Empower Athletic Development Launches a Superior Strength and Conditioning Program for Athletes

Jan. 13, 2010 - PRLog -- SCARSDALE, NY – For years, professional athletes have used their own exercise and rehabilitation experts to create individualized off-season training programs. These complex workouts are designed to enhance the strength and agility required for sport, while simultaneously correcting any nagging injuries and imbalances that may have accumulated during the previous season or over a career. It has been a necessary luxury of competing at the most elite level. But now, at Empower Athletic Development, these same training programs are available to Westchester County's most competitive athletes.

Empower Athletic Development is a new, sport-focused strength and conditioning facility located in Scarsdale, NY. Empower was the brainchild of co-creators Renato Grammatica and Joe Bonyai. Grammatica, owner and director of Westchester Sports Physical Therapy, has been treating Westchester athletes since 1994. After 15 years in his Scarsdale facility, Grammatica recognized the need to create a reliable fitness resource for local athletes.

With great expectations for the new business, Grammatica took his time searching for the person that would help him create it. "In 1994, I started on my own. I know how hard you have to work, how much risk is involved, especially today. I wanted someone who had experience at the best facilities, and could bring a level of training not yet available in this area. Joe has already connected himself with the best trainers in the field," said Grammatica.

Joe Bonyai was completing his Master's degree in strength and conditioning at Springfield College when he got the call from Grammatica to ride down to Scarsdale for an interview. "It was the right time for Joe. Our philosophies instantly connected. He's worked with athletes at every level and knows what the lifestyle is like in college and in the pros. He was also a very good athlete and can relate to anyone who wants to compete at a higher level," said Grammatica.

Bonyai completed his Masters at Springfield, where he worked as the strength and conditioning coach for eight varsity teams. While in school, he spent each of his summers working at world class private training facilities and in 2008 worked as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Staten Island Yankees, a minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees. As for being a 'very good athlete,' Bonyai set the single season, career hits and career runs batted in records while playing baseball for Gettysburg College. In addition, Grammatica adds, "He can crush a golf ball."

Empower's training programs integrate corrective strategies, agility, power and strength training exercises that use multi-joint athletic movements with free weights and functional training equipment not found in most gyms. At Empower, athletes work out with bungees, bolt across an eight-foot frictionless board, jump over hurdles, pitch medicine balls into a concrete wall, and row themselves towards the ceiling on a device Bonyai refers to as a 'suspension trainer.'

According to Bonyai, a unique component of Empower’s philosophy is its speed and agility training. "We don’t aimlessly run kids through ladders or cones. We teach them to anticipate the ground from a variety of directions and how to prepare their body to accelerate and decelerate without any wasted energy."

Empower offers 'semi private' training in which athletes train in pairs. Bonyai explains, "Athletes feed off motivation from their training partner. Keeping the groups small allows me to coach the athletes' technique as much as they need." Empower also offers a limited number of Team Exclusive Training Camps that are larger group sessions (up to twelve athletes at a time).

"Our team camps are a cost-effective compliment for any high school or club coach who is looking for an off-season fitness program for their team. The athletes experience everything we have to offer, in a supervised program alongside their teammates," said Grammatica.

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About Empower Athletic Development:
Empower Athletic Development is a new strength and conditioning facility for competitive athletes in Westchester County. Directors Joe Bonyai and Renato Grammatica have both focused their careers on helping athletes achieve their sports performance goals while preventing injuries. More information is available at: http://www.empowerathleticdevelopment.com/