From College Athletes to Corporate Executives: Lessons from 100+ Elite Clients

From College Athletes to Corporate Executives: Lessons from 100+ Elite Clients

Over 27 years and 18,000+ training hours, I've had the privilege of working with an incredibly diverse group of high performers. From Division I athletes maintaining their edge post-competition to C-suite executives preparing their bodies for the demands of leadership, the patterns that separate those who thrive from those who merely survive have become crystal clear.

Here's what I've learned from helping elite clients build bodies that perform when it matters most.

The Performance Paradox

The college athlete walks in with impressive numbers—a 405-pound back squat, sub-5-minute mile, vertical jump that would make most people jealous. The executive arrives with a resume that commands respect and a schedule that would break most people.

Yet both often struggle with the same fundamental issue: their bodies can't handle what real life throws at them.

The athlete can squat heavy but can't move around without back pain. The executive can run a marathon but gets winded carrying groceries up stairs. They've optimized for specific performance metrics while neglecting the movement patterns that matter most in daily life.

This is the performance paradox—excelling in narrow domains while struggling with functional, real-world demands.

What Elite Performers Actually Need

After training everyone from former college rugby players to venture capital partners, I'm not here to dismiss the value of metrics or elite performance. Numbers matter. Tracking progress matters. The discipline that drives athletic excellence is invaluable.

But here's what I've learned: the transition from hyper-fit, elite performance activities to training for strength, capability, and longevity—that's the sweet spot most high performers are actually seeking.

The college athlete who ran a 4.4 forty doesn't need to abandon their competitive drive. They need to redirect it toward building a body that performs exceptionally well at 45, 55, 65. The executive who's never trained seriously doesn't need to apologize for starting late. They need to embrace that they're actually ahead of the curve—they get to build capability without first having to unlearn destructive training patterns.

Movement quality becomes paramount. Metrics remain important—but different metrics.

Instead of:

• Maximum lift numbers → Can you move well under varying loads?

• Fastest mile time → Can you sustain effort across different demands?

• Aesthetic benchmarks → Does your body feel as capable as it looks?

• Single-sport performance → Can you handle diverse physical challenges?

This isn't about lowering standards. It's about raising them to include what actually matters: a body that moves well, recovers efficiently, handles stress effectively, and keeps getting stronger across decades instead of peaking and declining.

The Seven Patterns That Matter

Whether I'm working with a former All-American athlete or a 50-year-old CEO discovering strength training for the first time, we come back to the same seven fundamental movement patterns:

Squat and Hinge - The foundation of getting low and picking things up
Lunge - Single-leg strength that translates to stairs, hills, and real-world stability
Step - Getting up and down from the ground, accessing different levels
Push and Pull - Upper body strength that shows up everywhere from opening doors to weekend projects
Rotation - The power pattern most conventional programs completely ignore
Carry - Moving loads, moving through space with purpose

Master these patterns with progressive intensity, and you build a body that's genuinely adventure-ready. These movements form the foundation for both performance AND longevity—the rare combination that keeps you strong and capable for life.

What College Athletes Teach Us

The most successful transitions I've seen from competitive athletics to "real life" happen when athletes shift their identity from "performer" to "capable human."

The football player who learns to value how their body feels moving through a day more than how much they can lift. The track athlete who discovers that training for life's demands is more fulfilling than chasing times they set a decade ago. The basketball player who finds new purpose in building strength that serves them in every domain.

These athletes already have discipline, work capacity, and body awareness. What they need is permission to train differently—to value capability over performance metrics.

What Executives Teach Us

Corporate leaders teach me the opposite lesson. They often arrive apologizing for their fitness level, as if their lack of a gym routine diminishes their worth.

Then they proceed to demonstrate incredible discipline, consistency, and strategic thinking once they understand what they're training FOR.

The best executive clients don't treat fitness as another box to check. They recognize their body as the vehicle for everything else they want to accomplish. They invest in movement the same way they invest in their professional development—strategically, consistently, with clear purpose.

They teach me that you don't need hours in the gym. You need intelligent programming, consistent execution, and a clear understanding of why you're doing what you're doing.

The Common Ground

Whether you're a former athlete or someone who's never set foot in a weight room, the path to a capable, resilient body follows the same principles:

Train movements, not muscles. Your body doesn't work in isolation—neither should your training.

