Brad Minns

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:06:46 -0500

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success in common hours.”

- Henry David Thoreau

We are the champions

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:05:21 -0500

Quick, what is a champion? Do you know? How do you become one? Can anyone reach the status of champion? I believe so. Anyone who is passionate about something, anything, and loves what they’re doing, has the potential to do extraordinary things. Whether it’s sports, business, teaching or whatever, anyone can strive to become a champion.

I ask my students, young and old, these three thought provoking questions:

Name three people you admire as champions.
What are the five characteristics that make them a champion?
What is your definition of a champion?

The answers can be inspiring and everyone has a good time with this mental exercise. Answer these same questions for yourself and see how your responses compare to those from a recent session with my students.

The kids’ top five choices for champions they admire were: “my brother”, “Mia Hamm”, “Pete Sampras”, “my tennis teacher”, and still making the list is “Michael Jordan”. The adults leaned more toward family members, but also included “God” and “Oprah” in their responses.

The characteristics of a champion received a wide variety of responses, but they didn’t vary all that much between the children and the adults. “Practice”, “determination”, “always do their best” and “hard work” from the kids are the same as the adult answers of “good work ethic”, “strong desire to win” and “never gives up”.

Defining a champion for children was pretty cut and dry as they almost unanimously answered “someone who believes in himself”. Adult answers also had a similar recurring theme:

“a champion is able to reach their own personal goals”
“a person who works hard and never gives up”
“a champion is someone that does what he sets out to do”
“someone with a goal who uses all their resources to accomplish it”
“a person who aspires to be the best they can be”
“a person blessed with the ability to inspire others to be better in every aspect of their lives”

These questions fire up the thinking process and help us understand what makes a champion. As PTR tennis professionals, our students look to us, not only to show them how to hit a tennis ball, but also for guidance, motivation, and inspiration. When we finish a class, our students should feel as though they can do anything. Here are some tips that will undoubtedly lead your students in the direction to become champions.

Encourage Your Students to Dream
Everybody has the potential to be a champion. We can accomplish anything we want with our lives. No matter who you are, where you come from, or where life finds you this minute, you can succeed. Yesterday is history. Start focusing on the future. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, deaf or blind, disabled or able bodied, you can do anything. All it takes is a dream. If you want to do something great with your life, then do not be afraid to dream. Do not be afraid to achieve when everybody else sees it as impossible. Do not be afraid to dream when things never seem to go your way. Just Dream It!

Visualize
It’s doubtful that the person who invented the space shuttle just went to the junk yard and started building a space ship. First he had to imagine what he wanted to do before he could make it a reality. Let your imagination take you places you have always wanted to go. Visualize what you really want to be doing. What is your dream? Visualize yourself achieving this dream step by step. Champions are passionate about doing what they do. They love what they are doing. Don’t be afraid or concerned with what others may think. Visualize your dream. Dreams do come true.

Take Action
Here is a list of 10 daily action tips. Keep them posted where you can read them each day. Make a copy of this list and share it with your class.

Tell or show someone that I love them
Compliment or praise someone I live or work with
Read a book or listen to a tape that stimulates thought
Increase my skills in my profession
Do something for good health
Be closer to my goals than I was when I woke up this morning
Do anything tough or challenging to build discipline
Do something for the pure joy of it
Take time to reflect on the lessons of the day
Plan for another successful day tomorrow

Remember this famous quote: “If it is going to be, then it is up to me”. Dreams don’t just come true. You can’t sit around wishing and hoping and praying for your dreams to come true. You’ve got to get up off your duff and take action. You’ve got to go for it. Go for your dreams! Make it happen!

Having a dream creates hope, gives us the energy and the drive to accomplish great things. If you are uncertain where your talents and abilities lie, then go out and find them. Everyone of us has the potential for greatness within ourselves. It is up to you to use that potential to the fullest. Getting started by taking action is tough for anyone to do. If you can dream it, you can do it. Take action! Don’t just sit around waiting for the right time. Today is the right time. Get going by setting goals, taking a class, or facing your fears. “Even the longest journey begins with a single step.” You must take that first step.

