Case Studies

ZoneReady is honored by the athletes, teams, and organizations we have been able to work with.  They are the true reason for our success and will continue to be. Here you can gain a snap shot about these special athletes, teams, and organizations, what we did, and the results.  We will always maintain an eclectic approach with our clients with an unending quest towards Victory!

• The Melbourne Storm (Australian National Rugby League)

The Melbourne Storm (Australian National Rugby League) was facing an issue involving unacceptable game speed conditioning specifically for their forwards (these are the taller and heavier athletes on the team). Athletes were performing to expected standards during cyclic intermediate length training intervals, but performing below standards in acyclic short bursts with variable rest periods. They were becoming especially fatigued and respiration was pronounced during contact scrimmage drills. So much so that their performance was compromised by evidence of missed tackles and assignments. Upon evaluation of these facts and observing heart rate data from resistance and linear speed training sessions, it became apparent that the forwards were training fast twitch muscle fibers with less than optimal intensity and that the short term (ATP-PC) energy system was not given significant volume or focus. The solution was to increase the intensity and adjust set and rep packages to abide with volume guidelines set for the various progressive stages of training. A progressive recovery strategy was implemented that would promote higher intensities and a gradual conditioning progression throughout the training cycle. Furthermore; linear, multi-planar, and energy system training needed to overlap for the forwards. Acyclic movement patterns were used within a position specific distance with maximal efforts and intensity. Output durations mimicked playing expenditures 4-10 seconds. Rest intervals started in upwards of 9:1 rest to work ratios and progressively decreased throughout the off-season to 1:1 as heart rate data of the collective group permitted. This was definitely a boost to the forwards’ confidence and competitive vigor. Their subjective perception of work decreased, because of increased neuromuscular efficiency. This rest to work ratio allowed their heart rates to operate within scientifically validated bandwidths which optimized the conditioning affect. The forwards played to their potential and progressed through the season relatively injury free. And most importantly… as a team, the Storm went on to secure the Premiership’s trophy and were runners’ up in the Grand final.

• Kyle Harrison (Professional Lacrosse Player)

- 7 year professional lacrosse player
- 2006 member of the U.S. National Team
- Won the 2005 National Championship at Johns Hopkins
- 3-time All-American
- 2-time McLaughlin Award (nation’s top midfielder)
- Tewaaraton Trophy (National Player of the Year) winner in 2005

Kyle Harrison is a professional lacrosse player. He improved his (5-10-5) pro shuttle from 4.28 to 3.81 seconds in 8months amidst heavy travel and distractions from his clinic and promotional schedule. Even amidst intermittent training periods and compromised training progression, Kyle Harrison was able to improve. Optimizing training on-site and providing simplified programming and tips when traveling were the keys to his success. Kyle Harrison received: technical coaching on specific movement skills. imarily, the placement of his lead foot upon changing direction, weight transfer from one foot to the other which stabilized his center of mass, and intra-abdominal contraction training of the traverse abdominus and external oblique at the most biomechanically favorable times. All this in combination with the appropriate acute variables, improved his 5-10-5yd pro shuttle drill and reasserted his claim as one of the best players in the world. Sometimes these improvements are made with the subtlest of cues or applications. It also has a lot to do with training smart and training hard at the same time. The program is about training optimally 365 days a year. This type of diligence on the coaches’ part instills accountability within the athletes.

• Fairfax County Police Academy

ZoneReady worked with PFC Matthew Domyancic, the head of the Training Academy for all law enforcement personnel on the following contributions to the human performance optimization program:

• Providing seminars educating personnel in the following departments: SWAT, Bike Patrol, K-9, NARC, Jump team, patrol, and administrators.
• Programming for all of the aforementioned to include: dynamic warmup program, integrated circuit training program, strength/power development, aerobic training interval program, nutrition content, and neural pathway activation guidelines prior to starting a shift.
• Execution of specialized training sessions for the SWAT and K-9 units.
• Specialized password protected internet training programming for the Jump Street Crimes Unit. Operators would access their training program with full access to an extensive video library through the ZoneReady website. Questions re: training could be sent to the web server, delivered to the ZoneReady staff, and a direct line of communication could be established to resolve any issues. Officers at the Fairfax Academy were energized by concept to “train like an athlete.” It reinforced the “Train to Win” concept that PFC Domyancic was encouraging in their daily regiment and their officer survivorship school. Fairfax operators were trained to not just be satisfied with merely surviving their shift, but to excel while on duty. Just like an athlete, pushing the envelope and striving for excellence; Fairfax officers were committed to being that force on a scene that commanded respect, completed the mission, and returned home safely. Attitudes were shifting and injuries in training were declining. The training space was not a bodybuilding gym or a lounge to socialize. It was a living breathing space where participants were striving for improvement.