Build capacity across domains. Strength without mobility is limited. Cardio without strength is incomplete. Power without control is dangerous.

Test yourself in the real world. Can you help a friend move? Hike a mountain with your family? Play with your kids? Say "yes" to an unexpected physical challenge? That's the test that matters.

Progress consistently, not dramatically. Small improvements compounded over time beat dramatic efforts followed by burnout.

Stay curious about what your body can do. The best clients—regardless of background—maintain a sense of exploration and possibility.

The Real Elite

After training hundreds of high performers, I've learned that "elite" isn't about your athletic resume or professional title. It's about how intentionally you prepare your body for the life you actually want to live.

The truly elite client is the one who shows up consistently, moves with purpose, challenges themselves appropriately, and builds a body that serves them across all domains of their life.

That's equally accessible whether you're a former Division I athlete or someone just beginning to take their physical capability seriously.

Your Next Move

The question isn't whether you have an athletic background or an impressive fitness resume. The question is: what do you need your body to do?

Once you answer that honestly, we can build the training program that gets you there—one that respects your time, honors your goals, and creates genuine capability that shows up when you need it most.

That's what 27 years and 18,000 training hours have taught me. And that's what I bring to every client who's ready to train with purpose.

Ready to build a body that performs in real life? Let's talk about what elite training looks like for you. Schedule your free consultation at MaxmeadFitness.com.

Adventure Prep Series: Ankle & Knee Stability for Uneven Terrain

You can be strong in the gym and still get wrecked on a trail.
Most ankle instability isn't a strength problem — it's a timing problem. The ankle can't react fast enough when you step on an edge or root. These four drills fix that.
Step 1: Forefoot Walk + Heel Walk 

10 yds on the ball of the foot — spring tall, no collapse. 10 yds on the heel — toes up, anterior shin loaded, controlled pace. 2 passes. 90 seconds. Do this before every trail session.
Step 2: Active Foot Hold Stand on one foot.

Tripod contact: big toe mound, pinky mound, heel. Arch active — not gripped, not collapsed. Hold 30 sec. Progress to eyes closed and perturbation holds.
When the foot communicates clearly, everything upstream responds better.
Step 3: Multi-Direction Lunge Matrix 

Forward → Reverse → Lateral → Rotational → Crossover One round each direction, both legs, bodyweight only. Terrain doesn't move in one direction — your prep shouldn't either.
Step 4: Step Downs Stand on a step.

Lower the free foot slowly (3 sec). Stop before contact. Return. Watch for knee cave, ankle collapse, or torso pitch — each one tells you exactly where your deficit lives.
15-Minute Pre-Trail Circuit: 

Forefoot Walk + Heel Walk — 2 x 10 yds each

Active Foot Holds — 3 x 30 sec/side

Lunge Matrix — 1 round, all directions, both legs

Step Downs — 3 x 8/leg
The mountains don't care how much you bench. Train for the terrain.

Getting Back to Your Best Primal Self: A Coach's Guide to Functional Fitness

Coach Ryan McDowell performing kettlebell swings outdoors

After many years of working with everyone from weekend warriors to professional athletes, I've learned something crucial: the human body wasn't designed for the modern world we've created. We sit in cars and chairs for hours, stare at screens, and move in the same repetitive patterns day after day. Then we wonder why our backs hurt, our shoulders are tight, and we feel disconnected from our physical capabilities.

The answer isn't another fitness trend or the latest workout gadget. It's about getting back to something fundamental—your primal self.

What Is Primal Fitness?

When I talk about primal fitness, I'm referring to the movement patterns that are hardwired into our DNA. These are the movements our ancestors performed daily to survive: squatting to gather food, lunging to navigate uneven terrain, pushing and pulling to build shelter, carrying loads across distances, and moving quickly when necessary.

Your body is designed for these movement patterns. When you strip away the complexity of modern fitness and return to these fundamental movements, something remarkable happens. Your body remembers. It responds. It transforms.

This isn't about going back to living in caves or abandoning modern life. It's about recognizing that while our environment has changed dramatically over the past few hundred years, our bodies haven't. We still need the same variety of movement, the same physical challenges, and the same connection to our physical capabilities that kept our ancestors healthy and resilient.

