- September 18, 2024
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Rob Maxwell (left) poses with his MaxFit Games competitors at Sunrise Park North in Holly Hill. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matt Kelley (left) and Montana McGee compete in the wall sit exercise at the MaxFit Games. Photo by Michele Meyers
Jasmin Bedria wins the wall sit exercise with a 4:05 at the MaxFit Games at Sunrise Park North. Photo by Michele Meyers
Competitiors complete two of the exercises at the MaxFit Games--the weighted step ups and hand release pushups. Photo by Michele Meyers
Competitiors complete two of the exercises at the MaxFit Games--the weighted step ups and hand release pushups. Photo by Michele Meyers
Rob Maxwell (left) times the step ups for one minute while Alex Grubel does the hand release push ups at the MaxFit Games. Photo by Michele Meyers
Missy Gibson is the over all women's winner at the MaxFit Games. Photo by Michele Meyers
MaxFit Games participants have a choice to do pull ups or a timed hang. Rob Maxwell explains the rules for both exercises. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matt Kelley does pull ups at the MaxFit Games at Sunrise Park North in Holly Hill. Photo by Michele Meyers
MaxFit Games competitor Jasmin Bedria wins the women's 40-44 year old age group of the event. Photo by Michele Meyers
MaxFit Games participants (left to right) Kelli Marciano, Matt Kelley, Montana McGee and Nichole Haynes complete the push press exercise. Photo by Michele Meyers
MaxFit Games competitors (left to right) Nichole Haynes, Maryann Blankenship and Joanne Magley. Photo by Michele Meyers
Zach Hawk (left), Jasmin Bedria (second from left), Missy Gibson (third from left) and Kelly Maxwell (right) complete the push press exercise at the MaxFit Games. Photo by Michele Meyers
MaxFit Games raised $500 for the Volusia Recovery Alliance. The non-profit organization provided Narcan for distribution to be used in case of overdose which can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone. Photo by Michele Meyers
MaxFit Games competitors (left to right)-Kelly Maxwell, Matt Kelley and Kelli Marciano. Photo by Michele Meyers
Brianna Barnes (left), Zach Hawk (center) and Jasmin Bedria (right) particpate in the farmer carry during the MaxFit Games at Sunrise Park North. Photo by Michele Meyers
Gary Frick runs around Jonathan Gildon in the farmer carry during the MaxFit Games at Sunrise Park North. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matt Kelley runs around Jonathan Gildon in the farmer carry during the MaxFit Games at Sunrise Park North. Photo by Michele Meyers
Rob Maxwell, owner of Maxwell Fitness in Port Orange, hosted the eighth annual MaxFit Games on Saturday, Aug. 24 at Sunrise Park North in Holly Hill, raising $500 for the Volusia Recovery Alliance — a nonprofit organization based in Ormond Beach that offers a variety of services and support for substance use disorder recovery.
Maxwell said he started the event to incorporate multiple aspects of fitness — strength, endurance and cardio. He wanted an event that would be challenging for an athlete, but doable for an individual that exercises.
I want to attach a cause because I believe it’s important to use our talents to help those in need. It makes fitness more selfless. - ROB MAXWELL, owner of Maxwell Fitness and MaxFit Games organizer
“I started MaxFit Games because there is no shortage of 5Ks and endurance events,” he said. “Cardio is one aspect of fitness. There are also bodybuilding and powerlifting events but typically these types of fitness enthusiasts don’t mix. They should. We need it all.”
He said he picked exercises that are true to life, known as, activities of daily living or ADLs. This year, competitors were expected to execute a myriad of exercises, including a .9 mile run, wall-sit, hand-release pushups, weighted step-ups, pull ups or a timed hang, push presses and the farmer carry.
Participants began the games at 8 a.m. with a run then headed to the fitness court where there were pull up bars, step up boxes at various heights and an open space for the wall sit exercise. Jasmin Bedria blew the competition away in the wall sit exercise with a time of 4:05. She also placed first in the 40-44-year-old age group. Zach Hawk was the overall male winner and Missy Gibson was the overall female winner.
Maxwell selects a cause that he feels connected to and would like to support through the MaxFit Games. A few years ago, his friend Mick Mitchell died in a motorcycle accident. He was able to help Mitchell’s parents with the funeral costs through the proceeds generated by the fitness event. Last year, he donated $1,000 to his girlfriend’s daughter’s GoFundMe to help her fight cancer.
“I want to attach a cause because I believe it’s important to use our talents to help those in need,” he said. “It makes fitness more selfless.”
Maxwell said he chose the VRA because of its personal importance. He has helped many loved ones with substance use disorder this year alone.
According to the website, the purpose of the organization is to coordinate peer-driven services that provide substance use recovery resources to the local community. They provided Narcan to be handed out at the event.
“Adult children in their 30s die of overdoses today,” he said. “A lot of marijuana has been laced with fentanyl so it can happen to anyone. It’s a serious epidemic.”
The donation to the VRA was made possible by Maxwell’s top sponsors—Jeff Hawk, owner of the Overhead Door Company, gave $1000 and Lyn and Jonathan Gildon, owners of the Gildon Group, donated $500.
Maxwell said he has not decided what his next cause will be but is considering a mini winter version of the games this year. He said he will continue to host the MaxFit Games.
Visit volusiarecoveryalliance.org.
