Matt VanSumeren

I grew up playing sports. I was a four-sport athlete in high school, competing and excelling in football, basketball, tennis, and baseball. I loved the competing part of sports and the camaraderie that came with going through all the highs and lows together. Each sport had its own nuances that taught me traits that have carried me to this point. Sports really were a catalyst for the embarking on this career journey. After high school, I traveled up to the U.P. where I studied Kinesiology with a concentration in coaching at Michigan Tech. It was up there that I was introduced and fell in love with the research and development behind what makes the human body do the incredible things it can. It was a good thing I was curious too, because I decided to pursue a PhD in the field at Wayne State, where I am currently in the finishing stages of completing my degree. If the 10 years of school didn't teach me enough, over my years of training I've learned that everyone is different and that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to fitness. It takes time and commitment from the coach as well. As the owner and coach at Xceleration Fitness, we focus on creating a positive and supportive environment where people feel comfortable, challenged, and motivated to reach their goals. I want our members to enjoy their fitness journey, what coach wouldn't, but we also understand the necessity to be there for our clients so that they can actually see their hard work paying off!

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There’s a quote by Jackie Robinson that goes “A life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives.” Wanting to change and actually setting the change in motion are two completely different things. I have witnessed this on a daily basis over the course of the last 14 years working as a coach and teacher. I’ve worked with hundreds of adults, college athletes, and young kids, all searching for something different that is going to make them happy. They want to change. They’ve been doing this or that for “x” amount of time and they want to get out of a rut. Many think that the change is going to happen as a result of the personalized program we write for them, or that the new nutrition plan is going to get rid of that belly fat. In truth that helps, but that’s just a piece of the entire puzzle. Connecting to find the deeper meaning behind why they want to achieve their goals. Getting to know people on that deeper level allowed me to learn over the years that not everyone is intrinsically motivated, likes to exercise, or is comfortable with being uncomfortable. Building that trusting relationship with them, one that has the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on both our lives is why I'm loving exactly what I'm doing.

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