About
Derek Burns
Sr.
Navy veteran. Competitive bodybuilder. 18-year transformation specialist. The man behind AfterBurns Fitness & Performance.
The Story
From Service
To Strength.
Derek Burns Sr. didn't learn discipline from a textbook. He learned it on a Navy ship during the Gulf War and Operation Deliberate Force — where showing up wasn't optional, excuses didn't exist, and the only way through was through. That mindset never left.
After his service, Derek spent 5 years as a competitive bodybuilder — not for trophies, but to understand transformation from the inside out. The nutrition science, the mental warfare of contest prep, the daily choice to keep going when your body says stop. He lived every lesson he now teaches.
18 years ago, he turned that hard-won knowledge into AfterBurns Fitness & Performance. Not a gym. Not a franchise. A personal training practice built on one conviction: that real transformation doesn't stop at the body.
Credentials
Qualified. Certified.
Proven.
In The Media
Featured &
Published.
FOX 5 DC
"Spring Exercises with AfterBurns Fitness" — Live TV segment showcasing Derek's practical, no-nonsense training approach.
Live Television · April 2025
Huffington Post
Featured for expertise in personal training methodology and body transformation science.
National Publication
Thrive Magazine
Profiled as a leading wellness professional in the Northern Virginia health and fitness community.
Regional Publication
NoVA Magazine
Recognized as one of Northern Virginia's top personal trainers and transformation specialists.
Regional Publication
Philosophy
Solid. Soulful. Substance. Strength.
Solid — Your program isn't pulled from a template. It's built on science, structured with precision, and designed to hold up when motivation fades. The foundation is everything.
Soulful — Fitness without purpose is just movement. Derek brings a faith-centered approach that honors the whole person — who you are matters as much as what you lift.
Substance — No fads. No filler. Every protocol comes from 18 years of watching what actually works — in the lab, on the competition stage, and in real people's lives.
Strength — Not just the physical kind. The confidence to walk into any room. The resilience to handle what life throws. The version of yourself you've been putting off becoming.
Get Started
Train With Derek.
Request your free consultation. Derek will review your submission and reach out to schedule a 30-minute conversation about your goals.
Get Started
Train With Derek.
The consultation is free, and there's no pressure. Just 30 minutes with Derek to talk about where you are, where you want to be, and exactly how to close the gap.
Book Free ConsultationNot ready to book? See what results look like first.