Any person who frequents the AFC has seen legendary fitness icon Ben Piecz. Whether fixing someone's form, running a team lift, or creating a personalized fitness plan, Piecz is always pushing our community to stay on that gym grind. But what drew him to this life of fitness? As Piecz reminisces of his early years, he explains, “What initially drew me into fitness was my background growing up as a multi-sport athlete. As someone constantly engaged in various sports, maintaining peak fitness levels was essential for me to perform at my best in each game or event…It became ingrained in my lifestyle as a necessity rather than an option.”
After a career-ending knee injury, Piecz refocused his interests in sports fitness as he was able to prevent athletes from “such setbacks and achieve their full potential.” Piecz found a calling for this work, bringing him to the SPS community—“an environment where I can blend my passion for fitness with my desire to make a meaningful impact on individuals' lives.” Throughout his stay at SPS, he has guided many elite athletes back to peak performance and expresses that his time has been “nothing short of incredible. Each day presents new challenges and opportunities to connect with students, impart knowledge, and witness their growth firsthand.”
Whether you’re a newbie or a professional gym rat, Piecz urges everyone to focus on form. Piecz cautions that “[whether] it's lifting weights with incorrect posture or executing movements with poor technique, overlooking proper form can lead to injuries and hinder progress. Addressing this issue often involves a combination of education, demonstration, and coaching to ensure individuals perform exercises safely and effectively moving forward.” A great and open resource to find out how to improve is to ask Piecz himself—found available during most days in the weight room.
Outside of the AFC, Piecz enjoys playing golf, running, and working on mobility. He spends much of his free time outside or wiring working plans in the library. However, when looking back at his time as an athlete and his work today, Piecz said, “Witnessing the power of fitness in rehabilitating injuries, enhancing performance, and improving quality of life has been immensely rewarding and serves as a constant motivation to stay involved.” So whether you want to become a demon on the field, get swole, or just want to stop by for a chat, swing by the AFC to have a talk with Ben Piecz.