When Dave and Eve Thomas founded Winter Park Athletic Club, it was to fill the then void for personal trainers who would help clients achieve their fitness goals by guiding them through proper positioning to get the most benefit from their strength training routines. That was in a time when there were very few personal trainers in Central Florida, and the personal fitness industry was in the emerging growth stage.

The former Mr. Orlando and Central Florida Body Building Contest winner, who also excelled at the national level, had found his passion in assisting the people who often asked for help during his regular workouts. Having researched several methods of personal training, he discovered and underwent training in the Slow Method™, a more scientific approach to fitness. This method incorporates the tenets of stimulation, rest and recovery, the cornerstone of what is missing in the big gym environment.

When Dave opened the doors to his dream personal training center at its current location, he had built a team of personal trainers who were all trained in the Slow Method™, and who practice what they preach in their exercise and nutritional choices. He is proud of the fact that no matter which trainer clients receive at Winter Park Athletic Club, they receive a consistent workout, they are not overexerted and put into dangerous situations, and they receive satisfying results. “We have built a friendly, positive work environment,” says Dave, “and our trainers help our clients understand our exercise and nutritional philosophy, ensuring that they develop the right mental attitude to achieve their genetic potential.”