Practice Being Positive
Sometimes, I feel as though my hearing loss is a blessing in disguise. When people start talking negatively, I can adjust the volume switch on my hearing aid so that I don’t have to listen to it. I am very careful what I listen to each day, preferring to keep my mental food positive.

The more people say negative words, such as “bad” or “can’t”, the more they will come to believe it. When I hear my students complain, I remind them to replace those negative words with positive ones. Change “my backhand is terrible” with “I love my backhand”. Substitute “my serve is really bad” with “my serves are getting better”.

Another great way to improve your attitude is to read motivational books and books about people who have done extraordinary things with their lives. Turn off the television, get outside and walk in the park. Fill your mind with a dose of positive fuel every day. Discipline yourself to stay away from movies that are full of garbage. Being positive is a choice. Choose wisely.

Never Give Up
Abraham Lincoln said, “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” Learn to be patient and take each day as it comes. Make sure that you do your absolute best each day. Somewhere along the road to achievement, we all experience our share of failures. As champions, we know that failure is never final.

Babies are the world’s most natural champions. When a baby is learning to walk, it will stand up only to very quickly fall down. Have you ever seen a baby stay down for very long? Heck no! That baby gets right back up and tries again … and so should you. Way to go, Baby!

In 1985, I found myself behind 5-0 in the third, in the best of five, during the World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles. At first, all of my supporters were cheering, but after three and a half hours and my dismal showing, they headed for the exits. They quit believing in me. But, as a champion, I didn’t stop believing in myself. Before long, I found myself winning the third set tie-breaker, then the fourth set and then the fifth to claim the championship. That game taught me a great lesson, not only in tennis, but in life. No matter how far down you may find yourself, you must never give up!

The choice is your. Are you ready to live each day like a champion? Get started today by following the 10 daily action tips. Pass the tips on to others. Start learning what your students’ dreams are on and off the court. Encourage them in any way you can to go for it! We are the Champions!

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
—Henry David Thoreau

Overcoming your limitations through fitness

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:04:17 -0500

Don’t let your limitations hold you back from achieving all that God has for you. You are meant to conquer your limits and then create success. The dictionary describes the word overcome as “to conquer”. But don’t stop there. Get a real shot of motivation from the Bible, which says, “We are MORE than conquerors through Him who loved us”. If you desire to be the best you can be and to achieve all that God has for you then you must learn to be bold and conquer your limitations. Overcome the obstacles in life, press forward to reach new heights and encourage others to do the same.

It seems so simply stated when you read it in the Bible, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Yet that kind of spiritual strength often seems unattainable. Like others you may be asking, “How can I become stronger, bolder and more confident in life with Christ”? Use physical fitness as a bodily mechanism to nurture your spiritual growth. The more you exercise the more you’ll realize that even though gaining physical strength has great benefits, gaining spiritual strength forever transforms your life. Nothing can replace reading the Bible and talking with God daily. You’ll find you are in better shape to do that when you have a daily, disciplined fitness program to keep your body functioning at its best.

A person who chooses to not only follow the teachings of Christ but also actively serves Him can be one of the healthiest, happiest individuals on the planet. Living a positive example will reflect on others who want that same kind of vitality, enthusiasm, passion and discipline. Invite them to discover with you the joy of following a daily fitness regimen and doing cool spiritual works outlined in the Bible. It is unlikely those around you will want to follow you if you are defeated, overweight, out of shape and lazy. But, live your life with purpose and passion and others will take notice. When they do, live responsibly —- people want to experience the real Jesus.