S-3 operators will experience the same attention to detail and intelligent programming to take the advantages of sports performance optimization and take it to an operational capacity in the real world. ZoneReady coaches have experience working with government agents and have military backgrounds; they speak the language, abide by the customs, honor the mission, and mold their specialized knowledge to fit their client’s needs.

 

• Nancy Mason (Professional Volleyball Player)

- 15 years as a professional volleyball player
- WPVA, FIVB, AVP, USAV, BVA

“When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” (FDR 32nd US President)

Take one look at Nancy Mason and you know she is committed to her profession. Going into her 15th season as a professional beach volleyball player, the 5’9” Indiana University grad is a physical specimen. More importantly, if you stick around and watch her play—there is no doubt that she is an explosive and well conditioned athlete.

In preparing for her 2007 campaign, Nancy Mason experienced the unthinkable—back surgery. For an athlete, injuries are highly probable – still, they are never welcomed. Nancy had a choice: a.) Let time heal her body from surgery and return whenever or; b.) Take charge, expedite the process, and come back better than ever. Winners don’t wait on anything; they go out and take it!

All the pieces were put in place: Nancy’ unyielding determination, a progressive physical therapist, and specialized Zone Ready training program. All efforts pointed in the direction of recovering from the procedure for this season and for the long term. All involved wanted Nancy to get playing as soon as possible, but not at the expense of a relapse or long term disability. Communication is paramount in sports, and this challenge was no exception. Using objective and subjective information; the right exercises could be prescribed at the right time, in the right amount, and at the right intensity.

Nancy responded like a champion to her training! Her overwhelming passion to keep fighting and turn a negative into a positive is what makes her a pro. What happens on “Gameday” is only a fraction of what a pro does. There are the countless hours of preparation, of sacrifice, of enduring through the pain of injury and effort. Nancy’s adversity is fairly common among professional athletes, what is uncommon is her grit and character to pull through it. That mental toughness is what got her back; Zone Ready was just honored to go for the ride.

“Thanks for everything Chris! The versatility and variety of your program knows no bounds. Whether it was pre-season, injury recovery, or season maintenance; Zone Ready always has been there to help me achieve my goals.” - Nancy Mason

• USA Junior National Football Team

A great assignment one summer was working with our former high school football coach Chuck Kyle and the USA Junior National Football Team. This was a team of elite football players poised to compete with other all-star teams from around the world. Team USAs dilemma was how to accelerate recovery between practices and games, create a culture of high effort and performance in a short period of time, and do this amidst an extremely busy schedule (2 X 2-3hr practices a day, tournament schedule that scheduled 3 games in 7 days, media and PR obligations, dormitory restrictions, equipment and budgeting restrictions, etc.). ZoneReady constructed a program to accelerate recovery capabilities using hydro-therapy, self-myofascial release, and stretching. Furthermore, they provided an in-season resistance training program that accounted for high and low energy levels that the medical and coaching staff used to give players a more specific type of workout. Nutrition and hydration guidelines were posted throughout the training and living areas to promote compliance and to assist the medical staff. Being able to communicate clearly and directly is a valuable asset in the field of human performance optimization. ZoneReady coaches do not garble unnecessary information or scientific rhetoric when coaching their clients. Motor learning and performance cues must be simplified. Simplified to such a degree that an adolescent could understand it; this is not a derogatory statement, but a fact of the learning process. When talking about creating habits and tapping into the subconscious mind all training must be felt in order for it to manifest in real life scenarios. Team USA felt the benefits: Zero injuries and a gold medal around everyones neck at the end of 3 weeks. Furthermore, ZoneReady has the technological capability to deliver content to anyone, anytime, and anywhere. ZoneReady coaches are experienced training athletes and are former athletes they speak the language of a purpose driven life.

