Archive for July 2022
X3 Sports is Named A Best and Brightest Companies to Work For®: Two Years Of Excellence
X3 Sports has been named one of The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® by the National Association for Business Resources for the second year in a row!
This award is important to us because it represents all of the hard work and dedication that we have put into maintaining our core values and positive workplace culture. In case you aren’t familiar with The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® award, allow us to explain why this designation is so special.
What Makes a Company The Best & Brightest?
The Best and Brightest programs “identify, recognize, and celebrate the organizations that epitomize Better Business. Richer Lives. Stronger Communities.” The best and brightest companies to work for are evaluated on these 11 aspects:
- Compensation, Benefits, and Employee Solutions
- Creative, Wellness, and Wellbeing Solutions
- Employee Enrichment
- Engagement and Retention
- Employee Education and Development
- Recruitment and Selection
- Employee Achievement and Recognition
- Communication and Shared Vision
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Work-Life Blend; Community Initiatives and Corporate Responsibility
- Leadership, Strategy, and Company Performance
The winners of The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® award scored highly in comparison to other companies based on surveys from employees within the organization. These surveys are anonymous so it is a true representation of a company’s culture. This is why we’re so excited to hold this prestigious award!
We’ll go into more detail below about why X3 Sports fits the bill for one of the best and brightest companies to work for! As you read through this, consider visiting our careers page to learn about available opportunities or booking a free class to try us on for size.
Our Strategy on Culture
At X3 Sports we believe that our people create our culture. We are proud to maintain a positive, supportive, and healthy work environment that makes our employees feel appreciated and valued.
Our organization has three core values that we prioritize to achieve a greater caliber of success and work satisfaction. These core values are:
Warrior Spirit
Warrior Spirit is synonymous with loyalty. A staff member has true Warrior Spirit when they deliver an amazing experience to our members and/or teammates.
Having a Warrior Spirit is all about:
- Accountability
- Commitment
- Reliability
- Responsibility
Hero Centric
Hero Centric boils down to passion. Our X3 Warriors believe in building strong, authentic relationships based on trust, honesty, and integrity. We take pride in knowing that we are making a real difference in the lives of our members, our community, and our teammates.
Hero Centric is all about:
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Trustworthiness
- Action-Oriented
Champion Mindset
An individual has a Champion Mindset when they have a strong work ethic. Our staff members are dedicated to continuously learning, growing, and improving to exceed member and teammate expectations while aspiring to reach the next level in our personal, professional and fitness journeys.
A Champion Mindset is all about:
- A Winning Attitude
- Self-Motivation
- High Standards
- Discipline
At each of our five X3 Sports locations, our team members hold each other accountable and encourage one another to represent and embody these three core values everyday.
We believe that our culture at X3 Sports, one focused on enrichment, respect and a set of values that permeate the company and inspire our members, is what sets us apart from other gyms as one of the best and brightest companies to work for.
Our People Make Our Culture
There’s no better way to hear about what this award means to X3 Sports than to hear it directly from the Warriors who create our culture. First, let’s hear from the big guy; our President and CEO, Mike Littrel:
“Winning this award is representative of the X3 team and culture. We started out with the idea to help people change their lives through fitness and along the way this amazing place called X3 has blossomed into more than just 5 locations, but into an opportunity for amazing and passionate professionals to change their lives and their families. I have seen the people that make up the team at X3 grow so much personally, professionally, economically, socially, and spiritually over the years, that I am continuously inspired and motivated by the individuals around me that are TEAM X3!”
Mike founded X3 Sports in 2007 with Tony Tucci and you can frequently find both of them at the club, either working out alongside our members or supporting our staff. Our leadership team at X3 Sports stays involved in the ins and outs of club operations to make sure each team member has the tools they need to succeed. Not every founding team takes the time to do that – and that’s why we’re one of the best and brightest companies to work for.
