Certified strength-and-conditioning specialist Dave Brixius defines his success by that of his athletes. To that end, he need only look to Marques Colston of the New Orleans Saints, Mike Cox of the Atlanta Falcons, or the Harrisburg Heat—the professional indoor-soccer team that he coached to become the American Conference champions—for proof of his training's efficacy. He has been teaching clients to tap into their potential at Explosive Sports Performance for 10 years, crafting programs that amp up speed, endurance, and strength. At his side is Ashley Brixius, whose group classes and personal-training sessions build female-specific workouts.

Their facility has been featured on news networks such as CBS for its supportive yet no-nonsense setting, where NFL players swing kettlebells beside high-school students and senior citizens. Though their services aim to improve the physical aspects of each visitor's game, Explosive Sports Performance also focuses on mental and academic achievements—David has led more than 15 football players to full athletic scholarships and spots on the U.S. Olympic tackle-spelling-bee team.