The Problem with Conventional Fitness

Walk into most gyms and you'll see rows of machines designed to isolate individual muscles. Leg extensions. Hip abductor squeezes. Chest presses. The underlying philosophy is that if you strengthen each muscle independently, you'll build a strong, functional body.

But here's what I've observed over nearly three decades: this approach creates bodies that look strong but often move poorly. Why? Because life doesn't happen in isolated movements. When you pick up your child, you're not simply performing a biceps arm curl—you're coordinating dozens of muscles across multiple joints while maintaining balance. When you lift a box, twist to place it on a shelf, or sprint to catch a bus, your body works as an integrated system.

Primal fitness recognizes this reality. Instead of isolating muscles, we train movements. Instead of sitting on stable machines, we challenge your body to create its own stability. Instead of following a predetermined range of motion, we develop the mobility and control to move freely in all directions.

The Seven Primal Movement Patterns

Through my work with hundreds of clients and athletes, I've identified seven fundamental movement patterns that form the foundation of functional fitness:

1. Squat/Hinge

These lower body movements involving hip flexion and extension are perhaps the most fundamental human positions. The squat—whether you're sitting down and standing up, or picking something off a low shelf—is something children do naturally with perfect form. The hinge—the foundation of deadlifts and safely lifting objects—is how we're designed to bend forward while protecting our spine.

Together, these patterns build the posterior chain strength and hip mobility that form the foundation of pain-free movement. Most back pain stems from poor hinge mechanics—people rounding their lower backs instead of hinging at the hips. Master these patterns, and you've taken a major step toward a resilient, capable lower body.

One of my favorite ways to build squat strength is through medicine-ball front squats. Holding a load at your chest while squatting through an appropriate range of motion, the isometric hold of the upper body for 20-30 seconds combines with hip movement to create a very functional exercise. This builds tremendous stability and teaches your body to create tension in the most challenging position. You'll also benefit from eccentric squats, where you lower slowly over 3-5 seconds. These controlled negatives build strength throughout the entire range of motion and significantly reduce injury risk.

2. Lunge

The lunge is your single-leg strength and stability pattern. Life rarely happens on two feet with perfect symmetry—you're constantly stepping up stairs, navigating uneven ground, or stabilizing on one leg while reaching for something. Walking lunges, Bulgarian split squats, and single-leg movements expose and correct the imbalances that lead to injury. We need to be strong with our knees behind our hips in true hip extension.

I've watched countless clients discover they're significantly stronger on one side than the other. This asymmetry isn't just a training curiosity—it's an injury waiting to happen. Lunging patterns build the unilateral strength and stability that keeps you balanced and resilient.

For clients who struggle with balance or are rebuilding strength, I often program isometric split squats—holding the bottom position of a lunge for time, advancing to balancing only on the balls of your feet! This builds stability without the coordination challenge of movement and creates a solid foundation for more dynamic work.

3. Step

The fundamental stepping motion is crucial for all locomotion. Whether you're walking up stairs, stepping onto a curb, or hiking up a trail, your ability to efficiently step and transfer weight from one leg to another determines your movement capacity.

Step-ups, box steps, and stair climbing train this pattern, building the single-leg strength and coordination needed for navigating the three-dimensional world we live in. This isn't just about leg strength—it's about the neural coordination that allows smooth, efficient movement.

Eccentric step-downs—slowly lowering yourself from a box or step—are incredibly valuable for knee health and building control. The slow, controlled descent forces your muscles to work hard while lengthening, which builds resilience in tendons and connective tissue.

4. Push

Pushing movements include everything from pushing yourself up off the ground to pressing weight overhead to moving heavy furniture. Push-ups, bench presses, and overhead presses all train your body's ability to generate force away from your center.

In our modern world of pushing keyboards and car steering wheels, we need to maintain the upper body strength and shoulder stability that pushing movements develop. These exercises teach your body to transfer force from the ground through your core and into your arms—a skill that translates to nearly every physical task you'll encounter.