Donovan is a Membership Coach at X3 Sports and he couldn’t agree more, “X3 Sports is a one-of-a-kind company. We’re hands-on with all of our members and we are goal-oriented. I truly believe there’s nobody out there in Atlanta that’s like X3 Sports.”
X3 Sports is a Tight-Knit Team
In addition to our core value system and incredible, involved leadership team, X3 Sports sets itself apart from other organizations as one of the best and brightest companies to work for because our staff is tight-knit, in and outside of work. There is a reason we say #X3Family; we support each other like true family members and we spend time together outside of our shifts. It’s easy to form a community when we all share a common value system and believe in the classes we offer and the impact we make on our members. It’s not uncommon to find a cluster of us hanging out outside the gym at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitions, fights, races, restaurants, and other local activities.
Hear it from Jack, a martial arts fanatic and Membership Coach at X3 Sports Inman Park, “We have the best front desk people and a great all-around team. It’s a great environment to work in. I just love coming in every day and interacting with like-minded and positive people. I’ve made great relationships with everybody I work with, we don’t just see each other here, we hang out outside of work, too. I also love that I’ve been able to excel in each position that I’ve had while moving up the ladder.”
Jack started as a Front Desk Coordinator at X3 Sports West Midtown and has worked his way up in the ranks through his pure dedication and effort. He believes X3 Sports empowers him to reach new heights while having fun along the way. He has also become close friends with Janese, a Front Desk Coordinator at X3 Sports Inman Park.
Although Janese has only been working at X3 for a couple of months, she is impressed with our culture and she felt like she fit in right away, “The atmosphere and the teamwork are my favorite things about X3 Sports. Our community here is very strong.”
Even though our team at X3 Sports is close, we are super welcoming to new staff members. Our inclusiveness is a major reason we’re one of the best and brightest companies to work for and why our employees feel valued, safe and fulfilled!
Thank you to all of our Warriors who embody our core values every day. You are the reason we’re one of The Best and Brightest Companies To Work For!
Try Your First Class For Free
Now that you know all about why X3 Sports, which has five convenient locations across the Atlanta Metro area, including two in Marietta and one in Athens, is so proud of being named one of the best and brightest companies to work for! We dare you to come try a class for yourself to see if you vibe with our culture and core values. Get in on the action, and Book Your First Class for FREE Today! See for yourself why X3 Sports was named one of the best and brightest companies to work for and determine if this is a community you’re ready to join and inspire on a daily basis.
If you are interested in joining our team, check out our Careers page to apply for any of our open positions. We’d love to hear from you!
How To Meet Your Fitness Goals By Hiring a Personal Trainer
Have you thought about the benefits of hiring a personal trainer? If you haven’t worked out in months or even years, it can be hard to know where to start. And if you’re anything like me, then you’ve retired your fitness efforts to a rare thing you do when you suddenly have a burst of motivation (and maybe shame) after scrolling past an attractive model with a killer body on social media.
That twinge of, “damn, I should really get back in the gym” is common, but the execution is a different story. A lot of us try to implement a workout schedule that then falls victim to other priorities. Or we get a spark of inspiration to sign up for a gym membership that we swear we’ll use and…then we don’t.
Motivation is a tricky thing when it comes to moving your body and prioritizing your health, but there are ways to make it easier. For me, hiring a personal trainer was the key to finally following through. Here’s why:
How Hiring a Personal Trainer Helps You Set Fitness Goals
So maybe you want to “get in shape” or “feel better,” but what does that really mean? These goals are generally abstract and they can leave you directionless when you step into the gym. Setting smaller, more reachable fitness goals is a crucial part of being successful in those larger goals. When hiring a personal trainer, you’ll receive access to a fitness expert who will help you determine what those goals should be.
When I went to my body assessment with Patrick, a personal trainer at X3 Sports, my fitness goals were along the vague lines of “lose weight,” “get toned,” and “feel stronger.” I hadn’t put much thought into the milestones of those goals or what it would look like to reach them. By hiring a personal trainer, I learned that the first step was to do a body composition test.
