Internships in XCEL Performance Health & Wellness are available during the academic semester and summer (this is a semester long internship, not based on hours required from school). As an intern we expect you to bring energy and engaged in the company through critical thinking and project development. It is a highly active experience with coaches and athletes from a wide array of skill levels including youth, high school, college, and professional athletes. This internship will prepare you by developing and using your knowledge into practical experience for a future career in the human performance, health & wellness field.

Expectations

• Teach dynamic warm-up and flexibility drills
• Demonstrate knowledge of training techniques
• Assist in creating custom work outs for clients
• Be eager to learn and accept constructive criticism
• Be comfortable interacting with clients and parents
• Present yourself in a manner that will reinforces your status as a role model for impressionable young athletes.
• 30-40-hour work week (summer)

Preferred Qualification

• Pursuing or hold a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science or a related field
• Obtained or pursuing a NSCA CSCS, CSCCa, SCCC, or CPT
• College Athletic experience

Candidates please email a cover letter, resume or CV, and contact information for three professional references to chris@xcelperform.com

Nate Rueckemann

Overall, I have had an amazing and very eye-opening experience during my internship. Going into it I really did feel like I knew what to look for and how to perform certain movements which for the most part was accurate when it came to evaluating the main lifts. Where I found myself struggling, was pairing accessory exercises that would be performed in different planes of motion and maximize an athletes progress in a limited number of sessions per week. Another key aspect of exercise that I always struggled with was mobility in general; during my experience, I was able to expand this area of exercises and even begin to perform them myself on a daily basis. One aspect of the internship that I found very constructive and think you should continue to do in the future, is throwing your interns into the fire and forcing them to demand the knowledge. Personally, I felt like this allowed me to grow in the fastest way and allow me to make an impact at XCEL and work towards the goals you have for your athletes. Not only did I grow throughout this process, but I learned that as a trainer of any kind you need to get familiar and comfortable with the uncomfortable aspects of training. For example, it is not always easy trying the break the ice with clients or athletes, but it is a must in order to create a friendly and trustworthy relationship that is essential to long term clientele and development. In the end, I have learned a tremendous amount of information, some that I would have never thought of that I truly feel has allowed me to grow and become a better trainer for the future.

Working at XCEL Performance was an extraordinary experience. I had the chance to work along side and learn from two amazing strength and conditioning coaches. They shared their expertise and advised me on how to treat clients. XCEL allowed me to work with different kinds of population in both, groups setting and one on one. Going into the internship I was a little bit nervous but once I started interacting with clients all of that went away. The biggest challenge I faced while working with XCEL was leading group workouts. Working with groups is hard because you must keep their attention and keep them active all the time. Thanks to Francisco’s advice I was able to lead many group workouts successfully. One of the biggest takeaways for me was that if you are going into this profession you must love to interact with others and know how to treat them. In addition, this internship further my knowledge on so many areas. Thanks to this internship I learn more about the anatomy and physiology of the human body, biomechanics, motor learning, and psychology. Furthermore, I learn how to create lifting programs, how to periodize programs, and how to keep logs of the programs. Overall, XCEL Performance provided me with all the tools necessary for me to become an excellent strength and conditioning coach in the near future.

Nelson Martinez

Samantha Ledbetter

Overall, my time at XCEL Performance Health and Wellness was a positive experience. First going into the internship I was very nervous because I was entering an environment that I was not familiar with. Within a few days the environment grew on me and talking with the kids and parents became easier and easier. The longer I was there, the more everything felt in place and going in ease. At the beginning I really just sat back and watched how Chris would interact with his clients and how he would fix their form during exercises. Once I felt more comfortable I started helping with the correction of form and then I would start helping other clientele as well. Where I found myself struggling was using my voice. I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes that had been there for a while. Once I felt comfortable with that, things started to go well. I found myself really enjoying working with the general populations because they are different in their own ways and I really feel like I have grown in that aspect of training clients. Another experience I got to enjoy during my time at XCEL was helping with the younger population that came for their hour class we offered. Watching those younger kids start to develop was eye opening not only because some of them progressed quickly but also because some kids struggled. Helping kids over those hurdles to become confident and help them see their progression was very fun for me. This experience overall has made me learn things about myself that I now have confidence in using today. I now feel more comfortable as a trainer breaking down the movements to help a client better understand where to feel the movement and what muscle is should be working. Having this experience allowed me to be able to wide my knowledge in stretching, strength with all population’s as well as agility in younger kids and working with the senior population as well.

I have had the wonderful opportunity of interning at XCEL for a summer. Within my short time being an intern, I have learned so many things that will help me for my personal training job, working out myself, and helping others become healthier. I have learned how to screen or assess an individual to find out what their weak or lagging muscles are. From the assessments, you can also tell how they compensate for their weak spots and what muscle groups are being overworked. I have had the chance to work with the general population and athletes. It is important to make workouts based on the person and their needs. I have learned how to teach people progression exercises and what cue words to use so they have proper form. The concepts I have learned at XCEL will be very helpful now, and in the future in every aspect of my life and personal health journey.

Blair Genenbacher

Walker Sharp

I came to XCEL with no prior experience training in a gym setting. The only knowledge I had is what I had learned from my schooling. Working alongside Chris and Kelsey all summer gave me the chance to learn from them every day. Being able to ask Chris questions as he is going through exercise programming, FMS screening, or teaching someone an exercise was extremely beneficial to a college kid like me who is trying to learn as much as possible. The diverse group of clients that XCEL has is also helpful as it allowed me to be comfortable working with people of all ages whether they play a sport or not. It is a good blend of athletes and general population that allowed me to get to learn about both sides of training. This will help me be more flexible later on as I already have knowledge in multiple areas. After walking into XCEL not knowing what to expect, I am finishing this internship confident in my ability to succeed in this profession.

My XCEL interning experience was great all around and gifted me the opportunity to truly tap into what I plan on doing in the future. Starting off I had little programming experience, which was one of the main tasks for interns. XCEL helped me fine tune how I made programs as well as introducing me to numerous exercises and their different variations. Besides that, I was able to work with clients in all populations, whether it was youth to adults and athletes to general population. This also gave me the opportunity to network and connect with clients which led to me obtaining job offers from the work I did at XCEL. With the help of Chris, Blair, and the interns that I worked with, I know that I’m prepared for my future in the field with more than entry level experience.

Damonni Morris