D1 Training muscles into Tucson | News

Parents don’t always know where to take their student-athletes when the children want to up their game.

The first D1 Training franchise is not as much a gym as a place where children, young people and adults may improve their athletic habits, optimizing their opportunities for success.

“It’s wonderful that, in Tucson, there are a lot of fitness facilities opening up and we’re happy to be a part of that,” co-owner Chris Newhouse said.

D1 Training is at 2270 W. Ina Road (the former Foothills Mall), Tucson.

“I think our particular focus of providing this Division 1 university level of strength and conditioning coaching to kids as young as 7 is relatively unique,” he said.

“It’s hard to find… a place like this that really caters to kids and particularly kids who are serious about their sports.”

The emphasis here is on performance, no matter where an athlete (or wanna-be athlete) begins or where their goals are set.

“Nothing would make us happier than to see some of our scholastic athletes that train with us at D1 Tucson reach their goals and if those goals are getting into a D1 athletic program or even something as big as the Olympics or a professional team, that would be awesome,” Newhouse said. “However, we’re just as satisfied to see the proud smiles of our members as they build their self-confidence by making progress toward achieving their goals.”

To be clear, he said, anyone is welcome to work on their fitness goals at D1.

“We use this word, ‘athlete,’ a lot but we use it much more broadly,” Newhouse added. 

“We use it to mean anybody who has a goal so even if it’s a mom who wants to lose some weight but she wants to do it in a very serious fashion, then she knows she’s getting the highest quality advice and it’s really something that’s going to help her reach her goals, then that’s a good fit for us, too.”

D1 offers four age-based programs, beginning with rookie for kids ages 7 to 11. Then there’s developmental for kids ages 12 to 14; prep for ages 15 to 18; and finally, D1 adult. Programs are built on five tenets and individually designed based on fitness goals. 

The tenets follow these steps: dynamic warm-up, performance, strength program, core and conditioning, and cool down. Within those parameters, however, fitness plans are individualized, even for the young ones, who are taught the fundamentals and good habits of being athletic. 

At D1, kids start with learning good habits and the proper way to move. That includes learning the correct form of something that seems like it should be natural and intuitive.

“We’re going to work on their motor skills and proper running technique and functional movement,” general manager Kathryn Campbell said. 

This prepares these young athletes to advance to the next age group, the developmental group for kids. Here, they concentrate on “speed, agility and maximum velocity,” she said, along with age-appropriate strength training that is appropriate for this age. 

“We do make sure that we’re doing age-appropriate training,” Newhouse said. “What’s appropriate for 7-year-olds is obviously very different from an 18-year-old. When it comes to the 15- to 18-year-olds, those are our high school kids who are really learning proper techniques and getting proficient using the weights in addition to the speed and maximum velocity type of work.” 

Newhouse stated that everything is done to prevent injuries.

“So how do we strengthen their muscles in a way that helps them avoid getting injured by turning an ankle or things like that?” he added. 

Much of the training takes place in classes. However, in addition to group workouts, D1 provides one-on-one training sessions with coaches who are nationally certified and hold at least a bachelor’s degree in personal training or exercise science. The objective is straightforward: to train athletes who are committed to their sport or fitness goals, regardless of their age, athletic background, or skill level. 

Putting a plan together is easier than a concerned athlete — or parent — might think. It begins with a simple question.

“Why is that person there?” Campbell said. “Then focusing on their milestones or outlining key milestones. Then for D1’s part, it’s creating a unique approach. For them, it’s acknowledging their challenges and where they want to grow and how we can help them to grow.”

The program features eight-week check-ins so athletes stay on course. Personal touches include information about nutrition and private training.

Newhouse is a certified executive leadership coach and serves as the president of the Arizona Charter Chapter for the International Coaching Federation. This is why he chose D1 Training as his business.

“I definitely wanted to bring something to the community that would have a measurably positive impact,” he said. 

“Part of my background is as a leadership coach and I love that the D1 training philosophy is so well aligned with the work that I do as a leadership coach, so it’s really about helping the people that we serve to reach their goals by helping them discover their own capabilities.”