Athlete Testimonials
OUR ATHLETES
DON'T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT, TAKE THEIRS!
Nick McGlynn
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- Drake University Graduate
- Professional Basketball Player - Leuven Bears, Belgium
As I moved from high school athletics to college athletics, and now as a professional, strength training, proper recovery techniques, and overall fitness has become more and more important in my life. Luckily, from the very beginning of my journey, even before my first Varsity game, I had Level Up to guide me.
The coaches I've gotten to know over the years, especially Mike, Zac, and Josh have always steered me in the right direction when it came to building muscle and getting my body where it need to be. The facilities are top-notch and the personable environment provides a gym that both welcomes and challenges you to be the best athlete and even person you can possibly be.
Max Fuller
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- UW-Oshkosh Graduate
Level Up was big part of why I was able to be a college athlete in the first place. It taught me the work and discipline it took to be a college athlete, as well as being a successful human being. I was lucky enough to work with both Mike and Zach, and their commitment to me held me accountable to commit to myself. Nothing comes easy in the gym, just like nothing comes easy in college athletics or life.
I played football for the University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh. In my time there, I was a part of a conference championship, 2 playoff appearances, and a national championship runner-up. Level up made that experience for me possible. I went from a scrawny 185lbs from the time I started with level up, to a fit, athletic 250lbs by the time I was done playing. Level Up was there from start to finish helping me maximize my workouts, my recovery, and my diet to get the most out of my ability. I would not have been a successful college athlete without level up. Level up took me from just a guy on the sidelines, to a guy starting on a national runner-up.
I loved the fact the Level Up always made working out fun. Getting to the gym is always the hardest part. But once you got to the gym, it was a blast. I also loved the fact that everything we did was transferable to the field of competition. There were never any wasted movements, and there was always an explanation for why we were doing certain exercises.
Finally, there is no one size fits all approach at level up. They take the time to understand the mind and body of athlete that they are working with and customize a training plan that best suits their needs. 2 athletes training for the same sport will have 2 completely different training plans.
You will never be the best athlete, or person you can possibly without putting in the work or surrounding yourself with the right people.
I work for my families excavating company, which demands a ton of time and effort. The lessons of hard work and dedication I learned from level up have helped me succeed in this business.
Brady Schipper
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- UW-Madison Graduate
Level Up allowed me to be prepared for the heavy demand of college sports. Division 1 college football is a very fast and physical sport, and without my previous training at Level Up, I wouldn’t have been ready for it. Level Up taught me how to build strength while also maintaining mobility to give myself the best chance at being successful.
I started training at Level Up when I was in middle school, and I believe it has instilled in me great habits that I will carry with me throughout my life after my collegiate career. While many people may think lifting weights is the main thing you can gain from a gym, there are many other things that I have learned from training at Level Up. A few examples are how to eat properly, getting the right amount of sleep, and what it means to be ‘healthy’.
I played football at the University of Wisconsin from 2018-2022. My experience with college sports was amazing because of I was able to be a part of a great football program and University. Level Up helped me be ready for what was to come when I came to Wisconsin in the summer of 2018. I was in great shape and was physically ready for the demand of college football.
Throughout my career at Wisconsin, I delt with many injuries. Going through these injuries was very challenging, but Level Up was always a place I could go to for help. Mike Wendorf and Zach Moore were always eager to help me get back on the field and to get healthy. Mike and I even went to Austin, Texas to purchase the Neubie to help me with my many shoulder injuries.
I truly believe I wouldn’t be the athlete or the person I am today without Level Up, and I look forward to continuing my strong relationship with the gym.
Payton Kahl
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- University of Minnesota - Duluth Graduate
I started training with Level Up my senior year of high school. I had torn my ACL the summer going into my senior year, and I started lifting/rehabbing at level up shortly after surgery up until I left for college that next fall. Being able to work with Zach that year helped me tremendously as I transitioned into college basketball. Without Level Up, my knee wouldn’t have been ready to play at that level. I continued to go back to level up when I was home for summer my first few years of college. Training with Level Up in the summer allowed me to head back to school in the fall ready for pre-season.
Level Up also allowed me to go into my freshman year of college feeling comfortable in the weight room by already having an understanding of the lifts that we were doing. I was able to transition smoothly by jumping right into lifts and not having to start from scratch. Level Up also gave me confidence in my knee heading into college knowing I had worked all year strengthening it to prepare me for college basketball. Although now I am done playing college sports, Level Up taught me the importance of strength building and I have carried that into my life post-college basketball.
I liked how Level Up personalizes your training plan to match who you are and what your body needs. I also always loved the positive energy and the awesome people!
I currently am working for Cintas as a Management Trainee in Minneapolis!