Kyle Maynard is one of those individuals who is doing just that. In his book, No Excuses, Kyle explains how his fitness training has helped him to defeat many of his wrestling opponents. This might not seem like a big deal, but if you saw some photographs of Kyle, you would see that he is limited by the use of his arms and legs. As a result of complications at birth, Kyle was born with only partially developed arms and legs. To pin his opponents he would have to first catch them, then squeeze them with his arms and somehow maneuver with special techniques his dad and coach helped him to devise. His dad invented some exercise straps that allow Kyle a way to hoist up more weight than most people could lift with ordinary arms and legs.

In a typical wrestling practice, sprints are common daily training. Instead of sitting on the sidelines wishing and hoping to be a part of the team, Kyle’s “no excuse” attitude allows him to run on all fours with the rest of the team. Kyle didn’t let his physical limitations stop him from being all that he could be. Instead, with his strong faith in God and a “no excuses” mind set, he lives his life on purpose and with passion. What’s your excuse? Are you striving to be the best God intends for you to be? Are you reaching for new heights each day with your fitness goals, or are you satisfied with the status quo like so many unsatisfied Christians today?

I lost my hearing at age three from having a high fever. As a result, I have learned to read lips. With the help of hearing aids communication is much easier. But it wasn’t always that way.

At first, my self-esteem was very low and I wanted to hide in the house and stay there. One day during my youth, my mother and I were walking in a mall. I saw in the window of a bookstore a copy of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s book, “Education of a Bodybuilder”. I persuaded my mom to buy the book. The moment we got home I read it from cover to cover. I was so anxious to start training, improve my outlook on life and become a better individual. My brother happened to have some weights in the basement. The first time I picked up a weight I was hooked.

Through fitness, I learned the importance of setting goals and visualizing where I wanted to go and what I wanted to achieve. Fitness helped me overcome many of my fears by giving me more confidence. I soon felt stronger and more energetic. My body shape started to look better and I performed better in my chosen sports. People noticed the changes in my life and began to ask me how I had done it. I was happy to share some of the principles of the fitness lifestyle. This gave me even more motivation to stay on track with my own personal fitness routine.

The Bible says without vision people perish. With a strong vision of what you believe God has placed in your heart and what He wants you to achieve there is hope. With hope comes desire and persistence. Once you’ve set some fitness goals for yourself and have written them down, keep them alive by visualizing yourself daily getting fitter and more enthusiastic about life. Ask God to help you to maintain the daily discipline and habits that are required to live the fitness lifestyle.

Once you’ve established a foundation of fitness, which includes good nutrition choices, strength training, flexibility and cardiovascular work, start encouraging your friends and family to become fit as well. You will discover the best motivation in your own personal fitness plan is to encourage and support others, helping them to stay focused and disciplined daily. As iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another.

When you don’t let your limitations hold you back you will achieve all that God has for you. Each of us must do our part to be good stewards of our bodies by getting on a regular fitness program. Start by writing down your goals. Post them so you can see them each day. Decide how you will reach these goals.

I always encourage people to start their fitness program by doing the 12-week “Body for Life” Program Bill Phillips started in 1995. The program has stood the test of time and thousands of people continue to jumpstart their fitness with this basic but effective program. Once you’ve written down your goals and have a plan of attack, visualize yourself daily achieving your goals and dreams. Keep the vision strong. Instead of making excuses and letting personal or physical limitations hold you back from being and doing your best, stay in Christ, be persistent, conquer those limitations and never give up!

Invest in your health

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:03:08 -0500

Ask any financial planner and they will almost always encourage you to invest for the long term. This means never spending more than you earn and setting a little bit of money aside each month for saving and investing. When applied consistently, this strategy almost always enables one to become financially stronger.

Those modest deposits made each week don’t seem like much to begin with, but over time, the power of compounding kicks in and these small deposits begin to pay large dividends. If the investor has the discipline to avoid the temptation of spending these dividends, and wisely reinvests his profits, he can become financially free. Likewise, making daily deposits to your health will pay great dividends toward physical fitness if you have the patience to commit for long-term success.

