Today, I met retired Major League Baseball player, Courtney Duncan. He owns an amazing gym here in Huntsville where he doesn’t just promote physical fitness. He also promotes mental wellness, and after the first five minutes with him, I was sold.

As he spoke with the golfers who gathered in his facility, he spoke about being stress-free, and it really hit home for me.

I have always had high volume jobs and always put my best foot forward, but that pressure can leave you drained and stressed. Yesterday, I had lunch with a friend whose doctor told her that her heart was broken (literally broken) because of stress. Two days in a row, I have heard about stress and the importance of being stress-free. Maybe God is trying to tell me something (and I need to listen).

Angela Holman, who is also a vital part of Stay Fit for Life, spoke to the group about the importance of taking care of yourself both physically and mentally. I really enjoyed their words of wisdom before our workout and their dedication to both the mind and body.

A much needed service offered by Stay Fit for Life is a corporate wellness package. There are several different packages to choose from, and they include nutritional coaching, stress management, employee retention, and lowering costs. Insurance for employees can get expensive, so preventing many illnesses that come from stress, poor nutrition, and a sedentary lifestyle can save your company money. This service is priceless. You can’t reap the benefits of great physical fitness if you’re stressed out or eating improperly. Statistics show that younger men and women are suffering from stress-related strokes and heart attacks at alarming rates. Most of that stress is related to a job, which is where you spend most of your time every day. Investing in the wellness of your company might be a game changer for you as a boss and your staff.

Many of you know I am a proud graduate of Southern University and A & M College. Our rival at the annual Bayou Classic in New Orleans, Louisiana is Grambling State University. Courtney attended Grambling where he majored in Civil Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. In 1996, he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs, and the rest is history. After retirement, he came to Huntsville, and we are grateful he brought along his expertise in physical and mental fitness.

Courtney offers top notch personal training, and I can vouch for the value of his workouts. His workouts were novel and not your everyday exercises. I had never done the following exercises before. These workouts were amazing and are a great workout for those who are avid golfers (or in any sport). I threw the ball against the wall, caught it, and twisted my hips around to the other side, throwing the ball, catching it, and repeating again on the other side.

This was another new exercise for me. Of course you can’t really see the exercise, but it worked our legs and glutes. With our hands resting on the tire, we alternated both legs while sprinting in place. As I sit here typing this blog, I am still feeling the effects of this exercise. That’s a good thing!

I have done numerous exercises with strength balls, but for this one, I had to slam the ball onto the ground, pick it up and slowly raise it over my head, then slam it to the ground again, pick it up slowly and raise it over my head. This wore me out! You don’t realize how much work you are putting in by just throwing that ball forcefully to the ground and then lifting it over your head, but I felt the burn. I absolutely loved this workout. We did several other workouts on this circuit, but these were some of my favorites. We worked out for over an hour, and it was painfully good!

Not only does Courtney provide personal training for individuals, but he does a lot of training with baseball players, golfers, and other athletes to ensure they stay on top of their game. He has a large, open facility, which also includes batting cages and a weight room.

If you are looking for a challenging workout that will push you to the limit, then try Stay Fit for Life. Your body (and mind) will thank you for it! Check out Stay Fit for Life’s website here. Until next time, start moving!