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Business & Tech

New Gym Hopes To Bring Elite Performance To Palos

Located inside of Palos Courts, Elite Performance Training Center brings expertise in athletic training.

Despite the claims of Internet ads and television commercials, most athletes realize early on that increased muscle mass, endurance and strength don't come out of a bottle or a $20 at-home gym.

For an athlete to reach the maximum level of performance in any sport requires a mix of workouts, conditioning and training, and the guys at Elite Performance Training Center in Palos Heights have the knowledge and equipment to get them there.

“We offer that competitive edge to get you over the top – it's about more than just weights,” said Scott Sands, one of the three owners of the recently opened gym.

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Located inside of Palos Courts, 12221 S. Ridgeland Ave., Elite Performance combines the strength training of John Griffin, and the mixed martial arts experience of Mike Cannon and Sands. Together the trio says they offer training that is unique and unrivaled in the area – in both performance and price.

Griffin graduated from and both Cannon and Sands attended St. Rita, although Sands graduated from St. Laurence.

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Griffin attended St. Ambrose University where he obtained his bachelor's degree in kinesiology and later was the strength coach at St. Rita and Marist and has also coached volleyball and basketball at other area high schools.

Cannon and Sands are both professional MMA fighters and have trained around the country with some of the top names in the UFC, such as Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson.

The three decided to start a gym in February and quickly got things off the ground. Griffin said Palos seemed like an obvious choice because the location allows them to draw from the city and the numerous surrounding suburbs. Palos Courts leased out the back rooms, and the guys got started, opening up on June 6.

Cannon said while the gym plans on getting a fight team together, they will not put guys in the cage after just a few weeks of practice, when they have no business fighting.

“As MMA has gone through the roof [in popularity] other gyms are just throwing anyone in the ring,” he said. “You won't fight here until all three of us say you are ready – and that could be a while.”

Although MMA will be a large part of the gym, they plan to work with all ages and sports. They are already offering strength and conditioning training to Mother McAuley's basketball team, St. Rita's Hockey team and are talking to others. The gym will also have a wrestling program for ages nine and up, that will include time on the mats and in the gym.

They also offer individual memberships for $80 a month, which include speed training and unlimited time in the gym.

“Our prices just shatter anyone else in the area,” Sands says.

In addition to traditional training, the gym also offers caveman training, which is strength training using somewhat unorthodox objects, such as tires or kegs – think World's Strongest Man Competition-type events.

Even Cannon was impressed with Griffin's (whom he met through Sands) training techniques.

“I thought I was in shape until I met [Griffin],” he said. “I never realized how far you can go with this – we will give you the workout, the diet and the knowledge.”

Griffin says they hope to expand but are very happy with their current location in Palos Heights.

“Aside from the location it's just the wonderful people out here and Palos Courts couldn't be a better group of people to lease from,” he said.

You can contact Elite on Facebook or by calling (708) 389-9100 ext. 14.

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