These deposits may include 30 minutes of biking or walking. You can start with a morning walk before breakfast. You will feel energized and ready to take on the day. Try to walk outside instead of on a treadmill. The sights, sounds and smells of nature are therapeutic.

Lifting weights to improve muscular strength and increase fat loss is something I believe everyone should deposit into their weekly schedules. Studies have shown that one good set of particular exercises is 95% as effective as doing four or five sets. This means you get the same results in less than half the time. No more excuses for not having enough time in the day. If you have 20 minutes three times a week for weight training, that’s plenty. Remember what Mark Twain said: “You don’t stop working out because you grow older, you grow older because you stop working out.”.

The most important deposit you can make to your well being is in the nutrition department. Start eating foods that build muscle, increase energy levels and make you feel vibrant. Foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, sweet potatoes and pastas are excellent choices. I recommend eating five to six small meals spaced three hours apart throughout the day to keep the body perfectly fueled. Use the sugary beverages and colas in moderation and drink more water. A recent survey showed that more than half the country is overweight. Wow! We must change our habits of eating fast food and instead make healthy choices.

Oftentimes, I’ve seen people give up too quickly on making small deposits on a regular basis simply because they aren’t seeing the results they want right away. They search out quick fixes and start buying the latest fads from the home shopping network. Some products purchased over the TV leave many feeling discouraged when they fail to live up to their promises. Remember, the key to living fir is consistency, making daily deposits of exercise and healthy eating not for a period of time, but for the rest of your life. If your goal is to lose weight or to build muscle, it will take time. So be patient and enjoy the journey toward physical health and wellness.

Personally, I began making deposits toward my physical fitness 20 years ago. I can confidently confess it’s a great way to live. Since I began my long-term investment program in physical fitness, I have built my body up, which has improved my tennis, confidence and overall outlook on life. It can do the same for you. Commit yourself today to start making daily deposits to your health. I am confident that given time, your small deposits of healthy eating and exercise will pay great dividends.

The following exercise program is one that I use when traveling to tournaments. It only requires a partner, jump rope and towel, and only takes less than 20 minutes to complete. It’s a great way to maintain muscular strength on trips where it’s hard to find a gym or if time is limited.

Warm Up
Crunches
Lying flat on the ground, lift your head up and squeeze your stomach muscles. Once the stomach muscles are flexed, release slightly and then flex again, so you are moving in a rocking motion. A good crunch requires very little movement and if done properly, you will feel your stomach burning after only a few repetitions. Try for 50 reps, rest a minute, then 50 more for a total of 100.

Jump Rope
While your partner is doing 100 crunches, skip rope to raise your body temperature and prepare the body for some resistance exercises. After your partner is done crunching, switch positions.

Stretch
Do some light stretching before you begin the exercises.

Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
Pushups
Pushups are an all-time great exercise, have stood the test of time and are excellent for building upper body strength. If you have a hard time performing a pushup, bend your knees so that it won’t be as difficult. Perform only one set to failure and move on to the next exercise.

Back
Towel Raps
Stand upright and grab a towel with both hands. While one person is pulling on the towel, the other is extending. Concentrate on flexing the muscles in your back while you pull and release. Perform 15 repetitions, then reposition your hands and feet so they are opposite of the first set, and perform another 15 reps.

Back and Shoulders
Upright Rows / Pulldowns with Towel
One person stands while the other sits. The person standing should grab the middle of the towel toward his or her chin while the person sitting offers just enough resistance to make it hard for the person standing to pull slowly, then the seated person will pull down and start again until a total of 25 reps are performed. Switch places so both partners get a chance to row and pull down.

Arms
Biceps Curl / Triceps Pushdown
The person working the biceps first should grip the towel in the middle; the triceps person grabs the towel tight below the biceps persons hands. Both partners must keep their elbows close to their sides and should not move the elbows. Biceps person will curl the towel up, while triceps person offers some resistance. Next, triceps person will push down until the triceps are flexed. Repeat for 5 reps, then switch places.

