
SWAT (Strength Wellness
Athletic Training) was started by Ron Holland in 1991. In his
long and successful career in military law enforcement, he served as a
SWAT Commander and fitness training specialist, responsible for
training his troops, and also for developing fitness programs for
overweight soldiers.
Ron’s fitness accomplishments included
running 13 marathons worldwide, as well as being assigned
responsibility for airmen who were in danger of being discharged due to
obesity and poor physical fitness. In nearly 7 years of working with
thousands of overweight Air Force personnel, Ron can proudly say that
he never lost one person.
After the Air Force, Ron continued
inspiring and helping people live healthier, happier lives in his
position as a Sergeant and fitness instructor in the U of A police
department. He was an integral part of the development of the
University of Arizona Bicycle Patrol, and received his Master Trainer
Certification as a Fitness Specialist for the Police Department. When
Ron met Jana in 1989, neither guessed what the future would hold. They
became great friends and remained so for years.
In 1992, Ron made the difficult
decision to give up law enforcement and pursue health and fitness as a
career. He began training a few friends, and then their friends, and
within a year of becoming a civilian, his schedule as a personal
trainer was full and he had helped dozens of people lose weight and
improve their health. Before long, Ron had earned respect as one of the
most well known and sought after fitness professionals in Tucson.
Jana, in the meantime, was busy
searching for her calling as well. She got a Bachelor’s Degree in
English in 1991, and spent 5 years as a High School English teacher,
Pom Coach, Dance Teacher, Flag Team Advisor and Wrestling Cheer Coach –
all while working part time at night for the County Juvenile Probation
department and studying Juvenile Delinquency. Yes - she was exhausted!
After working full time in law
enforcement for a number of years, Jana too desired a change of pace,
receiving a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology with an Emphasis
in Counseling. Always wanting to use her skills and knowledge to help
others improve their lives, it wasn’t long before Jana found a way to
do so, by marrying fitness and counseling, quite literally. Ron and
Jana were married in 1996 and together took on the difficult task of running a
business.
With a
total commitment to their clients as their mission and purpose, Jana
and Ron formed SWAT (Strength Wellness Athletic Training), and the
ideas and programs followed, using Ron’s knowledge and expertise as a
fitness professional and Jana’s expertise in psychology and the process
of change.
In 1996, SWAT Boot Camps were born.
Being among only a handful of programs like it in the world, at first
people thought they were crazy. Outdoor fitness programs at 5 am?
Running? Pushups? People would sign up for that? But they did.
And over the next 10 years, SWAT became a pioneer in the field of boot
camp fitness, offering a model for hundreds of fitness boot camp
programs in existence today, and training over a thousand clients in boot camp style outdoor fitness.
Soon after, marathon training groups
were formed, and small group training followed. SWAT Fitness opened its
first facility, a 1200 square foot group training studio, in 1998, with two trainers, eight benches, and some dumbbells. Before long, client
demand was high, and SWAT expanded to include personal training, By
2006, SWAT had two locations, and over 15 of the most highly qualified
personal trainers in Arizona.
Together, Ron and his wife Jana, a
trained Counselor turned Life Coach, have been able to help thousands
of Tucson clients change their lives for the better – through proper
nutrition, physical fitness, and healthy lifestyle habits.
Together, they have developed some of
the most comprehensive wellness, fitness, and nutrition programs
available in the Southwest United States. And if you ask them? They owe
it all to the inspiration and support of their many clients and the
friends they’ve made over the years.