Dr. Zachary Cullen
Dr. Zachary Cullen received his Doctorate of Chiropractic at the University of Western States in September of 2023. He is originally from Saint Albans Vermont. In his early adulthood, he spent 8 years working in the culinary industry as a cook and eventually working as a sous chef for multiple restaurants. Many of the Chefs Dr. Zach learned under graduated from The Culinary Institute of America as well as The New England Culinary Institute.
From the Kitchen to Kinesiology
Learning a foundational understanding of how to cook gave him a deep appreciation for preparation of good tasting foods that support nutrition and health. This eventually led him to study and graduate from Castleton University with a Bachelor of Exercise Science in 2018 while continuing to work full time in the culinary industry. He then moved to Portland, Oregon, and worked as a personal trainer/personal chef, where he synergistically combined the power of exercise with proper nutrition and dietary habits to maximize his clients’ results.
Finding a Deeper WHY
Early on in his career as a personal trainer, Dr. Zach ran into a consistent pattern of challenges with his clients. Many of his personal training clients would initiate the pursuit of exercise with the intent of improving strength and body composition. The limiting factor to these pursuits however was repeatedly being constrained by symptoms of pain and discomfort while performing the workouts. At the time, Dr. Zach did not have the tools to address his client’s symptoms of pain and this unfortunately limited their results. Part of the struggle in this regard was the fact that Zach had chronic lower back pain that limited his own ability to workout in an uninhibited manner. With much reflection, Dr. Zach decided he needed more mentorship to help support his ability to more effectively perform and teach exercises in a way that developed specific adaptations to performance in a way that did not hurt.
This led to Dr. Zach working with Hosmer Chiropractic as a Corrective Exercise Specialist. Being surrounded by Physicians and pain specialists gave Dr. Zach a much deeper understanding of Anatomy, Kinesiology, and most importantly, a fundamental shift in viewing exercise through the lens of pain management as well as prevention.
The pursuit was no longer “I want to have more ab definition” — it became “I want to age gracefully” and “I want to keep doing the things I love for the rest of my life.”
This shift in priority ultimately changed the motivation behind WHY he was conducting his work. Dr. Zach’s WHY was altered to pursuits such as “I want to age gracefully” or “I want to keep up with my children as they grow into adulthood” or “I want to keep doing the things I love for the rest of my life”. This WHY was much more fulfilling and meaningful to him. This WHY gave him a sense of duty and purpose in life.
Specialties
Functional Bodybuilding
Sustainable body recomposition and functional strength — building a body that performs as well as it looks.
Calisthenics
Bodyweight movement and skill development for all levels, from foundations to advanced progressions.
Martial Arts S&C
Strength and conditioning tailored to MMA and BJJ athletes, including sport-related injury care and recovery.
Hypermobility Disorders
Specialized care for patients with hypermobility, with a focus on stability, load tolerance, and pain-free movement.
Chronic Pain
A lived understanding of chronic lower back pain informs Dr. Zach’s approach — he knows firsthand what it takes to reclaim movement and rebuild confidence.
The Path to Chiropractic
This compelled Dr. Zach to become a chiropractor to help others receive the same self-empowerment and discovery that he did. Dr. Zach worked with Dr. Q and Dr. Whitney at Move Better as a Chiropractic Assistant while obtaining his doctoral degree.
Dr. Zach now enjoys many forms of exercise including, weightlifting, running, cycling, HIIT, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Certifications & Education
Certifications
- BLS 2025
- CPR/AED 2025
- DNS Course A
- DNS Course B (in progress)
- NASM Corrective Exercise Specialization
- NASM Personal Trainer Certification
Education
- Doctorate of Chiropractic, University of Western States
- Bachelors of Exercise Science, Castleton University
Standards Testing
Last tested 7/31/2025 | Bodyweight = 183 lbs
| Exercise | Standard Goal | Dr. Zach’s Result |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlift | 1.5× bodyweight | 335 lbs ✓ |
| Chinups | 5 reps | 13 reps ✓ |
| Pushups | 20 reps | 35 reps ✓ |
| Turkish Getup | 33% bodyweight | 80 lbs (R side only) ✓ |
Pets
Latte — AKA Wrinkly, Ugly, Stinky, Gimli, Snort, Fold Momma, Piglet, Cheddar Fiend
Start Your Movement Journey with Dr. Zach
Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, chasing a performance goal, or simply want to keep doing the things you love for the rest of your life — Dr. Zach has been where you are, and he knows the way forward.
