A passion for teaching and athletic training led alumnus Frank Baumholtz to opening a training facility in McMinnville.

“A lot of people don’t know how to move, and it is not because they can’t — it is because they forget how.”
For two months now, those who have forgotten how to move have had a reason to remember. The reason comes in the form of certified personal trainer Frank Baumholtz, class of ’95. He explained that sedentary lifestyles and work environments cause muscles to shut off and forget how to work. He knows that those muscles need a wake-up call.
Inside of his 1st Street training facility, MVP Performance Training, where he works with the general fitness population and even a professional baseball player, you won’t find treadmills or an elliptical. There are no machines — just Baumholtz and his get-up-and-go attitude, a mentality summarized by his own words: “Get on your feet, move and shake. Get your butt movin’.”
Baumholtz is athletic-minded, he said. He was a dual-sport athlete, playing baseball and football at Linfield during a time when Riley Student Center and Walker Hall were still one building. Baumholtz received physical education and athletic training degrees from Linfield.
While his involvement in sports provides insight into the plight of an athlete, his master’s degree from Oregon State University in education with a minor in movement studies in disabilities only solidifies his background. He has been a personal trainer since 2006 and has been teaching physical education at Newberg High School for 15 years. In 2009, he was named Oregon Teacher of the Year.
Educating and training truly delight him,
evident within his wide eyes, which display his eagerness to learn what your goals are, where you are in terms of physical capability and how to teach and train you using a program tailored to your specific needs.
“My mission is that I want to help aspiring individuals meet whatever their goals are,” he said. “Helping people and seeing their reaction to meeting those goals is the rewarding aspect.”
Inside MVP, you will not find any mirrors, either. The space takes on a tone far different from a typical gym.
Baumholtz doesn’t deny that there are
other places to work out; he also realizes that not everyone knows how to exercise.
“What if you’re intimidated?” he questions. “What if you aren’t comfortable running on a treadmill in front of the window?”
Baumholtz said that he typically works with groups of four to five people. Having a smaller group provides a more inviting vibe.
“They work hard, no doubt, but the
atmosphere is electric,” he said.
People find themselves joking while they’re working out. They talk about other topics such as their families, all as a result of the intimate atmosphere. No one has to worry about anything except their objectives, and Baumholtz has that under control.
“People told me I was crazy to start a business right now,” he said.
The disbelief did little to smite his determination. His goal and his passion were driving forces for him to establish MVP. He knew there were people who wanted his help and that he just needed to get the word out.
Although the landlord of the building that houses MVP prohibits him from placing a sign in front of the training facility, there is one along the building’s side. If you look for it, it’s not hard to see. You may have driven or walked right past it. It’s just beyond the railroad tracks on 1st Street.
Baumholtz, as a husband, father and teacher, is running full speed in several directions. As a result, he works by appointment only. However, his ambition will grow exponentially, and he said he plans to expand within 10 years.
Septembre Russell
Copy chief Septembre Russell can be reached at [email protected]