Chad Robins started weight training at age 13. That’s about the same time he began to explore his love of cooking. He was always into eating healthy, participating in sports and being active. So it’s no wonder that he’s found a way to channel all of his interests and talents into his newest business venture: Underground Fitness, a private fitness training company that caters to individualized training programs, nutritional counseling and overall health and wellness.
Born and raised in Bexley, Ohio, Chad credits his mom for his culinary passion. “When I was young, I loved learning and observing my mom’s talent in the kitchen,” Chad says. “As I got older, I learned that if you want to eat healthy, you have to cook your own food most of the time.” He was on a path toward culinary school when he lucked into an apprenticeship with a well-respected Phoenician chef. He worked two years under the tutelage of Chef Peter Nunez at Marcella’s Kitchen. “The only thing I disliked about the culinary profession was the late night hours,” he says.
Chad loved being a chef and remains connected to the food industry through his partnership with a local chef to develop a line of healthy gourmet granola that should hit the market in late 2015. But Chad also has been training clients for 23 years. He’s a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and enjoys introducing elements of martial arts training into his sessions with clients. “Martial arts training has centered me and brought great joy and discipline to my life. It’s great being able to pass that on
to my students,” he explains. In addition to the tried and true types of training, Robins has also incorporated an unusual form of training into his client sessions known as “Surfset Fitness.” Surfset is a popular new exercise format that uses a mounted surfboard, the RipsurferX, to simulate surf-style training. It engages the core and stabilizer muscles to help create that lean, long athletic surfer physique.
After my own attempt at Surfset, I can attest to the fact that it engages the body and mind and challenges one’s strength, focus and balance. Chad uses the surf- style workout as a part of many clients’ workout routines. He says he focuses on proper technique and functional and primal movement patterns. In conjunction with proper stretching protocols, he also uses myofascial compression and myofascial release to help relieve or prevent pain.
If you train with Chad, you’ll be stretching, rolling, surfing and using a variety of cutting-edge tools and training equipment. You’ll also be working with a hand-picked, elite staff of highly qualified personal trainers. Chad and his trainers carefully design unique plans that work specifically for your body, goals, lifestyle and mental well-being. “We focus on each and every individual,” says Chad. “Our motto alone says it for us: ‘Be known by your name, not your membership number!’ ”
Chad and his staff of trainers also provide individualized, complimentary nutritional counseling to all of their clients. Whether it’s creating an eating plan for weight loss, designing daily meals, meal prep, shopping or recipe design, Chad and his staff are always actively attempting to promote a more organic, sustainable and chemical-free healthy lifestyle.
“A quality healthy lifestyle can completely change your outlook on life,” he says. If you want to make changes, Chad advises, “The best way to get fit for the New Year is to mentally take the time to relax and decide what you want out of your life.” It’s easy to get out of step over the holidays. Chad says, “During the holidays, keep up with your current training regimen and eat small meals throughout the day. This is the time of year you may eat some items that are not typical for your nutritional program, that’s OK. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Just keep the portion sizes small and eat everything in moderation.” Chad likes to eat “natural goodies” in place of traditional holiday sweets that aren’t loaded with preservatives, chemicals, GMOs and refined sugars.
Underground Fitness has four locations, one each in Grayhawk, Desert Ridge, Arrowhead and North Phoenix, and Chad has plans to launch another five to seven locations in Phoenix and the surrounding areas within the next four years. I’ve been training with Chad at the North Scottsdale location for the past few months and can tell you that his blend of strength training, myofascial release and stretching, combined with my regular cardio workouts, is strengthening my mind, body and spirit. Some of the movements Chad chooses for me challenge my equilibrium significantly and are reminiscent of yoga and Pilates. It’s like an all-around workout that builds strength and coordination while improving balance, focus and flexibility. It’s truly everything you want in a workout.
“I’m working hard,” Chad confesses. “Some days I see up to 12 clients. That’s a long day.” But he’s rewarded with going home to his inspiring, creative artist wife, Paola, his 12-year-old son, Noah, and his 8-year-old daughter, Isabella. “I do it all for them …” says Chad. “I want them to see that hard work pays off when you can live a full life and help others along the way.”
Chad and his family belong to Temple Chai and are starting to plan Noah’s bar mitzvah. Raised a Conservative Jew, Chad says, “I became a bar mitzvah in Columbus and Israel. It’s exciting to see your kids grow up with a love of Judaism and a sense of tradition.” While Noah loves Jewish learning and is excited to become a bar mitzvah, Chad jokes that he’ll probably need to spend even more long days in the gym to cover the bar mitzvah costs. “We’re not gonna get crazy with it. But by the time you invite all the family and a few friends, you’re already looking at a pretty big event.”
I remind Chad that we hired a fabulous personal chef for our son’s, Levi’s, big bar mitzvah celebration last year. “He was outstanding,” I declare. “The food was healthy and delicious. Nice Jewish guy too. You might want to think about hiring him.” Chad smiles with a bit of embarrassment. “I’m glad you liked
him. Unfortunately he’ll be too busy playing host at Noah’s bar mitzvah celebration to be using his culinary talents in the kitchen.”
“Too bad,” I lament. “It’s a curse being good at everything.”
Chad Robins | 480-310-3195 | [email protected] Undergroundfitnessaz.com
