo in South Korea. He participated in worldwide competition at Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Center.

Nathan really started getting serious about his martial arts training in 2006, training Hawaiian Kempo and Grappling at SLO Kickboxing in San Luis Obispo, CA. In 2007, he transitioned to Krav Maga and Muay Thai and fell in love with both systems.

Nathan began teaching Krav Maga in 2009 and competed in his first Muay Thai bout, which he won. While pursuing his Masters Degree in Kinesiology from Cal Poly, Nathan continued his Muay Thai and Krav Maga training, continuing to compete in Muay Thai all through college and added boxing training with boxing coach Darby Evans.

After graduation, Nathan opened his own Krav Maga school in 2013 and made the transition to training with Krav Maga Global under the tutelage of Alan Predolin and Eyal Yanilov.

Nathan is a 2nd degree black belt instructor with 360 Krav Maga Academy, a Bang Muay Thai purple belt, and a certified Law Enforcement Instructor. He continues to train boxing and kickboxing with Bang Muay Thai Sensei Duane Ludwig, Krav Maga with Alan Predolin, and currently trains boxing with the team at Sonny’s Boxing and Fitness..

KT Streder MS, CSCS, USAW II

Cofounder and Operator

KT is a Cal Poly graduate with a MS and BS in Kinesiology and a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She is a certified level 2 Sports Performance Coach through USA Weightlifting as well as being newly certified by Waxman’s Gym for Olympic barbell training. KT has also been training “Russian style” kettlebells since 2010, originally learning from the RKC, then making the switch to Strong First to continue learning from Pavel Tsatsouline. In her undergrad she worked with Todd Hagobian, Ph.D., as a research assistant examining exercise’s effect on appetite hormones, resulting in KT becoming a published co-author for the study. Additionally she was an assistant coach for SLO High School’s shot put and discus throwers from 2009 to 2011 and Mission Preparatory High School’s Strength Coach from 2015 to 2017. As a graduate student, KT taught exercise physiology and biomechanics labs while conducting her thesis comparing the effects of motor learning principles on strength training program design, with Kellie G. Hall, Ph.D. In addition to her position at STF, KT has been a part-time lecturer at Cal Poly in the Kinesiology department since 2014.

Neffertti Bradley

Krav Maga Black BeltIMG_4008-3

Neffertti discovered Krav Maga in 2008 while living in Los Angeles. After moving to Morro Bay in 2013 with her husband, Neffertti tried other local Krav Maga gyms but found her home at Sleeping Tiger Fitness & Martial Arts.  Additionally, in 2015 she started training Kickboxing and in 2018, STFMA partnered with Bang Muay Thai.  Neffertti has already ranked in Bang Muay Thai with an orange belt as well as a Black Belt in Krav Maga. Nefertti has taken several firearm safety training courses,which is very beneficial at STFMA in our gun defense training.

Her dedication and passion for the martial arts is shown in her teaching, whether at STFMA group classes, women self defense seminars, private training, as well as at Cal Poly through the ASI Program or at Cuesta College. 

Michele Simone

Krav Maga Black BeltMichele bio

In 2014, searching for a place to cross-train, Michele discovered STFMA—when she started her study in Krav Maga.  Drawn to the teaching, atmosphere, and quality training—she has been there ever since. Michele enjoys the challenge of ongoing training in Krav Maga,  Bang Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Starting in 1990, Michele taught “Model Mugging” in our community for over a decade where she had the opportunity to work with hundreds of people learn self-defense skills. Alongside her interest in self-defense, Michele has been practicing Aikido for over 30 years.  As a 5th degree black belt, she instructs at Aikido Central Coast in Los Osos.
Outside of the gym, since 2000, Michele has been working  as a licensed therapist in private practice and a consultant for organizations providing integrative trauma-informed education and training.  Michele’s professional work is dedicated to addressing the widespread impact of traumatic stress on individuals, families, communities, and organizations.
Michele’s interest in the  intersection between personal safety, trauma, and neurobiology is what motivated her to become a somatic therapist. As a therapist, she believes the martial arts have the potential—if taught skillfully—to offer key ingredients in building confidence, recovering from adversity, and accessing greater resilience in life.
Brian Murray
Krav Maga Black Belt, BMT Orange Belt
Brian was working at a local IT company in 2016 when he decided he needed a regular fitness routine to counter the effects of sitting at a desk all day. He participated in a trial program at Sleeping Tiger and fell in love with the instructors, the culture of the gym, and the martial arts that were taught there.
Since his journey started, he has achieved a black belt in Krav Maga and an orange belt in Bang Muay Thai. When he isn’t training or teaching at STFMA you can find him training in the sport of “Buhurt” at one of the parks in SLO or Paso Robles.
Cory Richison
BMT Purple Belt, Krav Maga Yellow Belt20221216_161819

As a Patten University Alum in Organizational Business, Cory found a passion for helping others. This passion resonated towards building a healthier lifestyle for himself, as well as, those around him. However, during his journey, Cory has found that he had limitations and must work hard for everything; Cory struggled with injuries and self-doubt, coming back from five surgeries he decided to do something about long-term health. Cory immersed himself in a new lifestyle, of martial arts, and has never regretted it.

Currently, Cory holds a yellow belt in 360 Krav Maga, and a PURPLE BELT in Bang Muay Thai. He currently trains kettlebells with  KT Streder, alongside his weekly routine of USA Boxing and Muay Thai. Historically, Cory studied and trained with prominent members of the mixed martial arts community: UFC Fighter & International Kickboxing Light Heavyweight World Champ Cung Le; and Thailand Provincial Champion Title Holder with over 300 career Muay Thai fights Ajarn Nelson.

Cory started this journey in 2007, and with the help of friends and mentors like Darby Evans, and Nathan Zimmerman he has been able to move up the ranks of both USA boxing and Muay Thai. Cory wants to share his knowledge and experience with those that loathe exercising, lack inspiration, struggle with a sense of self, or just need a healthy outlet. Ultimately, his goal remains to help others find happiness in life and feel good about themselves. Cory believes that after an Entertaining, Exhausting, and Educational class with him, you will excel in life!