Inspiring Conversations with Martin’ Alonzo of Performance Training Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Martin’ Alonzo. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Growing up in San Diego I always had a natural drive for engaging myself physically. I always wanted to be outside after school playing around my neighborhood with my friends. In high school, most of my friends were highly engaged in more traditional team-focused sports, like football, baseball, and basketball. I was more interested in marital arts and skateboarding. I also loved the ocean and started to take up surfing in my late teens. 

I found the science of exercise and nutrition naturally interesting- and wanted to focus on this as I took credits towards an undergraduate degree. Thankfully, there was a brand-new program that combined kinesiology, exercise science, and nutrition: exercise specialist. This was the first year it was offered as it emphasized the skills to become a personal trainer. I jumped in and knew that this was right up my alley! 

Towards the end of school, during interning at a local gym, I was turned onto a private school called CHEK institute. The CHEK institute is a private school for personal training… on another level. The direction of this system is to look at the human body as a whole and to look at many variables that produce positive and negative outcomes in an exercise/training situation. The emphasis here is to form a deeper understanding of how variables like movement patterns, training intensities, stress, diet, and the variables in exercise science can and will leave you progressing in your training programs- or regressing- and potentially injured. 

You basically unlearn most of what you learned in a traditional strength and conditioning context- and learn how to really work with people/athletes at a level that can make profound changes to their athleticism, strength, and conditioning-and potentially their lives (including mine). The CHEK institute is a real and long process that takes several years or longer to move through. It’s more than worth the investment and I always recommend it for anyone wanting to become an effective personal trainer. 

I opened my own small studio (which was really just a converted office at the time) in 2005. I spent the first 10 years of my career focused on learning as much as I could; going back to school to become a nutritionist, taking course after course, while trying to build a clientele base. These were not glamorous years but very rewarding, as it built the platform that my business stands on today. My goal was to eventually have a storefront personal training studio that services clients in the manner of which I learned. And after 18 awesome years of business in San Diego, I have that. 

My business, Performance Training Center, is located in the Hillcrest/Bankers Hill area of San Diego (5th and Upas st). I currently continue my love of sports and the ocean through freediving, and work with clients throughout San Diego County, helping them reach their goals. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The fitness/health industry is very challenging! The road has been long and windy, but very rewarding. There are many struggles and obstacles on the road of any entrepreneur. I started in the time of no social media. Figuring out how to get your name and brand out to the public was always a challenge. Challenge is usually a good thing, and this pushed me to do public and private speakings, which was never naturally easy for me. 

We’ve been impressed with Performance Training Center, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The name of my company is called Performance Training Center. We focus solely on one-on-one personal training/coaching. We are known for getting our clients results. 

Our education in strength and conditioning, structural integration, corrective exercise, and nutrition, allow us to work with a very diverse clientele that potentially have more complexities. I am always very proud of the results we can provide to someone that may not have been able to achieve them otherwise. It really makes me happy when one of our clients tells us what they can do physically now, in real-world situations, versus before coming to us for help. 

What’s next?
My personal training practice is always looking to evolve as I continue my personal growth. I am going back to school at the beginning of 2023 to study the Feldenkrais method. This is a 4-year program that will give me a new lens to look through and work with clients for alternative therapy to physical pain, and structural disfunction. The process of learning and evolving is always ongoing. 

Contact Info:

• Website: performcenter.com
• Instagram: #performcenter