LIKE NO OTHER
FACILITY IN THE AREA!
Over the past year, Fitness Alliance has grown from a gym into a complete Health-Wellness-Fitness Center. Amalgamating the area's best Practitioners from multiple modalities, we unite our independent crafts into a common thought process, enabling us to create a unique experience which provides direction and purpose to best serve the needs of the client.
We now offer Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Pilates, Muscle Activation Techniques, Acupuncture, Yamuna Body Rolling, Massage, Yoga, Dance, and of course Personal Training.
If you have never been to our shop on South Metcalf, or haven't been in awhile, we invite you to swing by, see the additions, and meet the folks who truly have the tools to enhance you and your family's Lifestyle for the better.
Make your commitment this year toward being more active and healthy.
Fitness Alliance: Optimal Health Realized

Check out our offerings below
Performance Rehab
was founded in 2006 in order to provide the highest quality of physical therapy to the Kansas City area. We have assembled a team of highly qualified physical therapists all with unique skills sets and open minds in order to seamlessly integrate treatment methods to efficiently take care of our patient's needs. This is why local physicians not only consistently refer patients to our facility, but also why they come to us when injured.
...read more 

The location at Fitness Alliance is Mark Buckingham's third and is headed up by Jake Stuhalsatz. Working with many PT Clinics and Therapist over the years, I can tell you these guys are a step above in every respect.
Contact:  
Amend with Sabrina Caldwell
Muscle Activation Techniques is a treatment method to identify and correct muscular imbalances that lead to pain and injury. MAT improves contractile capabilities by strategically addressing the cause of limitation rather than the symptom to improve overall function.
There are MAT Specialists, and then there are thinkers who use MAT as a tool, along with the rest of their toolbox, to truly understand what the body is telling them and address the needs of the client.
In addition, Sabrina is a Level 2 BioSignature Modulation Practitioner 
through the Poliquin Group, and has a PhD in Biochemistry.  
Johnson & Wiggins Chiropractic
Chiropractors at Dr. Kirk Johnson and Johnathon Wiggins offer multiple natural therapies to treat a variety of conditions. Chiropractic care along with nutrition and acupuncture are the cornerstone treatment options at Johnson & Wiggins Chiropractic. Different symptoms is your body telling you something is wrong and can be equated to the check-engine light in your car. We as humans are great at this little phrase 'Maybe it will go away!', when in reality this is what will get you into trouble. The first signs of illness are symptoms, then your condition worsens to cause dysfunction in the organ/tissue, then you fall further into failure. Johnson & Wiggins offer full-body screenings to address the cause of dysfunction to get you back on the road to optimal health. 

Contact: (913) 825-2550  www.drkirkjohnson.com
Pilates with Erin Ward
Erin Ward is the creator and owner of Eilates, a Certified Stott Pilates Instructor. As a lifelong fitness enthusiast, her method combines purpose and passion for healthy living with gratitude knowing that everything is made beautiful in its time.
Erin has spent years studying, training, and inspiring individuals of all ages to find inner strength, and, naturally, Pilates is the perfect companion for building a strong, lean, pliable, and resilient body.
Respected as Intelligent Exercise, Pilates emphasizes the coordination of mind, body and spirit by training balance, body awareness, and core strength.
"The mind when housed in a healthful body possesses a glorious sense of power." -Joseph Pilates
 Expect an elite, energized, exercise experience with Erin!

Contact: (913) 669-1663  www.eilates.com 

Jillian Richard's Dance
Jete dance by Jillian (JJD) is a recreational dance, cheer and tumbling program for kids ages 3 and up.  Our program is split into fall and spring sessions with summer camps available in June and July.
Multiple performance opportunities are available throughout each session. For more information go to www.jetedancebyjillian.com or call 913-219-2622.

Yoga with Rebecca
Rebecca Berciunas is a certified personal trainer through NASM and has yoga training with YogaFit® Training Systems. She is also a Licensed Certified Broga®Yoga instructor. Rebecca's blend of training with yoga and functional fitness, helps her clients approach a new program with confidence at their own starting point.

