Whether you’re a six-year-old or an 83-year-old, the mindset you bring into Nicolas Abramowicz’s gym will decide the impact of his sessions.
Abramowicz teaches agility, balance, speed and strength to a diverse range of clients at his gym just south of the Heard Museum on Monte Vista Road and Central Avenue.
His clients’ reasons for training are as different as they are. A would-be firefighter, a retired grandfather and a preteen concerned about body image—all of them learn about the importance of attitude.
Abramowicz, 59, is passionate about helping the community.
He said his mother, a physical therapist, taught him many different techniques for helping people.
“At age 12 I was already helping people,” Abramowicz said.
His passion for community and human interaction led him to Northern Arizona University, where he earned Master’s degrees in sociology and anthropology.
After college, Abramowicz became a professor and taught classes at DeVry University in Phoenix and Scottsdale Community College.
Years in anthropology has given Abramowicz a vast understanding of the way humans think and behave. He said this knowledge aids him in his daily interactions with his trainees, and gives him a foundational understanding of how a client’s success is due to the mindset he or she brings to the session.
One of his clients, Kit Parker, is a 71-year-old husband, father and grandfather who keeps active and agile through his weekly sessions with Abramowicz. Parker approached Abramowicz in their neighborhood after seeing him train other clients on the street.
Parker said Abramowicz has shown him that he is able to do physical and mental tasks far beyond what he thought possible.
“It is like training for the Marines, only catered to a 71-year-old man,” Parker said.
Three times a week Abramowicz puts Parker through boxing, endurance and rope climbing drills. Parker’s ability to climb the 21-foot rope in Abramowicz’s backyard inspired Parker’s two grandchildren to take up sessions in boxing and strength training with Abramowicz as well.
In addition to his in-home sessions, Abramowicz is certified as an official trainer for Rock Steady Boxing, a non-profit organization that provides a physical outlet for people with Parkinson’s disease.
When Abramowicz heard about The Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center on Thomas Road and Third Avenue, he thought he could make a contribution with his skill set. He said he knew that the rhythm of boxing could help people with Parkinson’s disease because the alternating patterns require the crossing of neurological pathways.
The center said the non-contact exercises practiced in these boxing programs “are rigorous and intended to extend the perceived capabilities of the participant.”
Abramowicz instructs the course once a week and said he believes movement is critical for anyone diagnosed with Parkinson’s. He said people with the disease often want to remain active, but they need tools that will allow them to do so.
Jeania Kimbrough, Abramowicz’s wife of 25 years, said she has seen her husband guide many people in finding greater self-confidence and strength through training. She added that her husband’s work has done wonders for many of his older clients as well, especially for those with Parkinson’s.
“They look so much younger after working with him,” she said.
Kimbrough said by working on posture, balance and cognitive skills, Abramowicz shows clients how they can drastically change their lives for the better.
Regardless of the several testimonies that appear on his website, Abramowicz takes little credit for his clients’ great success.
“It’s not about me, it is about their attitude,” Abramowicz said.
Contact the reporter at mllong4@asu.edu.
