Sports Spotlight - West Orange Times: Don Suarez

Don Suarez, co-owner of the HitFit Gym in Winter Garden, has been involved in the fitness industry for more than a decade. After starting the HitFit Gym in Winter Garden, Suarez has seen his business expand into nearby Clermont.

How did you get into fitness?

I was the typical overweight kid. I started getting involved in football in high school and started working out. I picked up body-building magazines and wanted to make my arms look like theirs. I liked the way my body changed.

How did you become a trainer?

After I graduated high school I had no clue what I wanted to do, so I started taking general courses in college. I thought becoming an athletic trainer would be cool. But after looking into it, it didn’t seem all that cool, so I got my degree in exercise science. I knew I wanted to do something in the fitness industry. I worked at the FSU’s rec center, and I enjoyed it. So I started looking into personal training.

What do you enjoy about being a trainer?

When people follow the program and begin to see results from it.

What is your philosophy?

No one program is going to work for everybody. You have to determine what your weak points are and what your body needs and then create a workout program around that.

What advice do you give to people starting a workout program?

Don’t focus on the end result. Focus on the steps necessary to get to that end result. This prevents you from quitting. 

What do you do in your free time?

I spend time with my family. I have two boys. Weston is 4, and Zane is 6. They’re both soccer players, so I coach my older son’s soccer team. As a coach, my goal is to make sure the kids get something out of it.

What are your favorite TV shows?

Definitely “The Walking Dead.” “Impractical Jokers” and “The Detour.” And, it’s a bit of a guilty pleasure, but also “Grey’s Anatomy.” My wife got me onto the show, and I dig it.