As I stepped on the analyzer, which looks a lot like a scale, Patrick printed out my results. The analyzer revealed my fat percentage, fat mass in pounds, BMI, weight, and more. Patrick walked me through what these numbers meant and helped me set a concentrated goal of losing 12.01 lbs in 3 months with personal training sessions twice per week.
With my new, more focused fitness goal set, I finally had clarity on what I was after. Losing a pound a week seemed entirely possible and I felt much more motivated to put in the effort to get there.
When hiring a personal trainer at X3 Sports, you will similarly receive help setting a pointed goal based on your body composition, diet, the time you have to dedicate to working out, and your bigger picture goals. After you have that main fitness goal set, your trainer will work with you in each session to set and achieve smaller goals for things like reps, weight, and endurance. These incremental goals will help you along the way to reaching your ultimate target.
A Personal Trainer Will Educate You On Health and Fitness
You will need a baseline knowledge of health and fitness to stay on track. However, most of us are so busy with work, family, friends, and the daily grind of life that adding a workout plan to our schedule and dedicating additional time to learn about nutrition and targeted exercises can feel unfeasible.
Thankfully, when hiring a personal trainer, you’ll have a wealth of knowledge right at your fingertips who can easily educate you about health and fitness. With a fitness professional like Patrick as my guide and teacher, I have much more direction in my workouts and diet. Patrick will plan my workouts to target certain areas of my body while explaining to me why this exercise is important.
Similarly, hiring a personal trainer helped me plan my diet and nutrition in a way that maximized impact and led me closer to my goals. Patrick taught me to avoid carbs like pasta and bread on days I don’t work out and to load up on protein on the days that we focus on my legs and back. When hiring a personal trainer, you will receive manageable tips like these without feeling overwhelmed.
This baseline knowledge of health and fitness will supercharge your fitness journey without you needing to spend hours on research.
Personal Training Gives Your Workouts Structure
Have you ever tried to work out on your own and ended up so sore that you could hardly walk the next day? A lot of us head to the gym and aimlessly start doing reps and exercises that we know how to do (or think we know how to do). While you may have felt like you got a good workout in, going too hard and putting too much stress on your body at once may leave you feeling unmotivated or too sore to go back the next day or the day after.
By hiring a personal trainer and building a well-rounded workout plan, you’ll be able to build muscle and burn calories at a steady rate. A personal trainer gives your workouts structure by planning circuits, weight training, and cardio exercises that deliver an impact on your fitness, without straining your muscles or hurting your body.
Trust me, you will definitely still feel the burn and be sore after a personal training session, but under a guided framework, the fitness payoffs will be much greater.
Hiring A Personal Trainer Will Give You Accountability
The top reason I wanted to work out with a personal trainer is for accountability. I’m the type of person who would never miss a work deadline or plans I set with a friend, but when I’m left to my own devices in my health and fitness, I will easily skip a workout with whatever excuse I can rationalize at the moment.
According to a study by The American Society of Training and Development, I’m not alone in feeling this way. People are 65% percent likely to meet a goal after committing to another person and their chances of success increase to 95% when they build ongoing meetings with their partners to check in on their progress.
When hiring a personal trainer, you are committing to an accountability partner who will help you follow through with your goals. Your personal trainer will help you stay on track by holding you responsible for showing up to your sessions.
Beyond just showing up, hiring a personal trainer will also help you squeeze more out of each exercise by giving you encouragement and tips along the way. Patrick will often add reps to my sets if I give a rep less effort or add weight if it looks too easy for me. On your own, you may sacrifice a set to finish early, but a personal trainer gives you that push you need to follow through.
Working out with a personal trainer is an investment in your health and fitness that truly pays off. By hiring a personal trainer, you’ll find the motivation to exercise in a way you never were able to on your own. A personal trainer will help you with the planning, education, structure, and accountability to empower you to your fitness goals.
