This year in Fairfield Strength – Form and Function
Program starts on Tuesday September 14th. Registration is limited*. We have 2 classes per session: 3 PM -4 PM and 4 PM – 5PM. Each session meets on Tuesdays and Thursday after school in the Roger Ludlow Middle School Fitness Center. We meet a total of 14 times over a period of 7-10 weeks to allow for school vacations and holidays. One or two make up classes are included in each session. When school is closed due to weather or emergency we are closed. We are open during early dismissal due to conference days. WE ARE CLOSED if there is an early dismissal due to weather or emergency.
* Subject to program directors discursion.
Cost is $199 per session. First Session will begin on Sept. 14, the following sessions will begin on Nov.16, Jan 18, and Mar. 22. Registration is first come first serve and a waiting list will be maintained. This program is open to all that can benefit providing they can function in a group training environment. Individual training for special clients that require one on one is available through Ash Creek Fitness (www.ashcreekfitness.com) For additional information please contact Ash Creek directly. A waiting list will be maintained to fill openings as they become available.
Program Information -
We are entering our 4th year as an afterschool enrichment program at Roger Ludlow Middle School in Fairfield. What began as a pilot program to combat childhood obesity has evolved into a holistic functional movement training program that has helped to create small miracles in many of the lives that our program has touched. Our unique blend of functional movement training utilizes the Z Health "Neural Warm-up" levels 1 and 2, TRX suspension training, Russian Kettlebell "hard style" tensioning and breath, combined with technical speed, agility, vision and reaction training to produce an extremely unique and synergistic blend of training that adapts to every student. During our 4 years we have worked with clients with almost every level of ability and disability – from autistic children to performance athletes, overweight, underweight, cancer victims (survivors) , kids with ADD, diabetes, central processing disorders, low muscle tone, movement challenges, and of course our most challenging – the normal (whatever that is) middle school student.
Parent Reviews:
The Fairfield Strength Training Program has had an unbelievable change on Matthew's fitness. His endurance has increased tremendously, he used to have very low muscle tone and that has gotten so much better, his posture has greatly improved and he is now all muscle, no fat. I cannot say enough good things about this program. George and all the trainers have taken so much extra time and had extreme patience with Matthew and I am very grateful for all that they have done. Thanks!!
Margaret Podolsky
Our program has provided mentoring and intern hours for over 50 university students studying exercise physiology, physical therapy, adaptive physical education, and adaptive physical therapy. Here is what one of our most recent SHU interns described his experience at Fairfield Strength:
Student Intern Reviews:
Mr. Gomola,
I just wanted to thank you again for allowing Jeff and I the opportunity to intern with you and Wendy for these past few weeks. I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we definitely learned more with you guys in such a short period of time than we've learned at any one of our other interning locations this semester. The things you've taught us really captured my attention. I have already started researching more on my own in regards to the TRX and Z-Health programs. I feel like you have taught us a lot of valuable skills and information that we will be able to apply in many areas of our future line of work. I became really interested in all of these areas and think it was just a great experience all around. I would love the opportunity to intern/work for you in the future if that is at all possible. Thanks again for a great experience. Hope to keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Nick DeMarco
Adaptive Physical Education, Sacred Heart University – Spring 2010
Regardless of what the moms or our interns think – the real test lies in what our students think and more importantly feel about the training program at Fairfield Strength. One of the unique aspects of Fairfield Strength is our conditional acceptance policy. Basically - your acceptance in our program is conditional. Mom can sign you, but if you don't want to be here you can leave. Our time is valuable – so is yours. We believe in empowering our students – we help them set goals then help them realize these goals. We do not like to fail – so we work hard to insure that the goals we set are met. Our students do not like to fail either, and by agreeing to work towards goals that they set we give them control and also responsibility. We make it very clear that enrollment is limited and if they do not want to keep up their part of the bargain we have a waiting list – somebody else would be very happy to take their spot in our program. This idea – although strange at first – is very empowering on many levels – it creates value for our program in our client's eyes – they are one of the chosen few who get to share this journey. They have to work hard and do. If they are having a bad day we remind of their commitment, but also realize that everybody has bad days. Part of our program involves a biofeedback loop – listen to your body – find out what your body likes and doesn't. On a bad day we may just do fun stuff – speed ladder, reaction training, visual cueing, or ball drills. But if the bad day is due to lack of interest, lack of discipline, or just plain laziness – then we need to re-evaluate our contract and our goals – the door always swings both ways.
Our experience has shown that once a student attaches value to a program and begins to see personal growth – they want to stay and are willing to work hard to do so. At FS we use fitness and sport as an opportunity to teach life lessons – not only to our students but also to our interns and our trainers. There are many days that I learn more than I teach, especially from our special clients.
So what do our kids think about our program – because after all – that is what really matters.
My knees aren't as crooked as they were before and i feel a lot more stronger than before I started training .I loved the Z-health Warm up because it truly warmed up every single body part you could think of. Overall relaxes and strches my body well. This training was well put together. Mary M.
Over the past months i am now stonger in all muscles and have balanced out my center of gravity. I have also learned how to move better and quicker but still need some more work. I would love to continue with the program. Danielle Pasciuto
Hello Captain,
Recently you helped me train while i was in chemo. I wanted to say thank you for all you have done for us. And i wanted to let you know that i am through with cancer and am motivated to work out more frequentley thanks to you so i was content with the class as well. see you next year.
Your student, Logan Howard
They say you should undersell and then over deliver – I am not much of a salesman – but I do greatly respect the opportunity given by so many to play but a small part in the lives of their children and their family. We view our program much like a stone cast into still waters - we hope to create ripples that will touch shores that we may never see. Being an agent of change is a wonderfully humbling experience. We wish you much success on your journey – and if our paths cross we hope to provide some assistance on even a small level. As we tell our students – learn with a teachers mind – if you learn with the intention of sharing what you have learned you always learn better - (You got to give it away to keep it.)
Yours in health and safety,
George "Captain" Gomola
Fairfield Strength
