Writer: Shannon Siders
Since opening in February 2017, athletes of all ages and abilities have flocked to the Baptist Health Performance Training facility in the East End.
NFL and former University of Louisville football greats Deion Branch, Breno Giacomini, Chris Redman and Eric Wood worked alongside Baptist Health to develop the facility and continue to remain involved.
“We were excited to partner with Baptist Health, and the facility has come a long way in a short period of time,” says Redman, a product of Louisville Male High School who was named Mr. Football USA in 1994.
Redman went on to play football at the University of Louisville, where he still holds a number of single game, single season and career records. The quarterback was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, followed by stints with the New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, and most recently, the Atlanta Falcons.
“We’re really excited about the direction the facility is going,” Redman says.
The 16,000 square foot facility features a full weight room, large turf field, locker rooms and showers. Full-service training programs, available from youth to adult and amateur to professional levels, are led by experienced athletic trainers, coaches and physical therapists.
Training programs are tailored to each participant’s abilities and continue to build as the athlete progresses.
At the elementary school level, the program focuses on sport skills through fun fitness activities. Coaches focus on balance, coordination and kinesthetic awareness. From there, athletes move on to sport foundation at the middle school level, with an emphasis on injury prevention, foundational movement training, foundational strength and power training and life skills development.
High school participants continue to focus on injury prevention, while moving on to more advanced mobility and stability training, movement training development, strength and power development and energy system development.
“I love working with kids,” Redman says. “I’ve had an opportunity to work with a lot of different high school quarterbacks in Louisville. To give some knowledge back to these guys and put them in the right direction not only on the field but off the field as well has been really beneficial to me as a person.”
The founders also frequently participate in camp sessions when they are in town to work with local school-aged athletes.
“I think it’s important for kids around town to have good role models and to be training around good people,” Redman says. “The entire staff here is awesome, and we provide a great structure where kids can learn the proper techniques to maximize their athletic ability.”
Adults interested in training opportunities can choose to participate in an athlete or strength track.
Adult athlete is composed of high intensity, sweat-dripping, heart-pumping workouts utilizing circuit training that combines kettlebells, dumbbells, sleds, bodyweight and other modalities. The aim of the program is to produce the best, healthiest version of yourself.
In the adult strength track, participants focus on developing real functional strength. The program helps build the confidence and strength needed to power through life.
Redman and his colleagues are believers in the program because they have seen the benefits first hand.
“I get over there as much as possible,” says Redman, who noted his partners also train at the facility when they’re back in town. “Our strength coach Eric Hammer does an incredible job catering to your needs and goals for whatever level you’re at.”
Most of the staff at the facility have a master’s degree and hold industry-recognized certifications such as Certified Strength Conditioning Specialist to ensure athletes are in the best hands possible. Low athlete-to-trainer ratios ensure the personalized attention necessary to help athletes achieve their performance goals.
Staying in shape and finding the motivation to workout can be a challenge even for current and former athletes, and Redman has enjoyed having such a quality training facility so close to his home.
“After playing football for such a long time, I’ve been used to someone leading me through workouts and keeping me in shape,” says Redman, who last played professionally in 2012. “When that was over, it was hard to train myself. Baptist Health Performance Training helps me have people who are knowledgeable and top-notch show me what I need to do and keep me motivated.”
Baptist Health Performance Training is also trusted by a different variation of football players. Members of Louisville City FC, Louisville’s professional soccer club who were named USL champions last fall, use the facility for their medical support and athletic training services.
Medical support is available by way of a full-service Baptist Health Physical Therapy office located at the facility. Anyone in the community can be referred to the practice by their physician, and therapists and trainers at the facility work side-by-side to personalize performance programs to ensure a seamless transition back from treatment.
The convenient East End location, at 12101 Sycamore Station Place, has been one of the keys to success for the facility.
“It’s one of the hottest areas right now,” Redman says. “With the movie theater expansion and Main Event, everything is booming. We have a great partner right next to us in Malibu Jack’s. The facility is easy to get to, and the people out here are great. It’s a great community.”
Several membership options are available at Baptist Health Performance Training, including monthly and annual memberships, training packs and personal training sessions. Members receive unlimited training classes and can use the gym during open hours throughout the week. For more information on the facility or membership options, visit BaptistHealthPerformanceTraining.com or call 502-742-6090.
As for the future, Redman and his partners look forward to the continued growth and success of Baptist Health Performance Training.
“We’re excited about helping the community and making it a better place,” Redman says. “It’s been a great group to work with. A lot of fun and laughs, and we’ve worked hard to get a great product out there.”
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