Monthly Archives: December 2012

Welcome, Fred!!

My name is Frederick Preston. I am a recent transplant to Jacksonville from Gainesville, FL. I began my fitness training journey back in 2007 as a certified personal trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. I have since continued my education to become a licensed massage therapist through the Florida School of Massage. I have sought through continuing education to radically diversify my approach and understanding in how I handle clients; I have learned things from the Ayruvedic Panchakarma to Charles Poliquin.

Fitness is a tremendous force in my personal and professional life. It’s unique among the different forms of wellness, in that it is truly accessible any where and by anyone. We are never without the kinesthetic experience or our bodies and it is something we often overlook in the rush of our lives. That is until something goes wrong. I believe in a proactive approach that doesn’t just prevent injury but learns to take advantage of the inherent joy present in the journey.

For me, fitness has been a tremendous anchor in my life and a barometer for how I am responding to other challenges in my life. It something that is always there from getting to know the city on foot, hiking mountains in the back country, tossing sandbags in a renovated horse stable, or doing crunches at a high end gym on the swiss ball. I see the pursuit of fitness as a conduit through which fears or courage can be realized. Like Jillian Lynn, the famed choreographer, I am someone that “Moves to Think.” I find comfort in the fact that I can strap on a pair of boxing gloves or pickup a set of dumbbells and put myself in a better place in ten minutes.

I love the benefits that a more intimate training studio provides because it allows the client to really address what is meaningful to them in terms of barriers to obtaining the growth they would like to see or getting and staying out of pain. An awful lot of people just beginning their fitness journey feel self conscious or don’t know where to begin. The nicest thing about a private studio is that it makes it easier to remember that we all start somewhere and that we are all part the community together. For all the cool exercises or modalities that we use as a practitioner, the real magic comes when we realize that biggest help is to just listen.

My message to my clients is always that no one is immune to the ups and downs of life and what is right for me is not necessarily right for you; and that success in reaching your goals isn’t just about having a good plan but about listening to what your body is saying, responding to challenges, and remembering to find renewed passion for what interests you.

TOUGH MUDDER!

I completed this 12 mile, 24 obstacle race on December 1st and am now over the trauma and able to talk about it. Just kidding (kind of)- it was an unbelievable experience and an amazing accomplishment. When a few friends from college asked me to join their team I thought it was going to be great! I had never run 12 miles but figured that the obstacles would be spread out enough that I wouldn’t have to run more than half a mile at a time. Boy was I mistaken.

Walking to the starting line I felt butterflies in my stomach and was suddenly more nervous than I had ever been. To get to the actual starting line I had to climb an 8-foot wall, to prove that you are in for a tough ride even from the very beginning. Before the race we were stuck in a corral like situation like cattle waiting to be let free listening to some of the stories of people who had completed this race against all odds. A man in a wheelchair that completed EVERY obstacle thanks to his team mates, a cancer survivor whose husband was supposed to run in her honor had died a few months earlier in a car crash, and all of the wounded warriors who had run with prosthetic limbs and in honor of those that had fallen. In my wave I met a 74-year-old man and someone who was on his third run of the course THAT DAY.

The gun went off and the floodgates opened- I was not prepared for we were in for. I’ll just name some of the obstacles for you. Arctic enema (a tub of ice water you must submerge yourself in), electroshock therapy (electric wires hanging for the last 20 feet of the race), funky monkey (monkey bars over ice water), Everest (greased half pipe you must run up), and the list can go on and on. Having a team there for you is truly what helps you get through it, but honestly it felt like everyone running was on my team. Without the constant motivation from those around me I do not think I would have finished.

I cannot fully explain the feeling of crossing the finish line after almost 3 hours of 12 miles and 24 obstacles. As soon as I was done I saw my mom and broke down crying, I was physically tired and emotionally drained; but getting that orange headband and free beer was totally worth it!

Now I am extending out a challenge to you all – May 18, 2013 the Tough Mudder will be held here in Jacksonville – Melissa, John, and myself are putting a team together. I want everyone to seriously consider joining us- all levels welcome, trust me when I say that this is something you do not want to miss out on!

Check out the event at toughmudder.com and let us know! If you have any questions about the actual event and obstacles that I have not covered I will be happy to talk with all of you!