PARRISH
SMITH
A tenured New Yorker, Parrish fell in love his with running while at Syracuse University, transforming his lifestyle and completing two marathons. He began incorporating strength training and watched his pace and performance take off. Now, he’s taking his fitness to the next level with the precision programming of the Advanced Performance Squads.
Hometown
LONG ISLAND/
NEW YORK
Based in
NEW YORK/
NEW YORK
I found that by incorporating strength training, my running improved so much. The more time I spent in the gym, the quicker my splits became.
ABOUT PARRISH
Fun Fact: I don't have a fun fact.
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Coffee order: Iced coffee​
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Ergometer of Choice: Ski
THE NUMBERS
APS athletes undergo strength and conditioning testing in five key areas every 12 weeks. Testing data is used to quantify strength and conditioning adaptations and inform new training targets.
Week 12
Week 24
Week 0
Back Squat
(lb)
165
225
285
Deadlift
(lb)
195
265
325
Benchpress
(lb)
173
185
210
Weighted Pull Up
(lb)
BANDED
BODY WEIGHT
20
Ski Ergometer
(m/6 min)
1289
1550
1604
IN CONVERSATION
M: WHY DO YOU TRAIN?
P:
Health is super important to me, and not just physical health - mental health, emotional health, social health. I think here at The Athletic Clubs we hit all the boxes. My workdays are long and unpredictable, so by working out every morning I have a consistent routine, a touchpoint. Accountability is also important - 70% is me holding myself accountable, the other 30% is my squad holding me accountable.
M: HOW DID YOU GET INTO STRENGTH TRAINING?
P:
I was not an athlete growing up. I was overweight as a child and all my friends played sports, which was tough. I didn't get into physical activity until I started running my freshman year of college. I really enjoyed it - I started with one mile around campus and have since finished two marathons. Through running I got into shape and learned how important fitness is. I dropped a bunch of weight and asked - what's the next step? Strength training.
I found that by incorporating strength training, my running improved so much. The more time I spent in the gym, the quicker my splits became. For the past year with The Athletic Clubs, I've become more routine-oriented and started measuring my performance.
M: WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT STRENGTH TRAINING AND APS?
P:
I love that there's no end goal. You're constantly working to improve and better yourself. With APS in particular, you can actually measure yourself. I enjoy how things are constantly getting switched up, it doesn't feel redundant. (Jesse's a legend of course). I've made a whole new group of friends and it's opened a lot of doors for me to take advantage of the broader AC community. It's nice to have that consistency every Tuesday and Thursday. But at the same time, Jesse will throw you curve balls left and right.
M: WHAT BENEFIT OF STRENGTH TRAINING IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU?
P:
From a mental standpoint, I just feel better in the morning after getting a workout in. I feel good in my body and like I've accomplished something.
M: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT RIGHT NOW?
P:
Il Tatano, it just opened on 13th Street. Food's phenomenal, vibes are high. They have a fantastic gluten free gnocchi.
M: WHAT'S YOUR GO-TO COFFEE SHOP?
S:
It's controversial, because we have so many in the West Village, but I do enjoy Blue Bottle.
M: WHO ARE YOU OUTSIDE OF THE GYM?
P:
I like to travel, show up in a random country with absolutely no itinerary. Because I'm so routine-oriented, it's a good shock that get's me out of my comfort zone. Every year I try to go to one new country, one new ski mountain, and a new beach.
M: WHAT'S YOUR NEXT DESTINATION?
S:
I'd really like to make it down to Argentina.
M: ANY UPCOMING FITNESS GOALS?
P:
I just raced my first Hyrox, so naturally I immediately signed up for the next on in Chicago this fall. I'm doing men's doubles with one of my squad mates and just want to beat our time.
Inquire
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