• Frank "Twinkle Toes" Trigg (Professional MMA Fighter

- MMA Fighter in the following organizations: Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, Rumble on the Rock, Icon Sport and World Fighting Alliance.?-Color commentator for PRIDE Fighting Championships and a co-host of the new TAGG radio show.

“Train the way you are going to fight.” (Quote hanging in the Field House of the United States Air Force Academy)

Any athlete will tell you that there is a difference between practice and “Game Day.” The cameras are pointed at you, the crowd is screaming, and your opponent stands in front of you pursuing the same thing you are—Victory! At the highest level, raw talent is fairly even across the board. So given that a competitor maintains his honor and abides by the rules of his sport, what can he do to give himself a competitive advantage over the rest of the field?

Frank Trigg asked this question to take his Mixed Martial Arts craft to the next level. He must work on a multitude of combative skills to include but not limited to: grappling, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, judo, boxing, and Muay Thai kickboxing. But he must do something more to ensure these trained skills sets are utilized in competition. Enter Zone Ready to bolster Trigg’s push to that next level.

Zone Ready’s plan was simple—allow Trigg to feel the intensity of competition in a controlled training environment to as close a level as possible. Furthermore, this mental and physical demand would incur within a systematic training model without any risk for major injury. High expectations for sure, but all involved were up to the opportunity for excellence! Working closely with Trigg’s combative instructors and sport performance psychologist; Zone Ready was part of the team that created an integrated training program that raised his metabolic conditioning, increased his resistance to repetitive stress injuries, and encouraged confidence under duress essential to success in MMA.

The training was grueling, and at the same time safe and effective. When integration happens and concepts are communicated, athletes are able to feel the results. The body and mind work together and when the moment to excel arrives, the athlete pushes “GO!” and reaps what he sows.

“When Giz (Coach Chris Gizzi) puts me through a Zone Ready Conditioning session, it feels like I’m in the cage. No punches or kicks are thrown, but I must be at my peak to physically and mentally respond with maximum effort. The exercises keep coming and I must push past the pain and use all my resources to finish strong. I have full confidence that I will be in shape and healthy for my fight—it is the best of both worlds.”-Frank Trigg

• Nike SPARQ Training Football Academy

For the Nike SPARQ Training Football Academy, ZoneReady was the lead coach, general manager, and organizer of a 32 team collective operation to optimize football performance training in the Los Angeles area. Duties included:

• Acting as a point of contact for 14 additional human performance optimization coaches. We used email and our website to communicate with the other trainers/coaches and the teams we were directly training on a daily basis.
• Conduit between Nike, ESPN, and all coaches/trainers involved in the project.
• Quality control of performance coach-player-football coach interactions.
• Lead consultant on a team of training program designers to achieve the goals of the project within the time line and fiduciary constraints.
• Performance training programming oversight to ensure efficacy and facility feasibility.
• Testing protocol and scheduling for all teams and individual athletes.
• Integration of desirable equipment use for Nike without infracting upon efficacious programming.
• Budgeting for a standardized equipment package to be delivered to establish uniformity to a reasonable degree.
• Weekly updates of the training program based on the previous weeks results and subjective feedback.
• Payment processing for all coaches involved.
• Media and public relations consultation to communicating project objectives, scheduling, and integration to all coaches, players, administrators, and local equipment and apparel distributors involved in the project.
• On-site complete overhaul of three teams complete off-, pre-, and in-season HPO programming and training culture.
• Trouble shooter for any other issues not previously assigned. An open Q&A policy to address time critical issues through email, text message, of direct phone conversation.




Results were an overwhelming success for the entire project:



• The three teams that ZoneReady directly coached ranked 1, 3, and 6 out of the field of 32 in regards to percentage of performance increase as defined by the SPARQ rating. The SPARQ rating is a scoring designed to measure sport specific athleticism.
• All in all, 1193 athletes were tested and all showed a SPARQ rating improvement averaging around 8% when comparing tests just three months apart.

