From Marine Corps to Five Seasons, Brian Myers Takes Fitness Seriously

It’s not overly dramatic to say that physical fitness has been a matter of life-and-death for Brian Myers.

A Marine Corps gunnery sergeant, Myers has served for 21 months over the course of three deployments in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. To travel 500 meters in four hours, and then engage enemy troops, he’s had to lug 80 pounds of gear forging through waist-deep mud.

Since August 2010, he has been on the staff at Five Seasons Family Sports Club in Burr Ridge. There Myers has taken on a new, decidedly less perilous role as Fitness Director. The position is the latest in a fitness career spanning more than 10 years, during which time he has worked as a personal trainer.

Along the way, he has adopted an undeniable focus. He most enjoys working with people who are active and hard workers, and “want to be pushed” to the next level.

“There is no shortcut to fitness,” Myers said. “Fads often work for a short period, but the effects never last, and by the time it’s all said and done, most people are in worse shape than when they started.”

On a monthly basis, Myers holds a seminar at the club, 6901 S. Madison, dubbed “Less is More: How to Reach Your Fitness Goals in 30 Minutes or Less.” It is free and open to members and guests alike.

For Myers, the military is a family affair: his wife, Julie, is a Navy Chief and twice has been deployed to Iraq with the Navy Seabees.

A Southern Illinois native, he has established new roots in Bolingbrook, where he lives with his wife and four children.

Aside from his training experience, he is one semester shy of a fine arts degree that will be completed within the next year. Though he’s put painting on the shelf for some time, Myers has specialized in portraiture of babies and young children.

For the time being, however, he is focused on helping others achieve their fitness goals—even if they have hardly any time to devote to it.

“You can achieve pretty much any fitness goal you have on five hours or less a week of total exercise,” Myers said.

Compared with a typical workout regimen of 90 minutes, five times a week, the more intentional, focused approach can be done on 2 ½ hours fewer hours a week, Myers noted.

“Work out smarter, not harder,” he said. “We can design workouts that are more efficient, with shorter times of rest for interval training and a different exercise selection.”

When Jennifer Rediger of Hinsdale signed up in November to get trained by Myers, it was after a lifetime of working out. Rediger was already in good shape, having spent years as a gymnast and a step aerobics instructor.

“The problem was that, without even realizing it, I was over-doing it. Five to six days a week of intense work was just too much. My body got to a point where it was not really responding anymore,” Rediger recalled. “My goal was to cut down on the time I spent at the gym, while still getting a great workout that helped give my body better definition.”

Sessions with Myers have ramped up Rediger’s workouts while, ironically, also giving her more free time. Rediger works with Myers three days a week, with an additional day of light cardio she does on her own time.

Myers puts her through a full-body workout, changing up the routine every time so that she does not get bored. During her training sessions, Rediger has gotten to use equipment that was previously foreign to her, including TRX and Kettle Bells.

“Brian is absolutely amazing. He has taught me how to cut my workout time in half, while reaping twice the benefits,” she says. “I now have three extra hours in my week because of Brian. My goal was to tighten things up. I have definitely done that, losing at least an inch in every measurement.”

To learn more about the next session of “Less is More: How to Reach Your Fitness Goals in 30 Minutes or Less,” you can contact Myers at Five Seasons, 630-570-5200.

More information can be found on the club’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/FiveSeasonsBurrRidge