If you’re a fan of the motto, “work smarter, not harder,” then you will be pleased to know that you can apply the same principles to your physical training regimen. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, the practice of training smart can be the difference between mediocrity and success.
Donny Mateaki, founder and director of Seattle based athletic facility, DM Athletics, had to learn about training smart the hard way. Mateaki excelled in basketball, track, and football growing up, and was offered a spot on the University of Washington’s football team in 2002. He played well all four years, even earning 2nd Team Freshman All American Honors. After his time with the Huskies ended, Mateaki walked away with a body that had declined tremendously.
“My upper and lower body lost a lot of strength, while my speed and vertical seemed to drop as well,” Mateaki says on his website, adding “As someone who has been so passionate about constant improvement in athleticism, I didn’t want anyone to go through my experience.”
After a lot of reflection, research, and experimentation, Mateaki created DM Athletics, with the goal of training athletes in a way that prevents the physical decline he experienced as a college football player. It’s a long held belief that doing anything with passion is best, and it appears that Mateaki has tapped into that. He is building a reputation throughout the greater Seattle area for getting solid results through his intelligently designed training programs.
“Fitness and strength training is my passion. It is not simply the element of working hard, but also being intelligent about the kind of work that is done, which will gain us the success we want to achieve,” said Mateaki.
So, what exactly does it mean to train smart at DM Athletics?
First, training smart means setting a client up for success from the very beginning. Mateaki accomplishes this by providing a series of tests to determine that client’s particular weaknesses. A client’s weaknesses may be in the area of strength or technique, or even in the client’s mindset.
“The most important component of doing this for our athletes is our evaluation where we can pick out the weaknesses in the athlete and then come up with the proper program to improve their performance and reduce their risk of injury. We look at their posture and their movement,” said Mateaki.
After gauging weakness, and therefor potential areas for improvement, Mateaki is well equipped to create a roadmap leading to an injury free, successful outcome, wherein the athlete has improved upon all areas discussed.
Additionally, Mateaki teaches his clients that basic foundation of a proper diet.
“We do teach them some nutritional things that help like eating tons of fruits and veggies along with drinking a lot of water,” he said, demonstrating his belief that a whole food diet trumps the latest trends in nutrition.
The idea that Mateaki can sculpt a serious athlete from the raw talent and drive that walks through the door has the world of competitive sports abuzz, especially in terms of high school athletics, for which just the slightest edge can make the biggest difference. High school athletes are competing for scholarships, and the ability to compete at the college level, so it’s no surprise that parents and coaches alike are sending their athletes to DM Athletics.
Anthony Gobern, former cornerback for the University of Washington (2008-2012), knows all about the slight edge that Mateaki’s methods garner. Gobern visited Mateaki’s training facility with the goal of advancing to the National Football League.
“When I first arrived at the gym I was tested on the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) which showed that I needed improvement on my hip flexibility and shoulder stability,” said Gobern. After his assessment, Mateaki developed a training regimen that would improve upon Gobern’s hip flexibility and shoulder stability, while also improving his athletic performance as a whole. After following Mateaki’s regimen, Gobern performed at Pro Day and received positive feedback from not one, but four teams, including the Seattle Seahawks. And while Gobern is currently pursuing a career outside the NFL, Mateaki’s roster of high profile clients continues to grow, including not only a junior Olympian, but a Carolina Panther as well.
Mateaki’s Facebook page is full of powerful, inspiring news regarding his clients. Recently, in one post, Mateaki stated that 7 out of 8 of his high school athletes had earned a scholarship to play their respective sport at the college level. That is a huge win for DM Athletics, and bulletproof evidence that training smart offers a serious advantage for future professional athletes.