 

• Ed Donatell (Professional Football Coach "NFL")

- Defensive Back Coach for the San Francisco 49ers
- 30+ Years of Football Coaching Experience

“The fox knows many tricks; the hedgehog one good one.” –Archilochus (700BC Greek poet)

You don’t get a reputation as a defensive guru in football by just keeping up with the Joneses. Ed Donatell continues to push his envelope as a coach in all facets of the game. But most importantly, in that singular facet that he knows leads to victory.

Experience and wisdom has taught Coach Donatell many valuable lessons, probably one of the most valuable is the hedgehog concept. Highlighted in the book “Good to Great” by Jim Collins; the hedgehog concept demands that an organization do one thing so exceptional well, that it can rightfully say that they do that one thing better than any one else in the world. This is the trump card, the atom bomb, the soup bone—it is that which you depend upon the most because it is natural and conditioned to be the response to the highest pressure situations. The hedgehog is a bold message to competitors and an instant motivator for accountability for every member of a team.

Coach Donatell’s hedgehog concept involves increasing turnovers and big plays in his teams favor every game—at least one more in each category to swing the tide of victory. In order to achieve this turnover/big play advantage; he puts incredible energy into player selection, skill enhancement, and durability. All areas, that Zone Ready is able to provide specialized knowledge in empower the coaches and players to do their jobs better.

Zone Ready has assisted by providing static body and functionally movement assessments of potential team members to ensure top physical performance output and limited injury risks. To get physical skills sharper, Zone Ready orchestrates a protocol of exercises that the coaches use to steadily improve their players’ technical skills and abilities. By creating efficiency and economic movement; players fit into a scheme better, they stay healthy, and they are able to play to their potential.

Communication is key! Zone Ready communicates the what and how to the position coaches so that they can deliver the info to the players that need it. Let’s check the boxes: Communication is valued; every one involved is able to fulfill his own individual hedgehog concept; turnovers and big plays come in abundance; and the wins start piling up. Check, check ,check, and check.

“A successful organization always does at least one thing better than any of its competitors. Coach Gizzi and Zone Ready take this vast world of performance training and simplify it. They make it usable for coaches. That is their thing—a simplified delivery system that gets results.” – Ed Donatell

• Carrie Dodd (Professional Volleyball Player)

- 10 years as a Professional Volleyball Player
- WPVA, FIVB, AVP, USAV, BVA
- Volleyball Coach at El Segundo High School

Add to the Dodd Case Study Carrie Dodd is a female professional volleyball player. At the age of 31, she improved her counter movement vertical jump from 24 to 29 in 5 months of training with ZoneReady. Her loaded jump improved from 18 to 28.5. This was accomplished by increasing neuromuscular efficiency by reducing functional valgus knee loading and increasing activation of gluteus maximus when jumping. This facilitated maximal strength and power development specifically involving triple extension of the hip, knee and ankle. The result was a 20% increase in blocking shots at the net and 13% increase in digs in the back court compared to last year. Along with only one other player in the world, Carrie Dodd has been ranked in the top 14 of elite sand volleyball players each season since working with ZoneReady.

Carrie Dodd is as consistent as they come. Over the last five seasons, she has ranked in the top 10 in nearly every major statistics category that the AVP tracks. Her success as a pro depends or this consistently. The only thing Carrie would like to occasionally break the mold with is her finishes. 7th, 5th, 3rd are acceptable considering her seed and partner ability, but Carrie wants more 1sts!

Carries ability to be consistent allows her to execute many demanding skill sets at a very high level. Digging, setting, blocking, and scoring are all in a days work. In any sport, balance and consistency are always in high demand. The issue Zone Ready is going to tackle involves how Carrie can take one facet of her game; improve it significantly, while keeping all other areas progressing at a respectable level. In a perfect world, we would like all attributes to improve significantly; however, we must be realistic and pick one that can be achieved within the confines of the variables we can affect. Upon evaluation and communication, our goal was to increase vertical jump from a pre-loaded position. This is a jump when the athletes knees are bent and arms are all ready cocked to assist the elevation process. To increase a pre-loaded vertical jump is a tall order for an athlete of Carries experience. But thats why we are in this business - to make the tough things possible.

