Stuart Allen – Owner
From an incredibly early age, Stu realized that life is not a spectator sport – it is to be lived and not observed. He learned early on he enjoyed competing in sports and spending time outdoors, but he had one need which was yet to be fulfilled – the need for speed, the rush and thrill of being alive. This need was fulfilled when Stu started motocross, nothing felt freer than riding down a dirt road, sliding around and catching air.
One day, Stu was jumping his ATV over a large ramp, when he collided with another rider who was going the wrong way. Suffering severe injuries to his diaphragm and shoulder, doctors told Stu he would never ride again.
While in a hospital bed Stu said to his father, “I refuse to lose. I will never give up.”
As he was dealing with a long road to recovery, a friend introduced Stu to weightlifting. The immense feeling of pushing oneself was once again fulfilled in Stu’s life. Taking his training very seriously, he learned to work through the pain and became an adept bodybuilder. At one point, Stuart was able to bench press 405 pounds, despite the pain it would still cause him. “Refuse to lose” was something that always stuck with Stu, and he refused to accept that he would always feel pain from his prior injury.
Stu studied to become a personal trainer, he wanted to utilize exercise to save the lives of others in the same way it had saved his own quality of life. While on this educational journey, he realized there was much more to exercise than simply pushing oneself as hard as one could. Exercise could heal those who are broken. While acquiring the many personal training certifications he holds, Stu learned of a different training philosophy – the idea of utilizing training to heal. This was significantly different than simple physical therapy, this was a holistic approach that strengthened the muscles necessary to relieve the strain on his damaged tissue which caused so much pain.
Stu had found his purpose in life, to help people on their path to healing.
Able Body Fitness was founded with this philosophy in mind, that no one should accept less quality of life and that no one was beyond being helped. Each member is given a specialized exercise program which is tailored to their individual needs. The philosophy is simple: Refuse to lose, fight the pain, and transform into the restored person that you deserve to be.
In Stu's Words...
"We do a lot of focused personal training. Equipment that is easy on the knees. No ellipticals or treadmills here. State of the art equipment and machinery aimed at working lateral and matrix movements, with an emphasis on flexibility and stability.
We have an expert in jin shin jyutsu, which is the transfer of energy through the body. An established and reputable masseuse with certification in human movement is also on board.
When we help Senior Citizens, it's all about getting them on the path to where they want to be. Everything from diet and weight training to education about their personal fitness to ensure better quality of life, better sleep, and better focus." ~ Stuart Allen