THE OFFSEASON RITUAL
For his entire professional career as a fitness trainer, Clance Laylor has spent every summer doing the same thing - making elite athletes even greater ones. His gym, Laylor Performance Systems (LPS) in downtown Toronto, has trained some of sports’ most recognizable names, including Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban. As you’ll see, the results speak for themselves.
When I caught up with Laylor this past summer, he was putting his troops through the wringer on a track at Central Tech high school in Toronto. By troops, I of course mean the best of the best in professional sports like the Subban brothers, most notably Norris Trophy-winning P.K. On that day, Laylor, who swears that “jogging makes you fat”, had instructed his troops to run various sprints and speed/power drills, all designed to bring each athlete to the very top of their game.
During the summer months when off-season training is at its peak, I can walk out of my office on Spadina and see Laylor, a Subban or two and a handful of other NHL and National Team player hopefuls getting ready for the upcoming hockey season. It’s quite a sight to see for any sports fan, but what’s truly unique is the man behind it all and, most importantly, the results that he’s driving.
For more than five years, Laylor has worked with the Family Subban during the off-season at LPS. Today, the gym is growing rapidly - both in size and stature - welcoming not only professional hockey players but also Bay Street executives and their families who all come to learn a thing or two from Laylor himself.
One such fixture at LPS is Hilary Lloyd, who knows only too well how hard Laylor can push. The unassuming five-foot-practically-nothing member of the National Women’s Under-18 Hockey Team spent this past summer at LPS lifting weights and pushing her limits. The results - both physically and professionally - have come in spades. Not only did Lloyd get herself in tip-top shape, she also blew her Princeton test out of the water, setting a new gold standard for all freshmen. This season, she is off to acclaimed college where she’ll play in the Ivy League and join her National Team squad when needed.
And behind every success story is Laylor, whose relentless encouragement and tough-asnails workout methods can change anyone for the better. He himself is no exception - Laylor continues to learn, adapt and redefine what it means to train athletes, both of the professional and weekend warrior variety.
THE OFFSEASON RITUAL http://t.co/FGamAgNVkT via @BayStBull Yup, this is where I train. Hope there’s still space 4me with all the pros coming