Bryan Chavez

Andy Sykes poses in front of the logo for his Amplify My Training company on April 26.

Andy Sykes, Wichita State adjunct professor for human performance studies and a previous associate director of the Heskett Center, stepped away from his university duties to focus on his new training business, Amplify My Training. 

“I developed Amplify, which is my new training company and it is exactly that, a training center that covers everything from athletics to rehab,” Sykes said.

His dream of starting a training company began before the COVID-19 pandemic when he began gathering equipment in his garage gym and inviting friends to work out with him. 

Sykes said he is sad he has to leave teaching but is excited to put all his effort into his business. He said trying to manage eight hour days, going home, preparing lectures and trying to start a business all at the same time was difficult.

“It’s exhausting, and so I think my work life balance is going to improve, my health is going to improve, but just this the stress level is going to be more manageable and I’m excited for that,” Sykes said. 

When coming up with a name and logo for the business, Sykes commissioned a student who he worked with that was majoring in graphic design. He said he wanted to include a curve known as the supercompensation curve. 

“So basically it’s where training stimulus happens, fatigue happens and recovery happens to a point that’s higher than your initial training stimulus, so it’s about growth and development,” Sykes said.

He taught sports nutrition and strength conditioning at Wichita State, but is also a member of the coaching staff for the bowling and rowing teams, training athletes three times a week. 

“My role there is making sure they don’t get injured,” Sykes said. “It’s making them be stronger, fitter, healthier and move correctly. “Being able to make sure that they move correctly so that they can create good biomechanics is foundational to what I do with them.”

Sykes’ involvement with Wichita State began when he moved from England to be a part of Wichita State’s bowling team in 2010. 

He pursued a degree in exercise science and got his master’s in exercise physiology. During the completion of his master’s, he was asked to teach for his graduate assistantship. 

“We come to college to be improved and become more educated, and I did the same and took on teaching opportunities,” Sykes said. “I’ve got to a point where I’m not growing anymore, and so I have to then take that step to what is next for me to continue my growth.”

Sykes will continue to train the bowling and rowing teams but is saddened to leave his students. 

He said because he’s been at Wichita State for 10 years, he still interacts with past students who are chiropractor or physical therapists. 

“Now I get to collaborate with them, and they’re more certified than I am; they’re more credentialed than me,” Sykes said. “They remember the way I treated them and the way that we interacted, and it’s important that you always present your best self and be nice to people.” 

Wichita State graduate Jerod Hromek was a member of the bowling team on campus, where he met Sykes. 

Hromek connected with Sykes, wanting to elevate his training and strengthen his knee. He said he thought training at Amplify beat other competition because Sykes makes a catered plan for every member. 

“When I’m training, I don’t want to think,” Hromek said. “Each plan is individualized (and) are not cookie cutter.” 

Sykes also owns a supplement brand and opened a cafe at his gym on Saturday that serves clean healthy meals and protein smoothies. 

He said the sky’s the limit for Amplify and encourages everyone to give training a chance. 

“Reach out and be part of it because it’s really cool,” Sykes said. “I already train deans and professors, retired faculty (who have) known me as they retired and they know the quality of what I pursue.”