Being trained by Maria was NEVER easy. But it was well worth it. I don't remember ever doing a traditional bench press, barbell squat or Romanian deadlift with Maria. Not that they're not useful, but you don't necessarily need a trainer with you to do those. I do remember working my hips, glutes (that's your butt) and feet in ways I would never have conceived of on my own. I remember being told about the critical importance of post-workout stretching, and painful moments with the rolling stick (think of a foam roller, only much more firm, and controlled by another person who, unlike you, cannot feel your pain when working the knots out of your tight muscles). I remember wondering when some of these (mostly untimed) sessions would be over. I also remember the results. I remember having Maria stretch me before a rec league game where I'd be matched up against a couple of then-current NBA players, and feeling as if I'd unwrapped a brand new pair of legs, despite having played two games the night before.I remember playing a week of pickup games at the University of Miami during the NBA lockout in 2011 and feeling so accomplished to see myself hanging, physically, with players from the top league in the world. And these were not fringe players. These were players who have All-Star selections, Max contracts, Olympic gold medals, MVP & Rookie of The Year awards and scoring titles to their names. I was running and jumping with them and didn't feel one bit out of place. I remember players asking me how they could get to a similar physical shape as me. I remember wondering how to translate what Maria was doing with me to any serious, hungry player. What you're reading about is the answer. The Ultimate Athlete was designed and written by Maria Sollon, with one mandate from me: Make an off-court training program, specifically for basketball players, that focuses on every area of athletic ability necessary for basketball. The program must be useable by someone who has no gym access, nor equipment. The program should be adjustable for both in-season and off-season use, and adjustable by level of the user's ability. Maria, being the professional that she is, made it happen.
About the Author: Dre Baldwin is the world's only expert on Mental Toughness, Confidence and Self-Discipline. A 9-year professional basketball player, Dre works with athletes, entrepreneurs and business professionals as a speaker, consultant, author and content über-producer. Dre has worked with and/or appeared in Nike, Finish Line, Wendy's Gatorade, Buick, Wilson Sports, STASH app, SLAM and DIME magazines. Dre has been blogging since 2005 and started publishing to YouTube in 2006. He has over 5,500 videos published, with daily content going out to his 122,000+ subscribers and being viewed over 40 million times. Dre's "Work On Your Game" show on Grant Cardone TV is consistently top-5 in views on the network. Dre has given 3 TED Talks, published 13 books and has a daily podcast, Work On Your Game with DreAllDay. A Philadelphia native and Penn State alum, Dre lives in Miami. *** Maria Sollon MS, CSCS, PES is an inspiring and enthusiastic fitness professional and performance coach. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention as well as a BS in Kinesiology from Penn State University. Maria has been transforming lives through fitness for over 20 years. She aligns her expertise in Pilates, Performance Coaching, and Corrective Exercise Techniques with her functional style of training. She is a national presenter/educator, a freelance writer, a fitness model, and creator of Plyo Pilates(TM), a dynamic bodyweight program that involves all aspects of training. Maria has been in several fitness DVDs as well as conducted her own exercise video series. She is certified with NSCA-CSCS, NASM-PES, ACE, AFAA and is a continuing education provider for both ACE and AFAA. She is also a master trainer for Total Gym, Maddog Athletics affiliates, ISCA, and Kettle Bell Concepts. Maria travels around the country presenting workshops for health clubs and at various fitness conferences. She holds fitness certifications such as Pole Star Pilates, Powerhouse Pilates, Peak MVe, Barre, Yoga, Spinning, Kettle Bell, amongst others. She has worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach for Collegiate athletics such as the California University of Pennsylvania's hockey and basketball teams as well as conducted many dry-land workouts for professional ice hockey teams in the East Coast Hockey League (AA hockey league of the NHL).