Athletic Republic Celebrates 30 Years of Sports Performance Training
Leading Innovator in Athletic Development Enters 4th Decade of Continuous Operation
PARK CITY, Utah, Aug. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Athletic Republic, the leader and innovator in the field of science-based sports performance training, this week celebrates its 30th anniversary. Originally founded as Frappier Acceleration Sports Training (FAST), it was acquired and rebranded by former professional triathlete, entrepreneur, and current CEO Charlie Graves in 2007 and began to expand into new markets around the U.S. and the world. In the rapidly evolving fitness industry, Athletic Republic stands out as one of the longest-lived athletic training brands, leveraging its legacy of continued innovation.
"Our 30 years of operation validates the market for athletic performance improvement and the soundness of the scientific concepts on which the Athletic Republic system is based," says Graves. "These ideas, which were revolutionary in the 1980s, have over time moved into the mainstream and are widely accepted as the best, most effective way to improve athletic performance. We're proud to have been there first, but we don't rest on our past successes. We're constantly looking for ways to deliver superior results for our athletes and franchise operators."
The Athletic Republic network presently consists of nearly 85 franchisees and licensees located in sports medicine hospitals, physical therapy practices, arenas, sport-specific training facilities, and retail locations. Outside the U.S., training centers can be found in Japan, Korea, Australia, and Canada. All are dedicated to helping athletes increase their speed, explosive power, agility, strength, and injury-preventing stability so that they may excel in competition.
The Athletic Republic concept originated in 1986 when exercise physiologist John Frappier traveled to the USSR as part of the U.S. delegation to the Goodwill Games. During his visit, he was introduced to several physiological and training concepts the Soviets were using to push the thresholds of human performance. Upon his return, he began work on applying these concepts of neuromuscular training through research and input from sports medicine professionals, athletic trainers, and elite coaches. In 1990, Frappier was confident enough in his approach to athletic development that he formed Acceleration Products and began licensing his technology and protocols to providers throughout the Midwest. He and his early collaborators began developing specialized equipment to achieve their goals and initiated a protocol development process that followed a scientific method of evaluating athlete outcomes and refining the training protocols. More than a 'workout of the day,' AR's training protocols are periodized to maximize the muscular, neurologic and metabolic development of every athlete. The results are impressive; athletes consistently show .2 to .4 second improvements of their 40-yard times, an increase of 2" to 4" in vertical jump, 50% reduction in anaerobic recovery, and 20% improvement in explosive power.
Today, Athletic Republic trainers apply their AR education, specialized, proprietary equipment, and a huge database of sport-specific protocols to create individualized training programs for youth, teen, collegiate, and pro athletes. AR's small-group format enables trainers to address the needs of each athlete, including initial assessment results, requirements of their sports, time of year, and length of training program.
Over the years, Athletic Republic has developed programs beyond this signature Acceleration Training. Offerings now include: Functional performance training for active adults; Endurance training for runners, cyclists, and triathletes; Return2Play to bridge the gap after knee surgery between physical therapy and the return to full competition; and Enhanced Training modules that complement regular training programs by improving sensory skills and reaction times, shoulder safety, recovery, and focused strength training.
While the Coronavirus situation has created huge obstacles for the fitness industry, Athletic Republic has managed to build on its pioneering spirit and franchise relations to rise to the challenge. The Athletic Republic headquarters team has provided intensive, ongoing support and guidance for its network and fast-tracked several long-term initiatives that launched this spring and summer. On pace to open 12 new centers this year and enjoying consistent year-over-year sales growth in recent years, the company continues its growth with expansion plans in North American and international markets.
For more information, please visit athleticrepublic.com.
Media Contact: Lindsay Simpson, VP of Marketing, [email protected], Telephone (435) 647-9000
SOURCE Athletic Republic
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