☆ Strength training gym located in San Bernardino, California, serving athletes across the Inland Empire including Riverside, Redlands, Highland, and Loma Linda.
Built by discipline. Forged by purpose. Led by Brandon and Annamarie Notch.
Rite of Passage Elite Fitness Club was founded by Brandon Garic Notch and Annamarie Notch — partners in life for over twenty years and united by a shared philosophy: that strength is not given, it is earned through discipline, resilience, and daily commitment.
What began as a personal pursuit of physical and mental mastery evolved into a vision — a private training environment where serious athletes and dedicated individuals could train with purpose, build community, and pursue excellence together.
This is more than a gym.
It is a place where character is forged, standards are upheld, and every member earns their place through effort and integrity.
Welcome to Rite of Passage Elite Fitness Club.
Train with purpose.
Forged Through Discipline
The Journey Behind Rite of Passage Elite Fitness Club
I wasn’t born into strength — I built it.
Like many people, my journey began walking into crowded gyms filled with machines, noise, and strangers. The energy was there, but something essential was missing. There was no culture, no mentorship, and no sense of purpose. I quickly realized that transforming the body requires more than equipment. It requires standards, discipline, and a community of individuals committed to becoming stronger together.
Long before fitness became central to my life, I was already walking a path of discipline through art, creation, and performance. I grew up driven by curiosity — sketching, storytelling, and constantly chasing the next idea. Art became more than expression; it became survival.
As a teenager, I discovered tattooing and immersed myself in the craft. I apprenticed under experienced artists, studied relentlessly, and developed a deep respect for the precision and discipline the art demands. Over the years I built a career as a professional tattoo artist and eventually founded Sacred Saint Studio, a private custom atelier known for its elevated craftsmanship and commitment to quality.
Creativity expanded beyond the studio. I explored writing and authored works such as Death Is Only the Beginning and Making Way for the New: Seven Steps to Spiritual Alchemy, examining themes of transformation, consciousness, and personal evolution.
At the same time, I pursued performance and physical training through acting and stunt work in film and television. Training in stage combat, Muay Thai, boxing, and other athletic disciplines taught me the value of physical preparedness and mental resilience. I became a member of SAG-AFTRA and continued developing both the creative and physical sides of my life.
Across all of these disciplines — tattooing, writing, acting, and strength training — one lesson emerged again and again:
True transformation comes from disciplined commitment to a craft.
Whether creating a piece of art, embodying a character, writing a book, or training under the barbell, the process is the same — patience, resilience, and consistency.
But this vision was not built alone.
My wife, Annamarie Notch, has been a lifelong fitness enthusiast whose philosophy centers on strengthening both the body and the mind through resistance training and disciplined living. Together we have shared more than two decades as partners in life, building our relationship on mutual support, resilience, and a commitment to personal growth. We were married on March 3, 2021, but our journey together began many years before that.
Annamarie serves as Co-Founder and President of Rite of Passage Elite Fitness Club, helping shape the culture and leadership of the organization. Her dedication to training, wellness, and mental strength reflects the very principles that define the club itself.
Together we envisioned something different.
We didn’t want to build just another gym filled with crowded machines and empty promises. We wanted to create a place where serious lifters — bodybuilders, powerlifters, strength athletes, and those beginning their journey — could train with intention and purpose.
A place where the iron is respected.
Where technique matters.
Where mentorship and community replace anonymity.
A place where strength is earned, not bought.
Rite of Passage is more than a gym. It is a forge.
Inside these walls every rep, every session, and every decision shapes not only your body, but your character and identity. Strength training becomes more than physical practice — it becomes a ritual of self-mastery.
The body is the temple.
Training is meditation in motion.
Discipline becomes the path to transformation.
This club is our legacy — but it is also an invitation.
Step into the Forge.
Claim your Place.
Earn your Rite.
Rite of Passage Elite Fitness Club LLC
— Brandon Garic Notch
Founder & Vice President
• Artist • Author • Actor • Strength Athlete • Lead Trainer & Coach
— Annamarie De La Cruz Notch
Co-Founder & President
• Fitness Enthusiast • Mind-Body & Strength Advocate • Trainer & Coach
Founders & Coaching Philosophy
Rite of Passage Elite Fitness Club is guided by its founders, lead trainers, and coaches, Annamarie and Brandon Notch, whose mission is to cultivate strength, discipline, and transformation through the timeless pursuit of physical mastery.
Together they have built more than a gym — they have created a training sanctuary dedicated to individuals who seek growth through challenge, effort, and commitment. At Rite of Passage, training is not simply exercise; it is a process of forging the body, strengthening the mind, and developing the discipline required to overcome life’s obstacles.
Within the forge of the gym floor, our trainers provide hands-on instruction, working directly with members to refine technique, build strength, and elevate physical performance. Through attentive guidance and structured training sessions, members learn the fundamentals of proper movement, strength development, and disciplined practice.
Beyond the training sessions themselves, our coaches guide the broader journey. Coaching focuses on the deeper principles that support lasting progress — nutrition, recovery, lifestyle habits, and the psychological discipline required to sustain long-term health and performance. The goal is not simply temporary improvement, but the development of a resilient and capable individual.
At Rite of Passage Elite Fitness Club, the role of the trainer is to teach the craft of strength, while the role of the coach is to guide the lifelong path of mastery.
Together, these principles form the foundation of the club’s philosophy: a place where members are not merely customers, but participants in a personal rite of passage — a process of transformation through effort, consistency, and dedication.