If you can't do a full push-up yet, eccentric push-ups are your secret weapon. Lower yourself slowly to the ground over 3-5 seconds, then reset to the top. You're much stronger in the lowering phase than the pushing phase, so this builds strength quickly. No pushups on your knees!  Keep your trunk engaged while not overloading the hip flexors. Elevated pushups or even wall holds—an isometric push position against a wall—will build the shoulder stability needed for safe pressing.

5. Pull

Pulling movements—whether pulling yourself up, rowing weight toward your body, or pulling something down from overhead—are critically important in our push-dominant modern world. Pull-ups, rows, and face pulls build the posterior chain strength that keeps you upright and counteracts the rounded-shoulder posture most people develop from desk work and screen time.

We do far more pushing than pulling in daily life, which creates imbalances. Deliberate pulling work restores balance and builds the back strength that protects your spine and improves your posture. If you do nothing else, balance every push with a pull.

For pull-ups, the eccentric phase is where most people should start. Jump or step to the top position, then lower yourself as slowly as possible—aim for 5-10 seconds. This controlled negative builds the strength needed for a full pull-up faster than any other method. Isometric reclined rows—simply holding onto a bar or rings with a 90-degree elbow while leaning back—are an essential isometric that builds grip strength and shoulder health.

6. Rotation

Rotation is the often-neglected movement pattern that happens in the transverse plane—twisting your torso and pelvis. Life is full of rotational movements: swinging a golf club, reaching for something behind you in the car, playing catch with your kids, or simply turning to look over your shoulder.

Yet most traditional fitness programs ignore rotation entirely, creating bodies that are strong moving forward and backward but vulnerable when twisting. Medicine ball throws, wood chops, and rotational exercises build the cross-body core strength that actually matters for daily life and athletic performance. Training rotation safely and progressively is essential for spinal stability and injury prevention.

Isometric rotational holds—such as Pallof presses where you resist rotation by holding a band or cable at your chest—build incredible core strength. These anti-rotation exercises teach your body to create stability while forces try to twist you, which is exactly what happens in sports and daily activities.

7. Locomotion

This includes everything from loaded carries to walking, rucking, sprinting, and running. Humans are meant to move across distances and varied terrain, carrying what they need with them. When we limit ourselves to flat treadmills and predictable environments, we miss opportunities to challenge our cardiovascular system, build real-world strength, and develop the work capacity that defines functional fitness.

Farmer's carries, suitcase carries, rucking with a weighted pack, and varied running speeds all train your body to move efficiently under load. I've watched clients transform their functional capacity through simple loaded carries. Suddenly, carrying groceries isn't exhausting. Hauling luggage through airports becomes manageable. Moving furniture doesn't leave them sore for days.

Loaded carries are essentially isometric holds in motion—your muscles maintain constant tension while you walk. This builds endurance and stability in a way that traditional exercises can't match. For building foundational strength, try farmer's carry holds where you simply stand holding heavy weights for time before you walk.

Building Your Adventure-Ready Body

I often tell my clients that we're not training to look good in a mirror—we're training to be ready for adventure. Whether that adventure is hiking in the mountains, playing with grandchildren, tackling a home improvement project, or simply navigating daily life with energy and confidence, functional fitness prepares you for what matters.

Here's how to start:

Assess Your Current Movement

Before adding weight or intensity, understand how you currently move. Can you squat to full depth with your heels down? Can you hinge at the hips without rounding your back? Can you lunge with control and stability? Can you get up and down from the floor smoothly?

These assessments reveal where you need mobility work, where you need stability, and where you're ready to add challenge. Over my 18,000-plus hours of coaching, I've learned that starting from an honest assessment prevents injury and accelerates progress.

Prioritize Movement Quality Over Quantity

One perfect squat is worth more than ten sloppy ones. In primal fitness, we emphasize mastering fundamental patterns before adding load, speed, or complexity. This patience pays dividends—bodies that move well handle stress better, recover faster, and stay injury-free longer.

Incorporate Time Under Tension

Your muscles don't just need to move weight—they need to control it through all phases of movement. Concentric movement (when muscle shortens during the activity), eccentric training (slow, controlled lowering) and isometric holds (static positions under load) increase time under tension, which builds strength, stability, and resilience.

Train All Seven Patterns Regularly

A balanced program includes all seven primal movements. You might push and squat in one session, pull and lunge in another, and dedicate time to rotational work and loaded carries throughout the week. Or perform all of them in a total-body circuit. The key is variety—your body needs all these patterns to remain balanced and resilient.

