SportXcel is anew approach to sports performance enhancement and fitness training for athletes and individuals of all ages and abilities. Our research-based programs used by the pros, our team of top professional coaches and the SportXcel state-of-the-art facility combine to help our clients reach their goals in any sport of choice and to achieve optimum health and wellness whether on the playing field, at the office or at home. Whether you're a young athlete working to make the team or aiming for a scholarship, or you're an adult looking to recapture stamina and strength from years ago, our mission at SportXcel is to help you achieve your best. Afterall, at the end of the day, it's about results.
What sets SportXcel apart from the competition?
Our Programs- SportXcel implements the research-based Optimum Performance Training (OPT) methods of the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). These new methods have proven effectiveness and are already in use by professional sports teams. Our staff work closely with NASM and the University of North Carolina's Research Institute to provide the most up to date, research-based performance enhancement and injury prevention programming, and bring it to you, our clients. Our programs are offered for every performance level, from beginning to professional athletes, and at all developmental stages from our youngest "Rookie" athletes to our adult athletes.
Our Team- Every SportXcel performance coach has obtained the highest level of certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. But more than that, SportXcel's professional coaching team includes current and former performance coaches of professional sports teams and professional athletes, as well as top youth, high school, and collegiate athletes. Our coaching team has worked with top athletes from every major sport including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, track and field, and more. Equally important though, our professional coaching team has experience working with individuals of all ages and abilities.
Our Facility- At SportXcel, you and your family are trained on the same equipment used by top professional and collegiate sports teams. The layout and size of the facility are designed to provide the most functional programming and accessibility, all under direct observation, oversight, and engagement of our professional coaching staff.
What makes SportXcel Youth Performance Training the best anywhere?
Youth Performance Training is a fast growing industry, but the reason most training programs fail to achieve their objectives and your expectations is that they fail in at least one of the three "Critical Success Factors":
A. Focus on Results. Many programs are great at keeping young athletes engaged and active for an hour at a time, which is a feat in itself, but they don't get to the ultimate goal: results. At SportXcel, specific goals track to each of the programmatic elements to ensure that young athletes cut seconds off their time, gain speed and accuracy in their throwing, and gain height and distance in their jumps. In short, we help our athletes beat their peers. Results.
B. Professional Coaching Staff. How many times have you seen young athletes "under coached" or just plain bored?? At SportXcel, we use an intensive coaching ratio of at least 1 coach for every 5 athletes. What's more, every Youth Performance Coach is experienced in the engagement and motivational techniques that are critical to developing young athletes. Many programs make the mistake of simply copying the program offered in a collegiate or professional sports team program, without recognizing that younger athletes respond to different strategies. At SportXcel, we tailor our programs to be intensely competitive and fun.
C. Focus on Safety and Injury Prevention. Nothing is more damaging, demoralizing or disruptive to progress than an injury that sidelines a promising young athlete. This is where SportXcel is head and shoulders above the rest.
At SportXcel, the Optimum Performance Training (OPT) method developed by the National Academy of Sports Medicine works at the level of functional movement, rather than a singular sport movement. Here's the difference: most youth training programs train for a singular sport and singular sport movements. They follow the same pattern… improved performance, then injury or strain, then a period of rehabilitation or surgery (sidelined) until the performance training can begin again. Most people refer to that as "two steps forward, one step back". At SportXcel, we train at the level of functional movement to optimize joint stability and maintain the balance of opposing muscle groups that is so critical to developing athletes. The result is fewer injuries, more consistent patterns of sustained improvement, momentum and progress.
I heard it's better to train for a single sport, rather than for general athletic skills... is that true?
Great question. The answer is Yes, and No, and more No than you would guess. And this is what makes SportXcel training better than all the rest. Here's why: "Traditional" sports performance programs train developing athletes using single-plane strength exercises (think about how many times you've seen the bench press as the foundation of strength training programs). True, those exercises do build strength in specific muscles groups, BUT it is critical to also train all the associated ancillary muscles to improve in functional movements (the movements that actually comprise sports moves).
Our performance team often says,"Why would you put a Ferrari engine in a car with faulty brakes or tires?" Meaning…if you build muscle groups that provide strength and power, your body must have the stabilization, core strength, and postural control to take full advantage of these gains! Most sport-specific training programs overlook this very important fact! This is seen in throwing, swinging, kicking, running, blocking and jumping just to name a few sport-specific movements. At SportXcel, our integrated training program features Core training, Stabilization training, Functional strength training, SAQ (Speed, Agility, Quickness) training and Flexibility training, all for a more balanced development.
Injury prevention. But there's much more to functional movement pattern training than merely taking full advantage of strong muscles. Research has shown that continuous strength training certain muscles groups without strengthening the opposing muscle groups and ancillary muscles will lead to anatomical imbalances. When one muscle group is tight and/or another group is weak, this will create an altered joint alignment. If your imbalanced muscles are impairing optimum joint function, this will ultimately lead to injury! SportXcel trains athletes in functional movement patterns seen in every sport!
Elite-level athletes who develop and maintain proper muscle balance throughout functional movement training will be in a position to work on sport-specific or technical aspects of their sport. This is why SportXcel has put together a professional sports performance coaching team that has worked with top athletes from every major sport and will work on these aspects with the athlete when they are equipped to take advantage of their strong foundations.
