I signed up to start training sessions with Vinnie Avila at 360 Active Recovery hoping to lose a few pounds I had gained over the summer.
I never anticipated losing over 100 pounds.
The path of my life-changing journey is paved by the co-owners and trainers, Vinnie Avila and Julius Hearn at 360 Active Recovery.
I met Vinnie Avila a little over two years ago. I set up personal training sessions with him after hearing glowing reviews from one of his clients. At the time of my first consultation with Vinnie, I was completely out of shape, all of my clothes were tight, and I was embarrassed and ashamed of myself. Showing up for that initial meeting was difficult, but "showing up" was the hardest thing about that meeting, because Vinnie and Julius welcome everyone into a judgment-free , supportive, health and fitness environment.
Vinnie put me at ease from our first encounter. I couldn't jog for a full minute on the treadmill when we started. Instead of focusing on all the things that I couldn't do, he praised me for what I could do, set obtainable goals, and worked with me to make improvements. I am now setting goals to run a half marathon. Vinnie and Julius will meet you at your personal fitness level, no matter if you have injuries or are out of shape, or are just looking for ways to stay in shape and maintain a healthy lifestyle. They will help to make goals easy for you to achieve, and then gladly celebrate you when you achieve them.
My initial success at losing the weight, and now being able to maintain the loss for more than a year is largely due to all the effort that Vinnie put into helping me. Vinnie and Julius are both a constant resource on fitness, health, nutrition and recovery. They are both readily available on text and email with any questions or concerns any of their clients may have. The level of dedication and client service they provide is rare. They truly care about their clients. An example of this is when I signed up for my first five mile run, and Vinnie showed up at mile three to give me a high-five along my run. Beyond being extremely talented and knowledgeable trainers, Vinnie and Julius are down to earth guys with big hearts. I have personally witnessed them running outside to help a client change a flat tire during a rain storm.
Vinnie Avila is incredible. Besides being an extremely intelligent and dedicated trainer, he is patient, and has a an extremely personable demeanor. Vinnie is the type of person that people just want to be around. I hated working out. I'm still not entirely sure I like it, but somehow Vinnie shows up to every boot camp and personal training session full of life and ready to make the session fun. He makes every class enjoyable with his big personality, wit and charm. You will laugh and share stories with him. Before you even realize what happened, you are super sweaty, an hour has flown by and he is telling you to go grab a foam roller, stretch out, and that you did a great job. If my training sessions weren't fun, there is no way I would have continued on to reach my goals. I am so grateful to Vinnie.
Through the opening of 360 Active Recovery, I have started to also work with Vinnie's colleague, Julius Hearn. He is an enthusiastic, energetic and motivating trainer. I have taken some of Julius' boot camp classes and he will push you to work harder, smarter and be better every day. He will kick your butt, but do so in a fun and encouraging environment with great music blasting. I also go to Julius for recovery. He is an outstanding massage therapist. I highly recommend setting up a massage appointment with Julius. As he is also a personal trainer, he understands where and why you are sore, and really works to alleviate any pain you are experiencing. Julius is simply awesome.
Additionally, I would recommend 360 Active Recovery if you are looking to meet new people. The boot camps and classes are great. Julius and Vinnie have set up such an open and uplifting environment for their clients. Because of this, all of the classes are filled with positive and upbeat people who motivate each other, and always have words of encouragement. I am so grateful for the friendships I have made through this gym. It is truly a team atmosphere where you are only a stranger until you push open that glass door.
360 Active Recovery has changed my life. The new confidence, pride, and overall sense of well-being I feel every day now is indescribable. It carries over into all aspects of my life. I will never regret the decision I made to finally start making an investment in myself. 360 Active Recovery is a welcoming and supportive atmosphere with intelligent and dedicated trainers. If you are ready to make an investment in yourself, there is no better place to do it. I look forward to seeing you there! read more