Embrace Unilateral Training

Single-leg work through lunges and step patterns reveals imbalances you didn't know existed. Train one side at a time with lunges, single-leg deadlifts, and one-arm carries. Life rarely happens with perfect symmetry—your training shouldn't either.

Don't Neglect the Transverse Plane

Most people train exclusively in the sagittal plane (forward and backward) and maybe the frontal plane (side to side). The transverse plane—rotation—is where many injuries occur because it's undertrained. Make rotational work a regular part of your program, including both dynamic rotations and isometric anti-rotation exercises.

Progress Thoughtfully

Start with bodyweight movements. Master the pattern. Then add load gradually. A goblet squat before a barbell back squat. A box step before a heavy step-up. Push-ups before bench press. And always remember: eccentric training and isometric holds are powerful tools for building strength safely, especially when you're learning a new movement or working around an injury.

Respect the progression, and your body will reward you with steady, sustainable progress.

The Transformation I've Witnessed

I've watched this approach transform hundreds of lives. I've seen 50-year-olds move better than they did at 30. I've watched former athletes who thought their best physical years were behind them rediscover capabilities they'd forgotten. I've seen people eliminate chronic pain, gain confidence, and reclaim activities they thought they'd lost forever.

The common thread? They stopped chasing arbitrary fitness goals and started training for life. They stopped isolating muscles and started integrating movement. They stopped fighting against their body's natural design and started working with it.

One client recently told me, "For the first time in years, I feel like my body works the way it's supposed to. I'm not worried about throwing my back out or whether I can handle physical challenges. I just move, and it feels good."

That's the goal. Not six-pack abs or impressive bench press numbers—though those might come along the way. The goal is a body that feels capable, resilient, and ready for whatever life throws at it.

Your Primal Fitness Journey Starts Now

You don't need fancy equipment or a complicated program. Start with the basics:

• Practice your squat and hinge with bodyweight, adding isometric holds at the bottom

• Work on lunges and step-ups for single-leg strength, using slow eccentrics to build control

• Do push-ups and find ways to pull your bodyweight—start with negatives if needed

• Add rotational movements with a medicine ball or cable, including isometric anti-rotation work

• Walk, carry things, and move with purpose

Listen to your body, but challenge it appropriately. Your primal self is still in there, waiting to be rediscovered. After 27 years of coaching, I can tell you with certainty: it's never too late to get back to your best physical self.

The human body is remarkable in its capacity to adapt and improve. Give it the movement variety it craves, the progressive challenge it needs, and the recovery it deserves, and you'll be amazed at what's possible.

Your ancestors built empires, crossed continents, and survived impossible challenges with nothing but their physical capabilities. That same potential lives in you. It's time to unlock it.

Ready to Start Your Primal Fitness Journey?

Let's talk about where you are now, where you want to go, and how primal movement training can get you there. I offer free 15-minute discovery calls to discuss your goals and answer your questions.

Contact Me

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Pardon the Interruption

I started out January with 4 workouts per week. My plan was working well, for 11 days. Then a severe pain in my right arm shoulder and arm hit. Nerve pain leading to muscle spasms leading to loss of strength leading to numbness leading to nerve pain. So much for consistency, next move was containment and pain alleviation. Not much room for “fitness training”. But I kept positive and moved forward.

The most important thing that sprung from the last 3 weeks, was the adherance to my principle of Consisent Sifting and Winnowing by always being willing to put new things in the Hopper. When hospital visits and drugs weren’t moving the needle, I decided to try acupuncture. Finding someone to use needles around my spine was daunting. A good friend recommended Dr Chin. After learning of his decades of experience in Chinese medicine, I made an appointment.

After a long conversation about my activity and injury history (both are long!), followed by alot of explaination with anatomy diagrams (for those interested: Dr Netter’s work is available in Chinese!), Dr. Chin began a 3 hour session of acupuncture and massage. The results had some immediate results: pain reduction and the ability to sleep without meds. Then, on the subsequent days, the nerve pain has gone away. The feeling is returning. No more pain drugs needed. More work is required. However, the intervention worked and has allowed me to look forward again with optimism.

