For anyone seeking to get a leg up on his or her personal fitness, stepping inside a gym for the first time can be intimidating. It’s hard to know where to start or who can help. At Velocity Sports Performance, the environment and the methods are much different.

“We want to build a total athlete – mind, body and spirit,” said Rob Harris, Velocity’s head sports performance coach. “If you want results our system is proven.”

Velocity is not a gym. It’s not a fitness center where you can find aerobics or Pilates classes. You won’t find a swimming pool, racquetball court or sauna, and you won’t find large rooms filled with clanking weights and bulky complicated machines.

“What you get here is a curriculum with a team of coaches at a fraction of the cost. You get accountability and motivation,” said Corey Chandler, co-owner and center director of Velocity.

Chandler attests Velocity’s success and individuality to what he calls the three C’s – coaches, center and curriculum.

There are three sports development facilities in San Antonio, Velocity being one of them and, according to Chandler, Velocity is the only one that requires all of its coaches to have a four-year degree in exercise science or a related field and also to be certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association and USA Weightlifting.

Chandler says that, as the head coach, Harris is an “immeasurable asset, brings instant credibility and is leader by example.” Harris has previously worked with renowned athletes including cyclist Lance Armstrong and U.S. softball pitcher Jenny Finch.

Inside Velocity’s 20,000 square-foot facilities is a strategically designed layout of curriculum specific weights and training equipment, 50 yards of football style artificial turf and 50 plus yards of an all weather, three lane track. Because Velocity’s largest age group is 11 to12 year olds, Velocity also has a large viewing room for parents and coaches.

“Interaction with parents is crucial,” Harris said.

Chandler says everything in the facility is intentional. Everything is chosen specifically to meet curriculum requirements.

One immediate observation that one might make about Velocity is there are no mirrors anywhere in the training area, and this too is deliberate.

“We want the student’s movements to become natural,” Harris said. “We want them to know what it feels like not just what it looks like.”

Harris said Velocity’s program is not sports specific. You won’t learn to improve your swing or how to be a better receiver. It’s about fundamental training. Their core focus is developing speed, power, agility and balance as well as flexibility and injury prevention and it is developmentally appropriate for all ages. It’s about helping students' movement to be more efficient and ultimately more effective.

Velocity offers training for kids as young as 8, middle and high school age athletes and adults as well.

One thing that is evident at Velocity is not only are the coaches knowledgeable but they clearly have a passion for what they do.

“We are blessed to have an entire team who is passionate about this,” Chandler said. “It’s about relationship building – San Antonio is a family-oriented community and we take that approach.”