The endless opportunities for outdoor recreation and the awe-inspiring scenery in every corner of the Vail Valley of Colorado inspire people to visit and plant roots. Skiing, mountain biking, trail running, climbing and more are often the reasons for relocation, but building a dreamy life in this mountain valley takes more than constant outdoor activities. That’s where inspiring places like GOAT Training in Edwards become crucial for longevity both in sport and in community.

When you walk in, you’ll see John Mark Seelig playing music, guiding a new member through the workout or chatting with established members of his gym. Opened in 2015 by husband-and-wife team John Mark and Laura Seelig, GOAT seeks to inspire its athletes every day. “The gym is like a family — our members ski, eat dinner, do Thanksgiving, mountain bike and so much more together. There is an accountability piece that makes them stay,” says John Mark Seelig. GOAT is not only a place to work out, but it is also a place to connect and create community and accountability with like-minded individuals.

GOAT has two primary goals: meet people where they are by providing programming that bridges the gap for the mountain athlete, and create a space safe for connecting with others. Seelig sees all ages and stages walk through his door at GOAT, and that’s the best part of his job. He says, “When I see someone step in the door, it inspires me to say: ‘What are we doing?’ ‘Do you have any limitations?’ ‘Do you have any past or current injuries?’” It takes a level of vulnerability to enter a gym for the first time. At GOAT, Seelig and his team of trainers assess mobility and strength before pushing every athlete to become stronger.

Photos by Robbie Prechtl

Egos are left at the door. The gym is split into two rooms: one for lifting, the other for accessory work and cardio. Dumbbells, kettlebells, rowing machines, weight racks, ski ergs, bikes and more line the room. The workout is written on a whiteboard. It includes a lift — variations of squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead press — that cycles throughout the week. That’s not where GOAT ends, though; Seelig provides complementing strength work that includes exercises like goblet squats, elevated split squats, bike or row intervals, Turkish get-ups, core, pull-ups and my personal favorite: “special sauce.” With a focus on training the whole athlete, GOAT is constantly improving its programming. “Special sauce” is the perfect example of GOAT’s well-rounded strategy, implementing exercises like bicep curls, banded reverse flys, hip adduction, glute bridges and more all focusing on functional training and injury prevention.

Unlike most gyms, the GOAT programming structure allows athletes to progress through the exercises on the whiteboard on their own schedule. Monday through Thursday, workouts finish with team arms, team legs or team abs, bringing everyone together to cap the workout. The “team” component of GOAT is one of its defining features, allowing time for group chat, camaraderie and shared struggle.

Fridays break from the usual strength schedule at GOAT. The workouts focus on team cardio with strength mixed in. The sounds of a GOAT Friday are heavy breathing, sighing, grunting and cheers of encouragement from teammates, friends and new acquaintances. These classes are the perfect testimony to what GOAT stands for: pushing yourself and those around you to be the best version of yourself.

Seelig finds that mountain athletes often lack the strength they need to sustain their level of activity. He sees people every day seeking a solution after beating their bodies down in their twenties. “Most programs are not conducive to the mountain athlete,” he says. The programming at GOAT is constantly evolving to better serve the mountain athlete — from the Leadville 100 runners and bikers to the weekend skier. Every type of athlete has something to gain from GOAT’s programming.

One of Seelig’s dreams became a reality last year, and another will come true soon. GOAT now offers physical therapy to
help those with injuries — chronic or acute. This summer, a new location is opening in Edwards that will focus on youth sports performance. One goal of the new location is to provide young athletes with a place to learn how to lift and build life skills. The second is to give young athletes a lifelong love of fitness and a joy in continuing to move their bodies so they can be active for the rest of their lives.

While we all know G.O.A.T. is an acronym for the “Greatest Of All Time,” the Seelig’s acronym for this gym is “Get Outside Athletic Training.” Activities are a way of life here, and functional strength is the key to maintaining longevity in sport. With GOAT, that goal is easy to accomplish.

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210 Edwards Village Blvd.
Edwards, CO
goattraining.com

Originally published in Summer + Fall 2024 issue of Well.