Cambelle Christensen
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- University of Minnesota - Duluth: Current Women's Soccer Team Member
All the hours at Level Up not only made me a better athlete, but a better student. The 5:00am mornings taught me about discipline. This transitioned right into my school day; yeah I didn’t want to be there, but there was work to be done so I did it. Being able to develop this mindset at an early age created a habit that was easy to bring with to college. I watched my friends struggle with the adjustment to college courses, and I did too. But it was what happened after that first bad grade that mattered most. A lot of my friends didn’t have practice coming back from setbacks, but I had seen it many times before. Not making a team, injuries, and becoming weaker in the weight room. I became comfortable using my setbacks as motivation, and I think that is the most important skill that a person can develop.
I began training at Level Up when I was in middle school. Like most pre-teens I was extremely insecure, I found that weightlifting grew my confidence and I quickly became obsessed. After a few months in the weight room I noticed a transition to the soccer field; all of a sudden I was beating opponents easily in foot-races and I wasn’t getting pushed over. I considered myself a technical player, but when getting recruited for clubs and college teams they looked at speed and strength over anything else. They always stressed that the technique of the game can come later, but you won’t be able to get there if you can’t keep up with the speed of play. One of the first interactions I had with my college coach was “you’re not very big, but you seem to be pretty fast.” With that, I tallied up 350 minutes my freshman year specializing in fast opponents.
Cambelle is currently majoring in Chemical Engineering and Minoring in German at UMD.
Michael Gerber
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- West Point Graduate
- Active Duty - United States Army
As an athlete that went through Level Up Fitness, I cannot express my gratitude enough for the experience that I had at Level Up. I can say that Coach Moore not only make me a stronger and a more athletic athlete, he made me into the person I am today. Coach Moore did not stop when it came to the hour that he trained me every day. He made sure I was hitting my prime mentally and becoming a leader as a young man. When I decided to go to United States Military Academy at West Point to play football, my Level Up family was all there to celebrate with me and my family.
Coach Moore made me understand why we did everything and refused to accept mediocrity. Transitioning from high school weightlifting into the college realm is a huge step for a young athlete and I cannot express enough that no matter what people say it’s a challenge mentally and physically. Coach Moore made me prepared for that step as a college athlete.
Today, I work as a Fire Support Officer in the United States Army working with 1st Cavalry Division infantry soldiers every day in different foreign countries. The building blocks that were set back then are what I rely on. Passing that knowledge of the mechanics of lifting weight and the refusal of failure to young soldiers is intangible. I can honestly say that if you have a high school athlete or even a son or daughter that needs to learn the importance of hard work and health, the Level Up Family is the place where they need to learn.
Troy Slaby
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- Winona State Basketball
- UW-Madison Graduate
"Level Up taught me a lot. I learned how to correctly lift and train safely. I still hear Coach Mikes voice in the back of my head when I’m working out today. Level Up gave me an opportunity to improve my strength and athleticism to compete with scholarship athletes that were taller, longer, & naturally more gifted than I was. I know that I would have not been able to achieve many of the goals I achieved if it weren’t for the help from Mike & Zach. They made going to the weight room a fun and inviting experience when it can be intimidating for beginners to get started. They made me feel at home and a part of a community that was uplifting and encouraging.
I had an upper hand in the weight room against all of the other incoming freshman at Winona State. When testing our PR’s in Fall camp, I was able to lead all the other freshman in pull ups, bench press, squat & deadlift. The coaches were impressed by my form and my dedication to taking care of my body. Certainly, I would not have been in that position without Level Up.
I spent 3 days a week in the gym with Coach Mike from 7th grade through senior year. We sat down and created goals both short term and long term and we were able to hit on all of them I believe. Coach Mike was invested in my success in the weight room and on the court/field. He helped me rehab injuries, created meal plans, & of course lifting plans outside of my time in the gym with him. All of the staff at Level Up goes beyond your typical gym or trainer. I could not recommend training at Level Up any more.
Many of my Wisconsin Academy Basketball athletes train and Level Up and we can see the progress that is being made. I will continue to push our athletes to Level Up."
Aly Weum
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- University of Iowa Graduate
When I got to college, I was training with extremely talented, high-caliber athletes. I think almost every high school athlete that moves on to compete at the next level gets a bit of a wake up call when they get to campus. Everything is more intense, focused, and there’s a lot of pressure to perform at a high level— for me, this was expected both on the track & in the weight room.
Thanks to my training at Level Up, I was able to excel in the weight room at Iowa quickly. The power & strength that I built in college was credited to the time & effort that Level Up poured into perfecting my form & getting me comfortable with different lifts early on. The discipline that came with training at Level Up helped prepare me for my transition to Division 1 athletics as well. Post-collegiate exercise is really difficult for most student athletes, and it’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough, but luckily, I have built extremely fond memories around strength & conditioning my entire athletic career, and I’ve started CrossFit training now. All that being said, I didn't become a Division 1 athlete, a B1G Ten Champion, or a lifelong learner in the weight room without Level Up.