X3 Sports’ Qualified Trainers Are Fueled By Data
At X3 Sports, hiring a personal trainer is a high-value proposition that can greatly enhance your broader fitness goals. Our trainers use a comprehensive individualized dataset to determine exactly the types of training that you should be doing and the type of nutrition that you should be consuming to more efficiently reach your health and wellness goals. With five locations across Atlanta, Athens and Marietta, and convenient gym hours and class times, we meet you where you are, when you’re ready to sweat.
Are you ready to take your strength and weight loss goals to a new level? Are you ready to start feeling more fit, energized and confident? Hiring a personal trainer can rapidly accelerate you toward the body and life of your dreams.
Schedule your Free Body Assessment today to get started and to see if hiring a personal trainer is right for you. Stop by an X3 location to check out our world-class facilities for yourself. The community at X3 is full of life and energy and we guarantee you that after one class you’ll see the value in dedicating your time and energy to this practice. Book your first class with X3 Sports for free today.
A Beginner’s Guide to Group Boxing Classes
If you’re interested in trying boxing classes in Atlanta, X3 Sports is the perfect place to start. Boxing is an amazing way to burn calories (like a lot of them), lose weight, tone up, improve coordination, boost your energy levels, and—one of its lesser-known benefits—build confidence. To top it off, we all need to sweat out some stress every so often, and what better way to do that than to hit a punching bag?
Even though you may dream of throwing jabs at the bag, that nervous hesitation that comes with being a beginner may be holding you back. I get it. It can be scary to take a boxing class for the first time, especially if you’re new to the area and don’t know anyone. Maybe you’ve already been an X3 Warrior for some time but Yoga is more your thing. Maybe you’ve been more the running type and feel intimidated by the thought of throwing punches.
It’s normal to fear looking goofy or to write it off as a professional sport. But the truth is, boxing classes are for everyone, no matter your skills, experience or fitness level. At X3 Sports, all types of people come together to sweat it out, work towards their unique fitness goals, and relieve some stress. Our group boxing classes combine strength and cardio alongside boxing technique, giving you a well-rounded, dynamic workout that will help you feel better and stronger in your body, no matter your endgame.
So, what makes X3’s boxing classes different (and, dare we say, better?) than those offered by other fitness establishments or boxing clubs? Why do we think boxing classes are a great workout? We’re glad you asked.
Check out why you’ll love X3’s boxing classes in this brief guide:
Our Boxing Classes are Beginner-Friendly
If you’ve never stepped into the ring (or even thrown a punch), no problem! All of our trainers were once beginners, too, and our classes are full of people just like you. We believe that everyone has more inner strength than they realize, so our trainers work to empower you and bring out that Warrior within.
If you’re the type of person who gets butterflies in your stomach when you think about being the newbie in the room, one way to take the edge off your nerves is to simply be upfront about your beginner status. Get to class a few minutes early, talk to the trainer, and let them know it’s your first class. Our front desk staff will also provide you with boxing gloves and hand wraps so you have everything you need for your first class. Not sure how to use those? No problem. Our dedicated team would love to show you how to wrap your hands and properly wear and use your gloves – just ask!
Once your class begins, our trainers will walk you through all the boxing and conditioning moves. They will keep an eye on your form to make sure you’re learning how to do every move correctly from the beginning. They will teach you proper technique, help you avoid common pitfalls, offer tips and pointers, and help you master new moves and drills. All of this instruction together will make sure that you’re getting a great workout while protecting your joints. Longevity is key and keeping our members injury free is of utmost importance for the professional trainers of X3’s boxing classes.
During the class, your trainer will load you up with healthy doses of encouragement and ensure you’re having a great time while you punch up your game. Before long, you’ll be jabbing to the upbeat music and all that nervousness will melt away. Maybe you’ll even feel comfortable offering a dose of inspiration to the next nervous novice who walks in!