Today, a plan of action and activity: a meeting with a Physical therapist, upper body PT exercise plan , lower body strength work, walking (maybe a ruck), and lots of stretching. I may be back to consistent exercise, but positive thoughts and being open to something that moves me forward every day, has reinforced that being consistent starts with your basic self practices. Today, I re-start the process forward with some revised physical goals for the next 6 months.

Use your consisent belief in yourself, consistent action, consistent positive thoughts to move beyond the interruption when life deals you setback.

The price and the guide

Some days are joyous with feeling of adventure and overcoming adversity. You feel great about a cool experience, for me the physical ones are the most satisfying. Feeling free & easy of movement afterwards is the goal. Pain can be a consistent companion , it’s how much that is the question. Understanding how to thread the needle between soreness & injury is hard. Some days you pay the price for hubris. Today is one of those days.

Last week I talked about the joy of meeting and rolling with a world champion and the challenge & joy that came from the chance encounter. In addition to that grappling session, I had a hard Jiu-jitsu class the day before and, with the help of friends, took down a large oak tree on Saturday. Well, my body wasn’t up for that combined level of work. Now, a pinched nerve in my neck overrides the recovery of the rest of my muscles and will keep me out action for awhile.

As a performance coach to all levels of athletes, recreational 65+ year old nordic skiers to 20-something elite rugby players, High-school football players to CEOs flying around the country, I stress working their plan and the importance of recovery. Know thy self and how you work best. I failed to adhere to that maxim. Another setback reminds me yet again of the significance of coaching, the wisdom of experience, and why we seek those who provide it.

For myself, this means working with my chiropractor, Dr. Breanna Tivy (Thrive Chiropractic), to boost my recovery. Then, sitting down with my BJJ instructor, Prof. Gina Franssen (X2 BJJ), to map out the next year to hopefully avoid another episode like this one. And finally, some upper-back strength planning with my friend, Mark Schneider (The Retreat Strength Gym). Yes, coaches need coaches, too.

As we move through this month of resolutions, think on what your goals are for this year and why they are important. Reflect on who can mentor or guide you through the journey. Don’t ask for “help”; look for advice and direction from someone who can give prudent prespective. This guide can aid in avoiding some pitfalls; probably not all. Be proactive. The journey will be a bit smoother. And when you do make a mistake, that same sage mentor will be there to assist in moving you forward again.

Seek coaching. Find a mentor. Create teammates. 

“One of the greatest values of mentors is the ability to see ahead what others cannot see and to help them navigate a course to their destination.” - John C. Maxwell

Many strong hands make light work.

This Saturday several friends (and their kids) came over to help take down a dead oak tree. It was kinda like an old fashioned barn-raising, just in reverse. The skills of a forester to start and some good Cuban pulled pork sandwiches to finish (recipe below) bookended at a great day. In the middle was a lot of work with strong hands. Having the strength and mobility to move heavy pieces of oak means lots of firewood and potentially some milled wood sections for future tables & benches. This ability is the benefit of work in the weight room and time spent making good friends. Both require time, dedication and being your authentic self. What will your strength practice & openness to friendship create? Get to work this year building muscle for cool tasks and the friends to enjoy with whom them.

Cuban Pulled Pork

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lime (2 tablespoons)

Juice of 1 orange (2 tablespoons)

3 to 3 1/2-pound boneless pork shoulder

Mix the oil, salt, cumin, oregano, black pepper, red pepper, garlic, lime juice and orange juice in a small bowl. Make slits in the pork with a paring knife and rub liberally all over with the oil mixture. Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the remaining juices from the bowl. Cover and cook on low until tender, about 6-8 hours.

Remove from the slow cooker and let cool slightly. Shred the pork into thick chunks with 2 forks. Set the pork aside and keep warm in the cooking liquid.

Serve over rice or on sandwich buns

topping:

Yellow mustard, Swiss cheese, thick-sliced honey ham, thinly sliced dill pickle, or sweet pickle relish

Be open to giving

Cool experience: A teammate brought a friend to Jiu-Jitsu Friday. I invited the new white belt (w/cauliflower ears) to drill some escapes, helped him with some simple positions like others do for me. His local friend told me he able “to roll”. Then we went live! I learned alot about grip, hand battling, & evasion. Later in the session, I found out this humble guy was 2021 greco-roman wrestling 55kg world champion, Ken Matsui.

