Welcome to the initial launch of what is planned to be the blog for the fitness enthusiast looking for straight answers on a variety of topics. I’ve included common questions, personal stories, radical theories, great references and down to Earth reiterations of motivational words that we all need.
A brief background on my path leading up to this point should be addressed. As a grade school kid I was always the youngest of my class and the smallest as well for age reasons. One summer while visiting relatives in Colorado, my cousin decided to challenge me. I was in 4th Grade he was in junior high or early high school. The challenge was to do a clean & press. I did a little more than my own body weight. The hype of it all spurred my parents to buy me my first weights set for my 10th birthday. My 1st gym membership was during my freshman year in high school (14 yr). Admittedly, I was a gym rat in high school.
Having no clue what I was going to do after high school, my parents sent me to NDSU for Mechanical Engineering. After one year, I knew what I didn’t want to do. I then certified as a 1st class personal trainer with the National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT). I also went back to NDSU with a new major declared: Pre-medicine.
During my 3rd year or 2nd year in Pre-Med I was invited to an open house for Red River Valley Sports Medicine (RRVSM), PT-OT & Orthopedic Associates. I guess I asked a lot of questions because the Director of Exercise Physiology (Jon Hinrichs) suggested I do my internship there. I worked my way from intern to Assistant Director at RRVSM. I did a lot of baseball sport cord training and hockey treadmill after school hours while administering rehabilitation protocols during the day. I also "moonlighted" additional work experience as a Physical Therapy Aide in a nursing home setting in the morning as well as becoming Off-Ice Director for Burggraf Skating Skills (think hockey) in the evening. 14 hour days are the perfect schedule for a single mid-20’s guy, minimal trouble- maximal experience.
After prepping to go back to school to obtain a Master's of Science in Exercise Physiology, I asked some intelligent friends who completed the program from various colleges, if this is a venture I should travel down. With much thought, I decided not to become an Exercise Physiologist.
By the end of 1999 I was self-employed & continued my own self education. I continued to work as Off-Ice Director for Burggraf Skating Skills and consulted for various NHL teams. All the while I continued to build a loyal group of clientele as well. I passed up strength coach opportunities with 2 pro teams during my stint with Burggraf- it just wasn’t the right opportunities. My first experience with Cormax was when I was designing the lay out and equipment selection for Burggraf.
Basically since the beginning of Cormax as a company, I have been involved. Dave Karlstrom (the inventor) and I had an agreement. He builds it, I figure out how to use it. I remember spending many moments with Dave just standing and staring at the Cormax machines thinking “What-If?” And so the saga unfolds into countless “tweaks” to machines that already did the impossible. This was to allow athletes to train explosively, yet safely.
A new era has begun in my quest as a trainer. As of October 2008, I call the Sports Center in Fargo home. I have loosely put together a team to help me achieve some ambitious goals I have set for myself. I believe in setting goals so high, you can’t achieve them by yourself.
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