Maddie Posick
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- UW-Madison Graduate
At University of Wisconsin, physical and mental fitness were valued alongside on-ice performance. Level Up helped me transition to the daily expectations of being a Division 1 athlete. As a leader, I held those around me accountable on the ice and in the gym. I was named a National Strength and Conditioning Association All-American my 5th year.
Level Up taught me the importance of technique and recovery in weightlifting as well as how crucial off ice training is in my sport.
The coaches take time to study your sport and they develop a workout program that is in each athlete’s best individual interest.
Sam McHone
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- University of Wisconsin - Madison
Level Up Fitness taught me the principle of being disciplined. Entering college and transitioning from high school sports to the collegiate level was much more difficult than expected. Understanding the basics of showing up, being early, and especially shutting out all distractions when you have time allotted for a workout, study session, etc. Focus on what you are there to do for the moment. As I transitioned from sports to a professional job lifestyle, I have those same values that I apply each day. One of the other biggest things I learned from Zach and Mike was to enjoy the process. They made the difficult part of training enjoyable and really taught me to have fun with what you’re doing.
Within the first few lifting sessions, I knew Level Up had set me up for success. We had many training sessions of Olympic type lifts since many athletes have never had those within their lifting regime. I was able to hit the ground running with many different lifts and workouts. I felt I had a very strong base knowledge of the weight room routines and the science behind the “why” - along with the muscle development to hit the ground running and feel comfortable in the collegiate weight room.
The best part of training with Level Up was how well they explained why we are doing the things we did and how it will relate to my sport and muscle development. Understanding that made it much easier to buy into the program which in turn will develop you into the athlete you want to be. I credit much of my success from high school to Wisconsin due to Level Up. I needed to gain weight /muscle if I wanted to compete, and within the year at Level Up they developed me into a much more powerful and explosive athlete.
Sydney Schipper
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- Marion University Class of 2025
Level Up has given me the opportunity to increase my speed and strength both on and off the ice. This has helped me not only to get to the next level but also be able to compete alongside and keep up with some of the best players in the league I am in.
I believe that lifting is a huge part of all sports. Strength transitions onto the field of play in some way for every sport. For hockey, having strength is a huge part of the game. It's a contact-filled sport and if you don't have a lot of strength on the ice it is very noticeable but can also be dangerous. The training I did with Level Up has helped set me apart from others because I was already a step ahead than most because I had already been around the weight room for multiple years. I didn't just have the strength, but I was also very knowledgeable about it as well.
I love training at Level Up because of the people there and the atmosphere they create. When I'm there everyone is always in a good mood, and everyone is always saying hi to each other. But my favorite thing is that everyone there is there to get better and to work hard. Being surrounded by likeminded people is a great place to be to train and get better.
Level Up has clearly helped me in my athletic career. They have helped me become a stronger, faster and overall better athlete through the many years I have trained with them. But they have also taught me and a lot of others great life lessons. The one that has stuck with me the most is that it's important to be a good kid before being an athlete because our lives aren't always going to revolve around sports and it's important to just be a good person.
Logan Kees
- Fort Atkinson High School Graduate
- University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse
Level Up prepared me for higher-intensity training at the college level, which helped tremendously with my transition. During my time at Level Up, it prepared me to work and train daily with confidence in my skills and knowledge. At the college level, I am expected to perform at my highest potential daily. College sports require high attention to detail, on and off the field. Level Up helped me transition in the weight room because I was taught to pay attention to those fine details in technique and form.
The best things about training at Level Up were the atmosphere and coaching. The atmosphere at Level Up made it something to look forward to before every lift, along with the coaching, knowing the knowledge applied to my workouts would be me to the next level.
Abby Groleau
- Stoughton High School Graduate
- Colorado State University
Level Up prepared me for the weight room in college. I was able to enter my collegiate career knowing how to lift and the proper form to prevent lifting injuries. The years I lifted at Level Up prior to college also helped me with my mental fortitude. When weight room testing comes around or I am having a bad day in the weight room I learned that comparing my numbers to others is more damaging to me long term than focusing on my own form and my own weight, this makes celebrating my PR's and improvements much better.
I am in my second year as a Sprinter for the Colorado State Track and Field Team. We train from September to May usually for six days a week and lift 3. The training program I had prepared me for this schedule because I would lift for three days a week at Level Up year-round. There was still a rough transition period while I learned how to follow collegiate level training, however, without Level Up this transition would have been much harder.
One of my favorite parts of training at Level Up is how much I was cared for. I had an injury that made the beginning of my weightlifting career difficult. However, Zach and Mike worked hard to write me programs and build up the strength and form that made me as successful as I am today. I am extremely grateful to them because I would not be where I am today without their dedication and their investment in me being successful. They are a large part of why I was able to continue my athletic career. Level Up has had such a large impact on my career and me personally.
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