Boxing is a Total-Body Workout
X3’s Beginner and Advanced Boxing classes will use your muscles from head to toe while giving you a great cardio workout. A study by Forza shows that boxing classes burn more calories than any other fitness class with as many as 800 calories burned per hour. Boxing is a form of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), a type of anaerobic training in which you perform bursts of maximum energy output in between brief periods of rest. HIIT workouts are more effective at burning calories than less dynamic cardio workouts, such as running or biking, which makes boxing an effective tool for losing weight.
Boxing classes also build lean muscle mass all throughout your body, notably in your core, arms, glutes and legs. As you duck, pivot, lunge and punch with heavy bag practice and work your way through other boxing drills, such as shadow boxing in which you throw punches into the air as though you’re sparring an invisible opponent, you’ll build strength while increasing your endurance and overall cardiovascular health. Boxing beginners will discover that punching is more about the legs and the hips than the arms. If you’re an experienced boxer, our instructors will help you evolve the training you’ve already had and find ways to turn up the intensity and fine-tune your techniques.
Every boxing class at X3 starts with a solid warm-up to get you loose and pumped up before you dive into the boxing drills, but we also invite you to come early and stay after class and take advantage of all the free gym space and cardio machines we have at the facility to extend your warm-ups and cool-downs. The 45-minute class will be packed with active movements and boxing skill training to really make you sweat. No matter how seasoned you are in martial arts, you’ll gain an appreciation for all the elements that come together—bobbing and weaving, combos, footwork, head movement, and more—to create an amazing and energizing full-body workout.
You’ll Learn Something New in Each Class
Your body is great at adapting, so to avoid plateaus, you need to keep your muscles and your brain guessing. Changing up your workouts is one of the best ways to do that. Another reason X3’s boxing classes are so beneficial is because they’re constantly changing, not only from minute to minute in class, but also from class to class.
From day to day and trainer to trainer in your boxing classes, you’ll be using a varying mix of cardio-building, mobility-building, strength-building, dexterity-building, confidence-building, flexibility-building exercises (so much building) that will improve your fitness and keep you on your toes.
Our boxing classes always include some combination of formal boxing training like heavy bag work, shadow boxing, or focus mitt drills, paired with strength and conditioning exercises that build up your overall fitness. Here are a few of the exercises you might experience in a beginner-friendly boxing class:
Bag work
Bag work is probably what you think of when you think of a boxing workout. You’ll stand in front of a heavy bag and throw punches at it. Our heavy bags are industry standard at 125 pounds, making them a fierce opponent no matter your skill level.
Shadowboxing
Shadowboxing can be used as a warm-up or workout. You will throw punches in the air (at your shadow) instead of at a bag or a physical opponent. This drill is particularly good for gaining the muscle memory needed to get in the habit of keeping your hands up, but it’s also a great cardio exercise.
Focus Mitt Drills
During focus mitt drills in boxing classes, trainers wear hand-held pads called “mitts” while participants punch the pads. There are many different kinds of drill combos, yet each one focuses on helping you improve your reflexes, technique or strategy. For example, in the “call and catch,” the trainer asks or “calls” for specific punches, and the participant executes them.
Strength Exercises
Strength exercises are activities that help you strengthen your muscles and improve your overall boxing fitness and abilities. These could include push-ups, planks, crunches, squats, and lunges.
Conditioning Exercises
Conditioning exercises help you improve your endurance through jogging around the room, jumping rope, or—that middle-school staple—doing jumping jacks.
Try Your First Class For Free!
If you’re a beginner, just remember that you’re learning a new skill, so be patient with yourself, take a break when you need one, and ask for help when you’re feeling lost. Our team at X3 Sports wants to see you excel comfortably and confidently. We’ll be with you every step of the way! We hope these tips help you feel empowered to take a boxing class at any of our X3 Sports locations in North Marietta, Marietta, Inman Park, West Midtown, or Athens. Sign up for your first boxing class FREE today and see if a membership with our active and motivated community of Warriors is right for you!