Carrie had a rich collegiate strength training experience. As a University of Texas grad, she lifted quite often and quite vigorously in her developmental years. To get stronger, she really didnt need more weightlifting; she needed stability and core training to take her to another level. Olympic lifts, squats, lunges, and other traditional lifts would be used sparingly in her training program. Instead, we planned to spend more time training the stabilizing muscles throughout her entire body. Only, once Carrie achieved global and local stability would we begin to integrate the more traditional exercise. Indeed, it was a systematic plan. Our motto echoed the adage of legendary human performance coach Dr. Fred Hatfield: You cant shoot a cannon from a canoe with that in mind, ZR was looking to create a battleship.

Every session demanded stability and balance in all three planes of motion. Add in stability on one leg, and Carrie was working muscles she had never used in her whole life. She could feel the difference! Her volleyball coach and teammate could see it! And her opponents hated it! Carries pre-loaded vertical jump increased 6 inches in 3 months! As an AVP veteran, where fractions of an inch distinguish success from failure; this improvement is a competitive advantage.

Carrie is still chopping hard for her next championship. With her increased jumping ability and longevitygravity and time are now in her favor.

“I was tired of just going into the gym to lift weights. More importantly, I dont think it was really helping my game. Zone Ready provided a training program that was fun and volleyball specific. Everything I do in my workout has a purpose, it all points in the direction of boosting my play in the sand. It is the only way I train now!” ?- Carrie Dodd

• Neall French (Professional Baseball Player)

- Professional Baseball player in the New York Yankees Organization

Neall French is a professional baseball player who suffered from thoracic outlet syndrome which produced weakness and a numbing sensation when throwing and sometimes when taking batting practice on occasion. Neall was very experienced in regards to human performance optimization training and had built the musculature in his neck, anterior shoulders and chest significantly. Our recommendation curbed the volume of resistance training (specifically exercises that promoted hypertrophy in the trapezius and pec minor/major). This along with corrective exercise focusing on activating the right (throwing arm) supraspinatus and lateral deltoid led to a decrease in myofascial restrictions within the scalene muscles and improved force and form closure around the glenohumeral joint. Results included an increase in 15 degrees range of motion whilst in shoulder extension compared to pre-test. Ability to take batting practice for training prescribed period of time and completely asymptomatic. Fielding percentage was a stellar .995 and games played nearly doubled. Instead of toughing it out and doing the same old exercises (that more than likely are causing increased imbalances and joint degradation), ZoneReady athletes find a way to do it smarter. That way they can keep toughness as an "Ace" up their sleeve when they really need to push it.

• Matt Willis (College Football Player)

- Division IA Football Player (Middle Linebacker) at The United States Air Force Academy

Matt Willis is a high school football player entering the Division I-A college ranks. Before training with ZoneReady, Matt ran a 4.72 second forty yard dash and after 6months of training he was running a 4.56. Key training points were: 1.) Proper starting technique to focus on priming both legs to break inertia minus the penultimate movement; 2.) A more productive psychological outlook through advantageous respiratory habits to negate performance anxiety and over-exertion; and 3.) Correct training volume to allow for optimal involuntary muscle contractions of the posterior chain. He went from being a player on the recruiting bubble to starting at the USAFA preparatory school to becoming an athlete on a Division I-A college roster. It is essential to learn that speed training is tempo specific and that more work doesn’t yield better results if the training is of a sub maximal level. Learning to breathe correctly, becoming comfortable lowering one’s center of mass, pushing off both legs to break from a static position are all taught in a fashion that improves test scores as well as accelerates the transition to the competitive arena. Application of tactical breathing techniques, kinesthetic awareness to react by lowering one’s center of mass to impromptu stimuli, and enabling a naturally occurring dynamic correspondence during sprinting mechanics are all benefits that are learned by doing and feeling not by thinking and studying

• Allie Schwarzwalder (College Volleyball Player)

- Division IA Volleyball Player (Outside Hitter) at The Ohio State University

“Set the tempo of the drill” – Coach Gizzi

All Athletes feel a wide range of intense emotions during competition. It’s what makes sports fun— like being on a roller coaster. Sometimes, an athlete is too excited and that can actually hurt his/her performance. In this case, the athlete must relax, control his/her heart rate in order to achieve excellence. Conversely, sometimes an athlete can be so calm that he/she has trouble bringing the hammer down when it is needed. Remember the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: the porridge can’t be too hot or too cold, it must be just right. Athlete’s must know what “just right” is for them, and believe us—this can be trained during a workout.