Legs
Squats
Stand straight with your hands at your sides. Pretend you’re going to sit down in a chair that’s very low to the ground. Be sure you don’t allow your knees to point out over your feet. Instead, bend so your butt goes out like a duck and all the tension is on the front of your legs. Start with 50 reps and go for more if possible. Do them slow and use good form.

Lunges
Starting in the same position as squats, lunge forward until your back knee almost touches the ground. Push off the front foot until you’re in standing position. Lunge forward with the other leg until you perform a total of 20 on each leg.

Calf Raises
Use a fence or wall for support. Lift all the way up on your toes until you can flex your calves. It is useful to stand on a stair for a better stretch. You can also perform one leg at a time. Perform one set to failure.

After your workout, make sure you do some more stretching. This workout is simple and effective. It’s a great workout for tennis players who travel and want to maintain muscle strength on the road. It also can be done at home as a daily deposit to your fitness account. Remember, make a commitment to living fit, do some form of exercise daily, even if only for a few minutes. Eat healthy, nourishing meals. Don’t give up, and you will become more physically fit.

"I am behind on thanking you with all you did with and for Thomas. Your influence and faith will go..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:42:57 -0500

“I am behind on thanking you with all you did with and for Thomas. Your influence and faith will go with him the rest of his life. God uses people in their lives in all different ways. Yours is one of His awesome ways. Thanks, you have benefited his body and his life.”

"I have known Mr. Minns for approximately 6 years. During this time he has been our family’s tennis..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:42:00 -0500

“I have known Mr. Minns for approximately 6 years. During this time he has been our family’s tennis coach. He has provided instruction for our now 17-year old son, as well as my wife and me. When we started with Coach Minns, our son was only 12. At that time, my son and his two best friends had not played tennis at all, and were complete rookies. Brad was able to slowly build their skill levels with a progressive training regime that was age and skill level appropriate. Now, he includes the parents in the lessons, and is able to provide instruction and exercises that are appropriate for the varied skill levels of us all. He also constantly reminds us of the importance of healthy lifestyles, including dietary information and the need for exercise. He demonstrates this by walking the talk, clearly living the life he endorses. We have found Coach Minns to be an excellent tennis and fitness instructor, patient, supportive and highly encouraging. Mr. Minns’ tennis instructing skills are superb. However, the real benefits my family and friends receive from him go well beyond tennis. He is a fantastic role model for our sons. His consistent positive outlook, unwavering optimism and strong faith are values we want our children to emulate. Once a week, we look forward to our “boost of Brad” that lifts our spirit, and makes us very happy that we are able to spend some time with such a positive person.”

"With Brads help, I lost 21 lbs. and gained great muscle definition in four months."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:41:30 -0500

“With Brads help, I lost 21 lbs. and gained great muscle definition in four months.”

"I have known Brad for about 5 years as a personal trainer. During this time he worked with my wife..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:41:08 -0500

“I have known Brad for about 5 years as a personal trainer. During this time he worked with my wife and I as a couple. He was always punctual and committed to working with us. He always showed a positive attitude and was extremely motivational. During our time of training, Brad also became a personal friend. In this friendship his walk with the Lord has been clearly evident to me and a blessing.”

"The Lord has gifted you greatly with a talent for teaching tennis, but most of all, connecting with..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:40:08 -0500

“The Lord has gifted you greatly with a talent for teaching tennis, but most of all, connecting with people. Always work with people-you reach them in a special way.”

"You inspire people to become better not only physically, but mentally and spiritually. I count..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:39:51 -0500

“You inspire people to become better not only physically, but mentally and spiritually. I count myself blessed to have you as my coach.”

"Brad is a great personal trainer. he cares about his client’s fitness and health as well as them as..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:39:33 -0500

“Brad is a great personal trainer. he cares about his client’s fitness and health as well as them as a person.”

