Maximum strength

At 64 years young, with a busy job as a senior executive with IBM, and a bustling schedule with his wife going to their high school teenagers’ games and events, when David Ricketts underwent treatment for tongue cancer in 2023, it took a toll.

“I lost 45 pounds over the course of radiation treatment,” he says. “I had to stop working out at MaxStrength Fitness for 120 days, which was especially tough. I’d been training consistently here for 10 years and was at the strongest I’d ever been when I was diagnosed. The treatment left me unable to eat. I was put on a feeding tube for sustenance.”

Now cancer-free and stronger than ever, David attributes gaining the weight back while gaining strength—yet still staying under his “fighting weight” of 200 pounds— all over a handful of months wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of his trainers.

“They are incredibly motivational,” he says. “Everything is developed and customized to my needs and goals. They know how to maximize my capabilities through the program. After what I went through, thanks to them my physical, mental and emotional confidence have been restored.”

He says the workouts are difficult and challenging, yet refreshing, and that he looks forward to going to them.

“It’s sort of mind-blowing that I continue to gain strength at this stage of my life,” he says, noting at his last session he reached a new personal best of bench-pressing 400 pounds. “I’ve had knee and shoulder issues due to playing baseball for years and they’ve worked around them and have been able to strengthen them for better mobility.”

David is such a believer and advocate for MaxStrength Fitness, he’s planning to invest in opening a studio in Southwest Florida, where he has a home.

Finding Your Why

MaxStrength Founder Jeff Tomaszewski takes his job title as Chief Life Transformer seriously and has crafted content based on his research into exercise science.

This month, his newsletter touched on the meaning of follow through.

“It has pretty much zero to do with discipline and everything to do with connection,” he says. “That means you connecting with why your health and fitness matters to you. When your goals are tied to something that really matters to you—everything changes.”

And that’s when positive health habits finally start to stick.

“Your ‘why’ may be becoming the parent or grandparent who has energy to play with their little ones after work, or rebuilding confidence in your health and fitness again to live a long and meaningful life,” he adds. “Reconnecting to what really matters is what MaxStrength is all about.”

MaxStrength Fitness is located at 4212 State Route 306 in Willoughby. Call 440-226-8080 at 2211 Crocker Road in Westlake, 440-835-9090 and at13500 Pearl Road in Strongsville, 440-467-0700 or for more information or to view more testimonials, visit MaxStrengthFitness.com.