James Wundrak
My name is James Wundrak PT, DPT and I am a husband, father, and avid outdoorsman based in Kentucky. I have a Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science from UofL and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Bellarmine University. I work full time for a hospital based outpatient clinic with a focus on sport and orthopedic rehab. I also offer coaching and training programs on the side for hunters, archers, and outdoors enthusiasts through my website www.toppinperformance.com and socials @top_pin_performance.
Growing up, I was always involved in sports from basketball and football to running track and field. Having a couple sports injuries throughout my career is what introduced me to the career path of physical therapy and the importance of proper training. Once sports ended, I needed something to keep me active and out of trouble. This is when I fell in love with the weight room. Training for more has always resembled some form of athletic training with heavy lifting, running/sprints, plyometrics, circuits, and mobility work.
Family time has always been a priority of mine. To make sure I have the most time with my family, I always wanted a home gym. A big component when we were looking for our first house was if there was a spot to have a home gym. None of my equipment is super fancy or high end, but it serves me well and has lasted several years in the garage. With my style of lifting, I knew I needed a rack, adjustable bench, and some adjustable dumbbells. Over time, I have added some sandbags, a weight vest, adjustable kettlebell, and cardio pieces. I plan to upgrade my equipment over time and as things wear out. Being in the garage is great, as I can be as loud as I want. The only issue is that it’s not insulated so it can range from below 0 in the winters and above 100 in the summers.
I actually stumbled across GGC on my explore page of instagram. Once I read what it was all about, I was all for it. Being a Physical Therapist and wellness coach, I am all about getting people active and living a healthy lifestyle. I feel like fitness gets stigmatized on socials and people make it look like there’s a one size fits all model. In reality we all move differently and have different capabilities that could be secondary to injuries, illness, or medical conditions. I always want to optimize the movements for the person to live an active lifestyle. So seeing GGC allow various bars and lifting styles was what really got me interested and willing to spread the word about the events.
