Making the Team

Cut from basketball tryouts the previous year, he came to MANA determined to make the team this year.

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I was lucky enough to work with Wendell Navalta from MANA Personal Training and I only have positive things to say. I joined the program hoping to improve my athleticism for high school basketball after being cut from tryouts the previous year. I started at the very bottom and was the only athlete in MANA’s history unable to perform the program’s most basic exercise, a “kick-out.” Wendell assured me that I’d be able to do them without a problem very soon. I trained with him twice a week and, within a few weeks, I could do kick-outs easily.

The real transformation happened when I was introduced to the plyometric boxes. I started with a 15-inch vertical jump, but by using Wendell’s training methods and techniques, I managed to increase it to 23 inches in less than a year. One of my most memorable moments was when I told Wendell that I needed to bench press 115 pounds within a month for basketball tryouts. Wendell and I immediately got to work. In just a couple of weeks, I hit 115 pounds helping me make the team.

Wendell also places a strong emphasis on the mental side of sports, which I feel is the most important. He encouraged me tirelessly and inspired me to work as hard as possible. Now, although I no longer play sports competitively and have chosen to pursue other goals, his methods still stick with me. Three years later, I continue to use the same meal plan and training regimen he introduced when I started. My vertical jump is now over 25 inches and I bench press around 280 pounds. If I hadn’t had the opportunity to learn from such an incredible mentor, I doubt I’d be anywhere close to where I am today. Wendell is the kind of person you want to have meaningful conversations with and who values the hard work you put in on your own time. I highly recommend Wendell and MANA Personal Training to anyone looking to improve athletically or become a more focused athlete.

Bergen Hall

Liberty High School

Class of 2024