Inspiring Conversations with Emily Barton of MADabolic

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Barton.

Hi Emily, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I actually grew up with severe asthma and sports/athletics was not a part of my childhood because of it. Thankfully, I mostly grew out of my asthma at puberty but remained inactive. It wasn’t until I went to college that I realized how miserable I felt and was missing out on without being active. I started working out/running with college friends and by the end of my senior year, completed a half marathon. Definitely felt like a major accomplishment considering where I started.

Once I graduated, I moved back home (went to school in Birmingham, AL but from Raleigh, NC) and ended up landing a job with Pure Barre in 2010. This was the beginning of the boutique fitness world. Worked there for several years, taught me a lot, brought me out of my shell but wasn’t necessarily the form of exercise I loved. MADabolic opened in Raleigh in 2014 and I was immediately hooked. As a type A individual who loves structure – MADabolic was just what I was looking for. Committed to a membership the first day and never looked back. Became a trainer in 2016, the GM in 2017 and bought the location in 2019 in complete disbelief that my asthmatic background had brought me to this place.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest challenges has honestly been educating people. There are so many myths around exercise/being healthy with the promise of a quick fix, etc. A big piece of the MADabolic franchise is to break down these myths and see people flourish with a happy, healthy, and maintainable lifestyle. So many gyms endorse pushing yourself at a max effort pace for 5-6 days per week in order to see results but from our experience, this often leads to burnout, plateaus, and overuse leading to injury. A perfect week in our strength training program is 4x per week with two active recovery days and one full day of rest. Another misconception is that to focus on strength training; the barbell must be present.

While we love and respect the barbell, it leaves little room for error and in a group training environment is very unforgiving. We are able to put dynamic, functionally driven weighted movement patterns into our workouts that maximize output and minimize injury. Some of our favorite heavy toys are kettlebells, dumbbells, med-balls, and more. Lastly, but definitely not least, is how to properly fuel your body from a nutrition standpoint while not obsessing over a short-term fad fix diet. We provide a nutritional blueprint for our clients built around consuming an adequate and properly balanced mix of daily macronutrients: protein, fats, and carbs. Eliminating any major food categories is something we will never recommend, as you can still achieve your goals with a cookie from time to time.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about MADabolic?
Here are some things that set us apart in the fitness industry: MADabolic is the industry’s first and only strength-driven training program. Strength is our number one priority. This strength-driven approach provides results unmatched in our industry. Our distinctive interval system is crafted entirely around work-to-rest ratios, which presents a challenging-yet-accessible environment unique to each client. We are scalable!

We value structure so much that we program our signature intervals a full year in advance. Consider us your routine-driven, one-stop shop for all things strength training. We also correct form and teach people how to move. Class often feels like a 1:1 training experience but with the energy that a group class provides.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Perseverance. We purchased MAD six months before the pandemic began and had no idea what we were in for. It’s definitely been a bumpy road but thankful for our base of members that feel like family and supported us along the way and a strong brand that we knew wouldn’t get lost in the shuffle. Persevering through difficult situations and conversations has made me stronger as a business owner. There were many days that I wanted to throw in the towel but hindsight obviously glad I didn’t as thinks start to pick back up and feel normal again.

Pricing:

• Intro trial 5 days for $5

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.madabolic.com
• Instagram: @madraleigh

Image Credits
Steady Film Productions – Joshua Steadman