Olympic Legend Michael Johnson Opens World-Class Performance Training Center for Youth and Elite Athletes

MCKINNEY, Texas and DALLAS, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Five-time Olympic Gold medalist Michael Johnson today opened a world-class performance training center dedicated to helping youth, elite and professional athletes improve their speed, power, agility, strength and stamina -- to reach their full athletic performance potential. Founded on Johnson's own successful approach to training, the Michael Johnson Performance Center (MJPC) integrates state- of-the art testing, training and treatment for aspiring athletes of any sport and at any athletic ability. The center, located in McKinney, Texas, will attract youth athletes from throughout the region, as well as elite and professional athletes from around the world.

The MJPC boasts a 24,000-square-foot indoor training facility, including a four-lane, 60-yard high-performance sprint track; basketball/volleyball hardwood court; and a multi-use synthetic turf training field found in professional and college sports stadiums. Additionally, a 400-meter track/football/soccer stadium is planned for completion by year's end.

The center features the most advanced performance training equipment from pure fitness company Nautilus, Inc. , the center's official strength and conditioning equipment provider. Nautilus, a name synonymous with athletic training for 30 years, will make its complete range of strength and cardio training products available to Performance Center athletes who will routinely provide feedback to the fitness leader.

The MJPC also will be the first facility in the world to house Nike Sensory Sport Training, a new experiential type of circuit training for the eyes and mind, which helps athletes to unlock their true performance potential. The integrated system runs each athlete through a series of seven customized tests spanning visual acuity, reaction time, and eye-body coordination.

Specialized trainers, certified in Nike Sensory Sport Training, then provide athletes with a report card and personalized training program.

"The Michael Johnson Performance Center is the realization of my dream to provide young, dedicated athletes with the proper tools and training to excel to their fullest potential," said Michael Johnson, president of Michael Johnson Performance. "Our goal is to be the gold standard in performance training and the destination of choice for aspiring athletes, whether it is a 13-year-old participating in competitive sports for the first time, a top high school athlete being recruited by a Division I college, or a professional or Olympic athlete."

Training Programs

The MJPC is open to athletes at various levels, from high school prep (ages 12 -14) and college prep (ages 15 - 18), to elite and professional athletes. Athletes in each category will participate in customized training programs that consider physiological factors - such as age and size - as well as sport-specific needs. Training programs for high school prep and college prep athletes are conducted over a minimum of 18 sessions, and elite/pro athlete programs are developed to fit each athlete's needs.

"Testing to Train, Not Training to Test"

Before beginning any training program at the MJPC, athletes will receive a comprehensive performance evaluation to establish a baseline from which progress can be compared. Testing also helps identify potential factors that may predispose an athlete to substandard performance or injury. Based on the testing data, customized exercise strategies are then developed to allow athletes to maximize performance and reduce the potential for injury.

"Our trainers and programs are focused on helping athletes develop good training habits through smart and healthy programs designed to maximize improvement and minimize the risk of injury," said Lance Walker, director of performance training and sports medicine at the MJPC. "We're committed to ethical and effective training recommendations based on the science and practice of performance training."

Located in the north Dallas suburb of McKinney, Texas, the Michael Johnson Performance Center is part of the world-class sports and wellness complex at Craig Ranch that also includes the Tournament Players Club (TPC) Craig Ranch, 14 softball/baseball fields at the Ballfields at Craig Ranch, the Craig Ranch Soccer Complex and the Cooper Aerobics Center.

Additional information about the Michael Johnson Performance Center is available at http://www.michaeljohnsonperformance.com/.