Allie Schwarzwalder has great control over her emotions when the lights are on, the pressure builds, and the game is on the line. She can calm herself to deliver an accurate serve or give an intense burst when she needs to go for the kill. As a Division IA volleyball player it is extremely important that a player can respond to the given situation to have the right touch, literally. Allie had Zone Ready help her transform from a high school player to an elite college athlete on scholarship. Performing under pressure has always been here strong suit—in order to be successful in college, she knows she must take this facet of her game to the highest level.

Zone Ready created various drills to force Allie to recognize a stimulus, process it, and act accordingly with the new developed movement patterns and power that she now possessed. Finally, through Zone Ready’s Conditioning ©, Allie was put in situations where she had to transition from performing ballistic movements to fine motor control movements and vice versa. During these transitions, she was required to focus on one object or see/react in a 360 degree environment. ZR created a training roller coater that simulated the demands of a volleyball match in the closest way possible. The biggest difference was the strict guideline to create drills and exercise that reduce the risk of injury. We want Allie to have her cake and eat it too!

Now, Allie has improved the ability to shift gears between being calm to perform a fine motor skill like a precision serve, then shift gears into aggressively jumping to deliver a spike. Knowing what gear to play at separate good from great. Allie feels confident that she is well on her way.

“While training with Doug (Coach Doug Gizzi), I was able to see how high performance training can transfer to my play in college volleyball. We hear all the time in practice—tempo-tempo-tempo, we set the tempo of the game— and through Zone Ready’s training I know how to control my emotions better to play my best.” -Allie Schwarzwalder

• Todd Bynum (College Football Coach)

- Head Coach and Athletic Director
- Air Force Academy Preparatory School
- US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel20 years

“Do more with less.”

The AFA Prep School is a unique institution. Its one year curriculums primary purpose is to ready young men and women for a four year stint at the Air Force Academy. After this 5 year journey, an exceptional 2nd Lieutenant is ready to join the active duty Air Force. The curriculum includes a wide variety of science, math, history, and literature courses in such abundance that a Harvard freshman would feel fortunate. Furthermore, all enrolled must learn the ins and outs of being a member of the US militaryshined shoes and marching formations included. And if this is still not enough, students participate in a wide variety of athletics against some stellar junior college competition.

Head Coach Todd Bynum had the daunting task of getting the most out of his players in the short two hour time block that the team was allocated for practice everyday. Coach Bynum and his staff were exploring all ideas on how to increase the efficiency and productivity of their athletes, as well as limit their exposure to injury. While the Prep School staff is doing all this for football, they are also completely committed to creating warriors and leaders for the US Air Force. Zone Ready was honored to offer assistance to such noble men.

ZR came in and performed a thorough assessment and evaluation of the football teams daily regimen. This included, and is not limited to: staff meeting protocol, position/coordinator meetings with players, in season strength and conditioning, injury prevention measures, skill and techniques acquisition, and practice schedulemacro and micro. ZR quickly provided recommendations and a proposal upon these recommendations so positive change could be instituted on the fly. Living and breathing football and character development, Coach Bynum and his staff were open to all recommendations. Now a feedback loop was established so the best could be done for this team.

A few weeks later, ZR came back out to Colorado Springs and installed the information that would give the Prep School a competitive advantage. A top to bottom In-Season strength and conditioning program was put in place to replace the archaic version the team was using which resulted in poor results and frequent injuries. Coach Bynum was delighted with the new In-Season program because it kept his players in excellent shape; reduced their In-Season injuries significantly; and the players were excited about engaging in the challenging, state of the art, and fun workouts.

