He was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and won three medals while representing the United States at the 2007 Pan American Games.

[2] His father emigrated from Rioverde, San Luis Potosí to Idaho and the family worked in potato fields.

[3] A native of Denver, he attended Green Mountain High School in Lakewood, Colorado.

In college, Alvarez competed for the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's gymnastics team and was the 2005 Nissen Award winner (the "Heisman" of men's gymnastics).

In 2008, he just missed the Olympics, finishing 6th in the all-around and 3rd on pommel horse, but was not selected.