The XPO Trainer from a Coach's Perspective – Coach Theo and FMU Fitness
Coach Theo and FMU Fitness have kids and adults pushing the XPO!
Today's coach's perspective features Coach Paul Theo. Coach Theo is the owner of FMU Fitness, a faith-based youth fitness and adult training company in Ohio. He and his wife Amber launched FMU Fitness almost ten years ago with a vision and a leap of faith. At FMU Fitness the goal is to have a positive and lasting impact on every person that walks through the doors...both the young and the young at heart. With a focus on faith, fitness, and FUN, the gym has a large emphasis on charity and community work and has a huge kid base - one of the largest in the nation.
An ex-division one college wrestler and now head fitness coach, motivational speaker, and author, Coach Theo works with hundreds of kids and adults each week through his group training programs and community events. His reach extends far beyond his gym walls as he runs multiple school obstacle races and local charity events throughout the year. Coach Theo was featured as a Men's Health Top Trainer and has also been on the NBC Spartan Team Challenge Show. He holds the highest fitness training certifications from the International Youth Conditioning Association, including the Youth Fitness Specialist Level 1, 2, & 3, Speed & Agility Specialist, High School Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Youth Athletic Assessment Specialist.
Why did you purchase XPO Trainer(s) for your gym?
I first purchased the XPO for our traveling obstacle course business. We take a kids' course to schools for all-day field days. We needed a sled that could move across the grass without getting caught. The XPO is perfect because it also provides resistance. It's doable and challenging, but not impossible for kids to move. We also love it because we can take it out back to the parking lot for adults.
What benefits do you see when you or clients add sled training to a workout routine?
Because the XPO is only resisted when moving forward, it's a great training tool for explosive and acceleration work. It provides just enough recovery as you backpedal back to the starting position, moves easily across turf, and then members can lock and load and explode forward again. It's nice that people do NOT have to turn the sled when moving across short distances in the gym.
What makes the XPO Trainer different from other sleds you've used?
We have never used a sled that provided resistance. The harder you push the XPO, the more it resists you. There's no other concept on the market like it.
What is one of your most memorable WODs using the XPO Trainer?
We enjoy taking the XPO out to the parking lot for long-distance sled pushes. We have members push the sled for 2 minutes. It's one of the truest ways to perform high-intensity, continuous training, replicating a similar effect to hill sprints. The heart rate goes to max, and then you can feel the body converting from anaerobic to aerobic to sustain the effort. It's pretty powerful.
We loved hearing from Coach Theo and seeing the XPO in action with both kids and adults...in the gym and out in the community! Check out FMU Fitness' on social media-it's a fun and inspirational one to follow!