Best Martial Arts Instructor
PEAK|45
COURTESY OF PEAK|45
Jerry Johnson
Best Interval Training
Best Martial Arts School
SLC Strength and Conditioning
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
This gym seems a bit cheeky in their ads: “We provide an experience unlike any other in the athletic industry, allowing our clients the freedom to come to a professional exercise facility and have choices of group fitness classes, personal training or utilizing the gym on their own time.” Are they different? Yes, because they offer classes and hone skill sets in Olympic lifting and its variations, suspension training, plyometric movement with an emphasis on injury prevention, full body strength, core strength, functional movement, joint stability, bone health and nutrition. Once you join, you receive a fullbody assessment followed by an intro course on movement and lifting (yes, there’s a lot of grunting involved). Then, you are free to practice and work on your goals. The staff will track your progress and adjust your program where needed as you progress. Certainly, without staff engagement you could lose interest or even injure yourself. That’s why the staff is required to maintain high standards and must have at least a bachelor’s degree with advanced certifications to coach you. They don’t encourage competition between members but want the best outcome for you and hope you will get it by listening to your body as you progress in the programs. (BDL) 3232 Highland Drive, SLC, 801-810-0373, SLCStregthAndConditioning.com
22 | BEST OF UTAH Body & Mind 2020
Jiu Jitsu is a Japanese system of unarmed combat and physical training. It’s like Judo (also unarmed combat) but does not focus on tripping or throwing opponents to the ground. The Brazilian form focuses on grappling with particular emphasis on ground fighting and was originally created by several Japanese masters. There are martial arts studios all over Utah that teach taekwondo, karate and MMA (mixed martial arts) but Gracie has risen to the top because their classes are relevant with purpose and are great for the entire family. First, there are classes for growing children to help them develop coordination, mental strength and increase social skills. Their ‘Bullyproof’ for kids (ages 5-12) is great pro-active training as is ‘Women Empowered’ for female students. The Gracie family has been teaching for three generations and love beginners as well as students attempting to reach the highest skill levels. Are you worried that you’ll panic if you’re attacked and would like to have some basic defense moves? The Gracie teaches proper techniques for self-defense in real-world situations so that what you learn on the mat can stay with you the rest of your life. They believe the key is learning proven self-defense techniques in a safe and supportive environment that encourages discipline and empowerment. There are 23 different self-defense classes that will teach the 36 most useful Brazilian Jiu Jitsu moves out of the 600 possible moves for sparring or self-defense. You can drop in to any of their 23 classes as they are taught in one-hour blocks. Once you complete all 23 classes, you move towards earning your belt—if a belt is your goal. (BDL) 2120 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-997-1455, GJJUt.com
2020 Readers Picks
The Winner School is a family-owned and -operated activity center for children 2-18 that’s operated with the philosophy that every child is a winner. They offer pre-school, after-school and camp programs that teach dance, basketball and karate. Above all, Mr. J, as he’s known, is a karate master. Originally from New Zealand, he’s been teaching the martial art for more than 20 years and holds a third-degree black belt in American Kenpo Karate. To add to that training, he’s won Man of the Year more than seven times in the Excel Karate League (EKL). So basically, you’ve got an instructor that knows his stuff and is happy to share his training with students ranging from beginners to those on their way to a black belt. Over the years, the school and Mr. J have added some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and forms with 10 different weapon sets for their competitive tournament teams. The Winner School itself has been voted one of the best pre-schools in the state with a one-of-a-kind 14,000-square-feet facility designed to provide quality instruction. The school hosts the Art with Heart charity dance concert that raises money for Shriners Hospitals and has given over $600,000 to the nonprofit over the years. This is a school and an instructor with heart and skill. (BDL) The Winner School, 6120 S. 2075 East, SLC, 801-278-2500, TheWinnerSchool.com
Best Tai Chi/Qi Gong Instructor Scott White, Personal Training Zone Certified Tai Chi and Qi Gong Instructor and owner of Personal Training Zone, Scott White is passionate about health and fitness. With nearly 30 years of experience, Scott combines both Eastern and Western approaches to well-being and says, “I want to empower you to be healthy and fit because you choose to be healthy and fit— no other reason creates lasting success.” Scott teaches Tai Chi and Qi Gong weekly at various locations, see website for schedule and details. (Megan Wagstaff) 4010 S. 2700 East, Holladay, 801-566-5964, PTZFitness.com
Best Pilates Studio Peak|45 Looking for a low-impact workout with highly noticeable results? Look no further than downtown’s Peak|45. Utilizing the Lagree Megaformer Method, owner Kristen Kenney says, “As a former D1 athlete, it is the only exercise that allows me to get a high intensity butt kicking workout without any joint pain. In under an hour I feel stronger, healthier and happier.” With a motto of “better sore than sorry,” each workout is designed to be effective and efficient, increasing cardio and muscular endurance. (MW) 250 E. Broadway, No. 250, SLC, 385-645-7325, Peak-45.com
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