"Tennis is such a wonderful lifetime activity, and I truly believe you turned a lot of children onto..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:39:19 -0500

“Tennis is such a wonderful lifetime activity, and I truly believe you turned a lot of children onto the game. But thanks most of all, for making them see that with hard work, dedication, and perseverance, they too, can overcome obstacles in their lives and reach their full potentials.”

"Being trained Brad has been an incredible experience! I have always been a big person, even as a kid..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:38:36 -0500

“Being trained Brad has been an incredible experience! I have always been a big person, even as a kid growing up I was always the biggest in my class, and for the past seven years have weighed over 300 pounds. After training with Brad for 4 months I am now under 300 pounds, I can lift heavier weights than I ever imagined, and I am well on my way to looking great and feeling better than I ever have. Brads encouragement, knowledge of weight training, and focus on my needs, has given me the desire and determination to do whatever it takes to reach my goals.”

"Brad supplies me with an everlasting supply of faith and motivation. He has shared his knowledge and..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:38:05 -0500

“Brad supplies me with an everlasting supply of faith and motivation. He has shared his knowledge and wisdom to teach technique and proper nutrition. He also helped me transform from the inside out through his sound spiritual character. I have developed more self-confidence, better health, higher levels of energy, new friends, and a new healthier lifestyle.”

"Brad challenges me to meet and exceed my goals."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:37:17 -0500

“Brad challenges me to meet and exceed my goals.”

"I have spent my whole life in gyms, and have never seen a trainer as focused, committed and..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:37:00 -0500

“I have spent my whole life in gyms, and have never seen a trainer as focused, committed and dedicated to his clients.”

"Whenever you meet Brad, the joy of the Lord resonates off of him. He has a Godly spirit about him..."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:36:39 -0500

“Whenever you meet Brad, the joy of the Lord resonates off of him. He has a Godly spirit about him that is contagious. He’s always upbeat and optimistic. He’s a magnet for drawing people to Christ.”

"Loved it! I have never done anything like this before and it was fun and very motivating!"

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:36:18 -0500

“Loved it! I have never done anything like this before and it was fun and very motivating!”

"If Brad is handicapped, then maybe we should set about redefining what the word means."

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:36:00 -0500

“If Brad is handicapped, then maybe we should set about redefining what the word means.”

What I do

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:00:00 -0500

Modeling/Speaking

Brad exemplifies the spirit of the fitness lifestyle with his personal dedication and perseverance coupled with the belief that all individuals can overcome their challenges and reach their full potential. If your company represents quality, integrity, professionalism and service, let Brad bring your message out into the world. Brad has served as a model/spokesperson for the following companies:

E.A.S. Experimental Applied Sciences- National Spokesperson
Starkey Hearing Foundation “So the World May Hear” National Spokesperson
Nordic Flex- National Model
Structure- National Model

and much more…..

Fitness Training

I.S.S.A. CPT and second E.A.S. Bodybuilding Champion/Spokesperson Brad began his fitness journey at age 13 after being inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s book Education of a Bodybuilder. Now, nearly 30 years later, Brad has learned many valuable life-changing lessons that have helped him overcome a severe hearing disability to succeed and reach his dreams and goals.

Today his passion is in helping others to become the best they can be and go for their dreams. Whatever your goals are, whether they are becoming the next Body for Life Champion, improving your health, appearance, or overall outlook on life, let Brad with over 20 years of service to the Central Florida area help you to succeed. Call or email him today to set up your free initial consultation.

Tennis Instruction

With over 30 years experience as a player and coach. Brad is dedicated to helping you learn, enjoy and become the best player you can become. Whether you are playing for the first time or a seasoned athlete with dreams of playing high school, college or pro tennis, Brads enthusiasm and commitment to excellence will ensure you make the most of your time on the court in order to reach your goals. Brads Certifications:

U.S.T.A. National High Performance Coach
Elite Etcheberry certified tennis coach and trainer
P.T.R Certified tennis pro
U.S.P.T.A. Certified tennis pro
N.E.S.T.A. Speed, Agility, Quickness Trainer