Contact: (913) 991-1474 
https://www.facebook.com/TFLRebecca
Yamuna Body Rolling with Melanie Crawford
Melanie Crawford was first certified by Yamuna Zake, the creator of Yamuna Body Rolling, nearly 20 years ago as a body therapist educator, using ball therapy. In addition, she is certified as a personal fitness trainer, and instructor of TRX suspension training.
Certified in the Muscle Activation Techniques Jumpstart Program, and most recently engaging in advanced exercise mechanics education via the Resistance Training Specialist, 123 and Continuum programs, Melanie continues pursuing multiple methods to best serve the needs of her clients.

Contact: (816) 509-1288  mjc.nbr@gmail.com
More info on Yamuna Body Rolling:  http://www.yamunausa.com/

Boxing with Glen Cusimano
Glen is a Kansas City native that has spent 20 years in the arena of Fitness and Nutrition. A former Professional Heavy Weight Boxer, pursued personal training after hanging up his gloves.
Being a Father of 2 kids, Glen loves the idea of training young athletes. His background in strength and cardio conditioning is evident in his cases and his knowledge of nutrition has made him a go-to Instructor for personal training.
His biggest motivation is to teach others the importance of 'Total Body Care'.
His motto: Change Your Mindset...Change Your Life...'
Glen most recently became involved with the Parkinson's Foundation and is scheduled to get certified in Rock Steady Boxing program that was recently featured on 60 Minutes. 

Contact: (816) 665-0905  glen24fit@gmail.com
Personal Training
We pride ourselves being the most educated and cohesive group of Professional Fitness Instructors in the area by continually learning and sharing the Sciences applicable to our craft. While other facilities and the majority of personal trainers are finished learning after getting certified and subscribe to a 'Just Do It' exercise mentality and the latest trends, we at Fitness Alliance take the time to truly analyze your capabilities, guide you in achieving your goals, and progress you safely for years to come.
You will find a friendly and non-intimidating atmosphere in our gym with each instructor bringing a slightly different personality to our training style.
Whether you're wanting 3 sessions a week, small group, or a once a month consultation, we will fit any schedule and budget.
Schedule a complimentary consultation now:
(913) 232-9993
Undoing THE New Year's Resolution
 
Sometime between Christmas and the New Year I get asked the same question by everyone who knows I am in the Fitness Business. "You must be packed at the gym in January with all the people trying to get at their New Year's Resolution, right?"
It's true: Losing Weight-Get Fit is both the top resolution AND the most commonly broken. How can that be, year after year? And, even more frustrating to the Fitness Professional, why does it have to be a first of the year commitment when really the most important thing that you own is your body?
 
Reasons for Failure
Unequivocally, the number one reason this number one resolution fails is that
90% of the health and nutrition information out there is false. AND, this supported by the simple fact that 90% of diets and exercise programs fail. The same information peddled by the diet industry, most Nutritionists and Dietitians, the food industry, the exercise industry, and the ever-knowing government has been regurgitated for some sixty years now, and we're bigger and sicker than ever. AND, how can that be when there's a Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers, a Lifetime or 24 hour Fitness on every street corner. Aren't they supposed to be solving this problem and get the resolution to stick?
 
All of these groups are guilty on all of these points:
 
Diet
Diets do not work for three reasons: 1) Restriction is perceived as punishment and that can only go on so long. 2) It's the type of food that's important 3) Counting calories is useless if you're eating the same crap.
 
Weight
Total weight or being 'fat' is more than a number on a scale. Certain foods cause you to retain water, sugars and grains are the real culprits in excess fat storage, and it's actually your %bodyfat or body composition that is important.
Body composition and metabolism are complicated things manipulated by numerous systems and certainly beyond the scope of a number on a scale. Obtaining your ideal frame, clothes fitting better, and yes weight loss will happen if the right dose of exercise is implemented and correct foods are chosen.
 
Cardio
There's still this myth perpetuated that there is some magical difference between weights and cardio when in fact they are they same thing: Resistance Training. What is different, and should be strategically addressed, is the Intensity.
If you checked your heartrate after a set of squats and after you jumped off the Elliptical you would probably be surprised to see it's higher after doing the squats. So, which is more 'Cardio?' Doing the cycle is pretty close to doing lunges, but which uses more resistance? This 'Do your 30 minutes of cardio' thing is, for most people, just promoting joint damage.
 
