Fitness guru coming to town

There’s a fitness expert arriving from the US to do an eight-hour workshop at the SMX Mall of Asia starting 9 a.m. on May 27 and SportFit Inc. business development manager Goody Custodio promises an experience of a lifetime.

Only 100 participants will be accommodated in Jamie Nixon Howell’s first appearance in Manila. “We’re inviting personal trainers to sign up as this is a certified workshop and Jamie is authorized to certify as the international fitness presenter for Trigger Point performance which is behind the total body training program called SMRT-CORE,” says Custodio. “The workshop is open to physical therapists, sports medicine practitioners, strength and conditioning coaches, podiatrists, chiropractors, massage therapists, orthopaedic surgeons, sports team executives, head coaches and athletes. We’re lucky that a fitness expert of Jamie’s caliber is coming over to share her expertise.”

Howell was a presidential scholar whose GPA was 3.4 in earning a bachelor’s degree in sports management, fitness and wellness at the California University of Pennsylvania. She also had a 3.4 GPA in finishing her Master’s studies in exercise science and health promotions at the same school. With at least 14 fitness certifications, Howell is SMRT-CORE’s programming and development lead manager for Trigger Point performance therapy. She has been involved in fitness, training and conditioning for over 12 years and is also into zumba, yoga and Les Mills group exercise programs.

Howell was introduced to competitive sports as a child. A full-time working mother of three, she trains kids and adults of all fitness levels and is passionate about empowering people of all ages to live fun, fit and healthy lifestyles. Her specialties include group fitness and corrective exercise. In her resume, Howell said she believes in creating a motivational and inspiring experience for clients that keep them excited and focused on their short, medium and long-term goals.

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Custodio says Howell will reveal the latest trends in fitness technology and equipment during the workshop. “One of the things she will talk about is the SMRT-CORE system grid which a lot of NBA players use,” adds Custodio. “One of the All-Stars who came to Manila for a two-game series last July did exercises with the SMRT-CORE system grid and (Talk ‘N’ Text team manager) Aboy Castro noticed it. We’ve invited Aboy and other PBA team executives to attend the workshop because for sure, they’ll be interested to learn about the revolutionary trends in fitness today.”

SportFit is the country’s exclusive distributor of several conditioning tools, equipment and facilities, including the Trigger Point fitness systems. The seven-year-old company is headed by Kenneth Ti who used to own the local Clark-Hatch franchise. Its Life Fitness workout equipment is the choice of most gym operators in hotels, condominiums, resorts and residential communities. Last March, SportFit sponsored a two-hour workshop at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center with Chappy Callanta presiding. Callanta was previously sent to Korea by SportFit to attend a certificate workshop supervised by biomechanical specialist Cassidy Phillips, a well-known triathlon, cycling, football, baseball and hockey conditioning coach.  Callanta operates the 360 fitness gym on Ortigas and in Makati.

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While SportFit has a wide variety of fitness and conditioning tools, including a golf kit and the two-ball sleeve, Custodio says it’s the SMRT-CORE grid that’s taking the fitness industry by storm. “It’s an integrated system designed to enhance performance and decrease risk of injury,” says Custodio. “We call it a total body training program that challenges core stabilization. It improves biomechanical functions and strengths the entire body with a purpose.”

On-site registration fee for the eight-hour workshop is P9,500 but if you register from now until April 30, the fee is P7,500. The fee is P8,500 if you register from May 1-26. The fee includes manuals, meals and a Trigger Point grid. Registration venues are SportFit’s Life Fitness showrooms in Greenbelt 5 and Greenhills and Wellness Concept Stores at the Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Shangri-La Mall, Trinoma and Mall of Asia. For particulars, contact Custodio at Tel. 216-7619 or email at [email protected].

Howell is expected to arrive on May 24 and leaves on a night flight on the day of the workshop. She is an exponent of Trigger Point’s philosophy of “understanding our clients (to) stay tuned to their needs (which) allows us to teach ‘to’ our clients instead of ‘at’ our clients.”