Built on curiosity, not a script.
I'm Roy, and for as long as I can remember I've been fascinated by how nature and the human body work. That curiosity translated into movement early on: like many people, it started with school swimming lessons, after which I fell in love with lifesaving, snorkelling, and eventually diving. Taekwondo came along at a young age too. After a few years of taekwondo I switched to Thai boxing, and while training with kickboxing legend Peter Smit, we got weekly boxing lessons from Dries Sloof — a legendary Rotterdam boxer and coach. Boxing appealed to me more and more, and eventually I made the full switch.
After my studies I wasn't quite sure which direction to take, so I joined the army. Against expectations — I'd actually been rejected for national service — I earned my green beret. After my time in the army I moved into the corporate world: first at a bailiff's office in The Hague, later in secondment work, including a stint at Heineken.
During a holiday in Thailand I decided to go diving again — my old love. I was hooked instantly, and picked diving back up alongside boxing. What started as the idea of getting a few PADI certifications turned into something else entirely: I got the chance to make diving my profession and became a PADI IDC Staff Instructor — a role in which I trained diving instructors myself, and where I first discovered how much satisfaction I get from passing on knowledge. After a few years working full-time in the diving industry, I returned to my former employer, who seconded me to Shell. A few months later I was asked to join Shell directly. That challenge lasted fifteen years, until yet another reorganisation prompted me to follow my dream and commit fully to sport and movement.
Using my training budget, I started the HBO programme in Exercise Physiology and Movement Science. By that point I was already a CrossFit Level 1 Coach and had completed my Precision Nutrition Level 1. From there I sought out further depth: weightlifting certifications, OPEX CCP, Pre-Script Level 1, and Hyrox Level 1, among others. I'm currently working towards Pre-Script Level 2, EXOS Performance Specialist, and Hyrox Level 2 Coach.
Alongside ARCH Performance, I teach group classes, personal training, and boxing workshops at Club Boks! in Vught, and I coach Hyrox and CrossFit classes at CrossFit NIMBL in Waalwijk.
Looking back, there's one thread running through all those years: passing on knowledge has been central to everything I've done, from diving instructor to coach. Working with people gives me energy, and nothing satisfies me more than helping someone reach their full potential. That's exactly what ARCH Performance stands for.