I'm interested in the Adult Fitness Training. How is SportXcel different from any other fitness club?
Colorado enjoys so many fitness options with an impressive list of amenities. At SportXcel, we offer three principle advantages: Our Program. In most facilities, you have limited options – you can join a class of 24 other adults and hope that you catch on to the jazzy dance steps; you can wander around the floor of equipment hoping you see something you recognize and know how to use; or you can engage a personal trainer of variable certification and experience who will act as your companion, providing perhaps more talk therapy than a real physical workout.
At SportXcel, your program is researched and proven through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and is delivered in a sport-based, competitive, and fun, team atmosphere. Groups are organized by performance level, and not artificially segmented by gender and age. That way, if you're in your 5th decade, but perform as well as many in their 30's, you're training together. And why not?? This makes every session, fun, exciting and challenging. Afterall, how much fun is it when you can beat someone 20 years younger than you (and how motivating, to avoid being beaten by someone 20 years older)??
Our professional coaching team. SportXcel takes pride in offering only the most qualified and experienced professional coaching team, each coach having achieved the highest level of certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. At SportXcel, you never have to worry about whether you're placing your health and fitness goals in the hands of someone you can truly trust. It's guaranteed.
Our Facility. SportXcel provides an opportunity to train on top quality turf and five-lane straight-away track that will reduce the pounding that your joints take at other facilities with lower quality surfaces. Where else will you train in the same facility as world-class athletes, taking advantage of top professional performance coaches and have an exciting time doing it? Only at SportXcel!!
What types of strength exercises will I do?
SportXcel's research-based programs will introduce all types of strength exercises during their performance classes including core strength, neuromuscular stabilization, plyometrics, speed, agility, quickness, and power as well as many "traditional" strength exercises. Our programs are designed to improve overall functional strength development. Programs will have exercises that are multi-planar (front, side, rotational), multi-dimensional (up, down), proprioceptively enriched (balancing on stable and unstable surfaces) and will be progressive based on each client's skill level. This approach to functional strength gains has repeatedly shown results in clients of all age groups and abilities. You will leave SportXcel knowing that you have benefitted from the same programs that professional coaches have used to develop world-class athletes!
What is the difference between speed, agility, and quickness?
Athletic movement patterns can be broken down into three components...Speed, Agility, and Quickness. We define Speed as straight ahead speed, the ability to get from point A to point B in the fastest time possible. Agility is defined as the ability to decelerate, stabilize, accelerate and change direction without the loss of proper posture, speed, strength, balance or body control. Quickness can also be called reaction time. It is the ability to react to visual, auditory and kinesthetic feedback without hesitation and have the maximum rate of force production in all planes of motion during functional movements. Whether your goal is to develop into a world-class athlete or just improve in everyday activities, SportXcel will provide you with the most effective drills to improve in all three areas!
I thought that individual training is always the best option. Why is SportXcel's emphasis on group training rather than individual training?
Athletic Performance Training in a Group Setting has three key advantages:
1. Studies show that training in a group setting is associated with enhanced team unity and increased competitive drive. Especially among young athletes, the critical skills of listening, observing and reacting are more rapidly developed in a small group setting. At SportXcel, the high intensity coaching ratios of one coach for every 5 athletes provides the optimal balance of group training benefits with management of individual progress.
2. Group training creates youth leadership skills as well as the ability to listen to instructions while surrounded by a support system. At SportXcel, we work together to accomplish your goals through positive reinforcement and encouragement from coaches, peers and teammates. In addition, studies show that among adults, that same support structure holds group members accountable for making scheduled workouts, improves attendance and delivers better results than individual training.
3. The group setting adds fun and excitement to each workout. It is an unbelievable feeling to make individual gains while you have the rest of the group pulling you toward your goals!
Keep in mind that individual training is also available for adults who have a more targeted set of goals in mind. In addition, SportXcel offers an elite level individual comprehensive consultation for developing athletes to assess progress, momentum, and recalibrate programmatic goals. Speak to your coach about these options.
Can entire teams sign up for SportXcel performance training?
Yes! We encourage bringing in your whole team to train with one or more SportXcel performance coaches. Team training offers teams and their coaches the opportunity to train together and attack overall team strength and conditioning goals and needs. Team training sessions also give players and coaches the opportunity to work together, build team chemistry, and take ideas back to their respective team practices and games. A change of training scenery and an increased motivation level from training at SportXcel facility will give your team a fresh outlook on weekly practices. Our staff will work with teams to implement proper warm-up and cool-down stretches and exercise routines that they can take with them to the field or court.
Can I use the weight room and cardio equipment on my own without joining a class?
Absolutely! A monthly membership option IS available that will provide individuals with an opportunity to train within the SportXcel facility with access to all the weight equipment and cardio equipment used by top professional and collegiate teams. Members will be allowed to use the facility anytime during the open hours of operation. All we ask is that you respect the fact that performance classes will be running at the same time and some equipment may not be available at all times. If interested in joining any group session that you may see while working out, just speak to any of our performance coaches for options or advice!
What amenities are available in the SportXcel facility?
Along with state-of-the-art strength and cardio equipment, a five-lane straightaway track and 40-yardd turf field, SportXcel provides men's and women's locker room facilities with showers and lockers, towels and locks. Multiple bottled hydration options, including water and Gatorade, are available for purchase at the front desk.