Along the the journey, we will meet interesting people. By opening up with giving of yourself, and being open to receiving, special moments happen that will enrich your soul and the path.

Arigato Ken! Good Luck on the road to LA 2028!

Prepare

Its a beautiful sunny day in April. We are usually beginning the commencement of the non-winter outdoor activities. But Old Man Winter has a few more tricks for us.

However, the snow will melt; the grass will green. And golf/softball/trail running/[insert spring activity] will start soon.  

So, go prepare. Get to the gym and lift weights to build your power for hitting more doubles this year. Throw those med balls against the wall to develop your club head speed. Practice your arm swing & high knee drills to hone your running form.

Build a plan to help improve your performance. 

Don't complain. Prepare. Spring is coming and your game will thank you.

-Ryan McDowell

Member Showcase: Catherine H.

Catherine is an awesome member of Maxmead Fitness.  She is such a positive person who lifts everyone up each day. Hear why she is at Maxmead Fitness.

Maxmead Fitness Member Catherine H. tells us what she likes about the gym.  CrossFit, St. Louis Park 

Your 2018 New Years Resolution Guide:

Everyone has them. The infamous New Year resolutions. Whether it’s eating better, losing weight, goals for in the gym, out of the gym, goals of travel, for school, sleep. Everyone has different things to work on but the common theme with the resolutions is not following through with them. We have put together a few simple steps that we use at Maxmead to help our members reach their goals.

1. Coming up with a plan- It is easy to say you are going to do something. “I am going on a diet.” “I am going to start a new workout routine.” “I am going to be more consistent with going to the gym.” Whatever it is you say you’re going to do, if there is not an action plan to follow it is very difficult to stick with. What do I mean by action plan? I mean sitting down and writing out ways that you are going to make these goals achievable. For example, you write down that your goal is to start the Whole 30 for the month of January. Next is taking a look at your schedule and lifestyle at the moment. What things will you need to change? What things might get in the way? From there you can come up with actions to help you be successful. One might be your work schedule is crazy and to be successful you need to spend Sunday evenings going to the grocery store and preparing food for the week. You can then take that action plan and plug the time you need for food prep into your schedule on your phone or daily planner.

2. Starting Small- If you have a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) we are behind you 100% and say GO FOR IT! What we suggest for these life changing goals is to start small. What we mean by this is instead of changing everything all at once, start making a few changes every week. From step one you will have an action plan. If your goal requires you to make a lot of changes, start with a few and add changes as you go along. Like the old saying, Rome wasn’t built in a day, it takes time, practice, and repetition for these new lifestyle changes to set in.

3. Community- Let people know what your goals are! Be excited about them and share them. Share your plan of action with your gym community, your family, your friends. Talking more about your action plans will help keep you accountable and someone you share with may have some great feedback or advice for you. When you include others and let them know your goals it can help you stay motivated, positive, and on track. It is also nice to have a community help you celebrate your small victories along the way.

When we have a new member join our clan at Maxmead they meet one-on-one with Coach Ryan, Coach Elizabeth, or Coach Brad for an  intro session. The goal for us is to have a better understanding of our new member. We try to get the whole picture of what their life looks like at the moment. We want to know how your sleep is, what stressors are apparent, how is nutrition and water intake, what are your lifestyle habits, what does your exercise routine look like, how often do you stretch? All of these things factor into your time spent at the gym and to best help you succeed we need to reach more of your life than the hour that you spend in class. From learning more about you we can then give you action steps. Small changes that you can make right away rather than big changes that are easy to give up on from being overwhelmed. From these small changes we help you along the way and will give you further steps to take down the road. This is why we call ourselves your ‘Coach for Life’. We want to see you succeed!

We are beyond grateful to have the opportunity to enrich the lives of others with better movement, nutrition, and a friendly, welcoming community that is a blessing to be a part of. If you are interested in joining our clan, or know someone who might be a good fit don’t hesitate to send us a message!

Goodbye to 2017 and all the wonderful lessons we have learned, friends we have made, experiences, and growth along the way and Hello to 2018 and a new adventure! We can’t wait to hear what your goals are and how we can help you succeed!