The additions did not stop there. The prep school staff was amazed at the ideas ZR delivered on how to create more efficiency and productivity in practice while maintaining the health of the players. In fact, practice related injuries were down as well; and on a team of 55 players, that metric is precious. Coach Bynum really valued the wealth of knowledge that ZR provided through its formal education and vast practical experience from working with athletes and teams from around the world.

The augmentations to the Huskies training and practice curriculum were several on top of the two that were specifically mentioned. Todd Bynum and his staff are sold and have held ZR on retainer ever since. ZR provides the Prep School with updates and feedback so the corporate knowledge of their team stands the test of time, turnover, and adversity. And as he hangs his whistle up at night, Coach Bynum knows he gave everything to help his players succeedas athletes, as officer candidates, and as men.

“The workouts, training programs, and consultation Zone Ready delivered to us has been instrumental in producing a better conditioned athlete and officer candidates for the Air Force Academy. We are limited on time, money, equipment, and spacewe have a surplus of effort, determination, commitment, and persistence. Zone Ready realized all this and helped us construct a fluid model to do our jobs better. Now at the P-School (USAFA Preparatory School), performance optimization training is an all the time thing!? - Coach and Lt Col.” Todd Bynum??

• Luke Chronister (College Football Player)

- Division III football player at Baldwin Wallace College
- Double major in Early Childhood Education and Exercise Science
- Graduated summa cum laude from Baldwin Wallace College with a cumulate GPA of 3.55

We will find a way, or make one. (Hannibal Carthaginian Military Commander, 247BC-183BC)

Every day we face adversity, hectic schedules, and only 24 hours in the day to accomplish all of our goals. Within our days, we make choices how we perceive what is being dished out in front of us. Many people choose to become discouraged and they give reasons why they cant get something done. Others overcome these situations and find their way through seemingly impossible odds. These individuals make a pre-determined decision to stay positive and pursue their goals with unrelenting passion. This is a story of an athlete who did and continues to do just that.

Luke Chronisters college academic and athletic career has been anything but easy. Lukes second season of playing football at BWC began with a season ending injury before he even got a chance to play a college game. Also, as a Division III player, he is not on scholarship so he has to hold down a job, a full class load (Childhood Education & Exercise Science major), and complete an internship. Now add in two major injuries (ankle and foot) and any athlete might start mumbling, maybe this isnt for me. But not Luke! Instead, Luke was determined to find a way to survive and to excel!

Luke sought Zone Ready after his injuries. Luke expressed his desire to play the remainder of his football career healthy and to be a top notch Division III player. First order was to give Luke a thorough performance assessment. Lukes posture, balance, movement, and explosiveness were evaluated in a safe setting so that a starting point could be established. Zone Ready identified a movement impairment in Lukes hips that was a contributing factor in his previous major injuries. This knowledge would be instrumental in designing the best training program for Luke. In other words, ZR was going after the source of Lukes performance woesno bandaids need apply. Knowing where to start is crucial, it gets the best results in the quickest time with minimal chances for injuries. Furthermore, acknowledgement of Lukes full class and work schedule was also considered when designing his program. At the highest level, performance training must be specialized and tailored so that athlete is getting exactly what he/she needs to be successful and injury free.

Now, Luke was finally training and not just exercising. The Zone Ready program was empowering Luke to stay healthy and improve his performance simultaneously. Lukes schedule looked something like this:
6am: Rise and Shine 7am Noon: Class & Study 12:30pm 3pm: Internship 3:30pm 4:30pm: ZR X3 per week 4:30pm 6pm: Team workout 7pm 11pm: Campus job 11-12am: Study 12am Lights out

Luke stayed true to this schedule for 3 years! He found a way no matter what! The end result: Luke finished his college football career as a three year starter, All Northwest District team, First Team All-Conference Linebacker, First Team Academic All-Conference, the conferences leading tackler as a senior, and (most importantly) never missing a game in those three years. As a student, he graduated with honors and is continually creating multiple professional career opportunities. Lessons learned on the field do transition into life. If I were a betting man, I would bet that Luke Chronister is going to be successful in anything he gets himself into.

“Zone Ready gave me the answers and guidance to accomplish my goals. If you want it bad enough, this is the type of training you need to do. For me there is no substitute for the physical and mental training Zone Ready provides if you want to be the best.”?- Luke Chronister