Hello Anytime Fitness members! Before I fill everyone in on the start of the season, I just want to say that I am extremely happy that I will continue to be a member of the Minnesota Twins organization for a long time. As I am sure many of you have heard, I signed an extension a few weeks ago that will keep me in the Twin Cities for many years.

The team is coming together nicely and so is the chemistry between the veterans and the younger guys. My body is feeling great. The conditioning and strength training work that I did during in the offseason is definitely paying dividends now. Because baseball is such a long and grueling season, you really have to prepare yourself both mentally and physically.

One of the best things about spring training is the mindset that it gets you back into after having some time off. Regimented schedules are a big key in establishing and maintaining success in almost anything you do. The practice, training, meetings, etc., all prepares you for what we’re about to encounter every day for the next several months. Knowing that you have a limited amount of time to accomplish one task or practice one element of your game really forces you to focus and work hard for that period of time.

With summer right around the corner, now is a great time to get serious about working out. Now is also the perfect time to mix things up in your training. If you feel you have hit a plateau with a certain weight or running time, change things up. Switch exercises that you normally do at the end of your routine to the beginning, shorten the distance on the treadmill but try and do it faster, etc.

This is truly my favorite time of year. Not just because it’s the start of baseball season, but I think the nicer weather just makes people feel a lot better. Take advantage of the ability to get outside and be active. Make your trips to the gym a habit and if you absolutely can’t find time for a workout, still get out and do something. Most importantly, get out to the ballpark this season and catch some games. If you don’t have a big league team in your city, go to a minor league game, college game, or even high school. Let’s show everyone that Anytime Fitness members are active all the time, not just in the gym.