Skinny & Thin
Two words that should be abolished from the language. The thought that having less weight and being a size 2 are glorifying have done more harm to people's self-image and resistance or addiction to exercise than anything on the planet.
You just don't know how healthy someone is by the way they look and what they weigh. Lifestyle habits always trump. And I personally do not own a pair of Skinny Jeans
 
Unrealistic Promises and Goals
'Lose 7 pounds a week' and 'I need to lose 30 pounds by April' are what you hear from both ends. What about replacing that with: "I just want to stay out of the doctors office, not have surgery, and off pharmaceuticals", "Be able to play with my grandchildren when I'm 80", or "Get to 10 or 15% bodyfat."
Creating large and insurmountable goals right off the bat
 
THE SOLUTION
Charting the Right Course to Achieve Your Life's Resolution
Here's the thing, acquiring a body that is lean and healthy is not that hard folks. A recipe of proper and consistent exercise, combined with simple eating habits, with a dash of a positive mindset are the only ingredients you need.
After watching thousands of people and working with hundreds of clients over twenty years in the fitness business I can honestly tell what works is the opposite of what you're being told and what most people are doing.
 
Acquire the Right Exercise Information
There are Personal Trainers (hobby) and then there are Fitness Professionals (career) who have taken the time to learn the required Sciences to be able to relay the correct information to you to train your body efficiently and effectively. Very few certifying bodies even delve into the Physics and Forces of all that stuff in the gym, when in reality Exercise Mechanics or Joint Mechanics, is precisely what is required to put a weight in somebody's hand.

Understanding that there is no difference between Cardio and Weights but that it's all resistance and a spectrum of Intensity to vary and progress upon is critical for your success and to not get injured. The Resistance Training Specialists at Fitness Alliance are all armed with this information and practice a process of Mastery: constantly learning and honing the craft of Exercise.
 
Acquire the Right Eating and Health Information
There's no shortage of diet experts, information on the Internet, and Health & Fitness magazines...most of it the same junk month after month, episode after episode, year after year. Wading through this health jungle is a nightmare.
The most sensical solution to eating, (as much as I hate names), is a Paleo approach, simply because it relates to evolutionary accordance, or, eating the way we are designed to eat like every other animal on the planet. Expelling grains, dairy, sugar, and chemicals, in exchange for:
Meats
Fruit & Vegetables
Eggs
Nuts & Seeds
Healthy Oils
 
Another great option is to talk to someone who is on course and achieving their goals. Even if you don't know them, introduce yourself and chance are they will be more than open to share their path of success with you.

Be Realistic, Consistent, Determined, and Patient
- Set some short-term goals rather than all huge goals you can realistically accomplish
- Slot your workouts into your schedule and don't cancel them
- Don't do too much too soon. Jumping in head first with 6 days a week turns into 5 the next, then 3, then none
- Stay Consistent. A workout doesn't always have to be an hour or take place at a gym. Just as the Intensity of your individual workouts has to be varied, so does the duration, frequency, and location.
- Be determined to succeed reminding yourself of the commitment you've made to yourself
- Be Patient. It may have taken awhile to put the body together you have presently and it will take time to get where you want

Cooking Big

The biggest step you can make toward healthier eating habits and acquiring a lean body is making your own food and planning your meals ahead of time. No matter how hard you try, it is virtually impossible to eat out healthy. Meats are of low grade, salad dressings are almost always made with some combination of canola, soybean, and cottonseed oils, and the produce is rarely organic. And, if you're not prepared, you usually make a quick-bad eating decision.

One strategy I use is to make a large amount of a food on Sundays that I can take with me to work. A pot of Curry, Stew, Grilled Chicken Thighs, etc. I know what you're saying: 'I don't want to eat the same thing everyday!' Well, that's another huge fault with the human psyche, thinking that every meal has to be different, exciting, and taste awesome. Every other animal on the planet eats pretty much the same food every day...and lives a nice healthy life without a cabinet of pharmaceuticals. As I like to say: "Bears don't get cancer."
Food is Fuel. And if you take this viewpoint, those times you do eat out, or cheat a bit, are that much more enjoyable.

Recipe Ideas HERE
 
Bill Leavitt | Fitness Alliance | (913) 232-9993 |