On the heels of a World Series win and with the 2017 MLB season underway, Chicago is in full baseball mode. And at the JW Marriott Chicago, groups can join in with the new Seventh Inning Stretch Breakout Session.
Along with the property’s Spa at JW Chicago and led by Jason Raynor, one of 50 Nike Master Trainers in the world who oversees the JW Fit Squad at the spa, the program was designed as a way for guests to connect to the local history of the sport and the city’s World Series Champion Chicago Cubs with baseball-inspired movements.
“Much of the city is particularly fond of baseball right now, and we wanted to celebrate and honor the beginning of the season,” Raynor said. “Chicago has a rich baseball community and love for the sport, and any way we can tie in the culture of our city into our meetings offerings makes our programming stronger.”
Raynor, whose career includes leading a baseball training experience with Anthony Rizzo (a three-time Chicago Cubs All-Star) and the Chicago Cubs’ strength coach, creates and leads the Fit Meetings offerings on-site. With the stretches specifically for those wearing business attire, the session includes a five-minute introduction and diaphragmatic breathing, followed by five to 10 minutes of stretching and ending with five minutes of meditation.
“We have such a talented and devoted fitness team, known as the JW Fit Squad, and we wanted to find ways to expand their reach beyond the gym and incorporate their expertise into other aspects of the hotel, particularly meetings,” Raynor explained.
The Seventh Inning Stretch Breakout Session is part of the hotel’s Fit Meetings Program that includes options such as guided meditation, restorative yoga and visualization, posture training and group runs.