Meet Ian Pyka of Boca Cryo in Boca Raton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian Pyka.

Ian, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have always been involved in sports. A knee injury in college playing football, led me to the University of Maryland on a track and field scholarship. While there, I was awarded NCAA Track and Field All-American honors three times. More importantly, I earned an alternate spot on the 1980 US Olympic Track and Field Team (Shot Put). Unfortunately, the US boycotted those games in Moscow squelching many dreams.

After receiving my bachelors degree in Kinesiological Sciences at Maryland, I accepted a graduate assistantship as a strength and conditioning coach, at the University of Tennessee. Here, I completed my masters degree in Exercise Physiology. My first strength and conditioning job was at the University of Massachusetts. Four years later, I accepted the same position at Tulane University. After just six years of experience in college, I accepted the position of Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the New England Patriots of the NFL where I remained for several years.

In 1994, I found myself in Scottsdale, Arizona managing a preventive medicine center. This unique business worked with a retired population, using diet and exercise to improve quality of life and longevity. That same company was the reason I moved to south Florida.

In 1998, I was hired by the Florida Panthers of the NHL to be their strength and conditioning coach for the next four years. In 2002, I started Power Play Fitness, a company which focuses on the sports specific and comprehensive training of athletes as well as any and all motivated individuals interested in improving their overall fitness and health. I also teach in the Exercise Science Department at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, subjects include Kinesiology, Biomechanics and Advanced Strength and Conditioning Methods.

I am certified as a strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. I have been an invited speaker to many national conferences and have authored numerous articles in the field of strength and conditioning. I have produced a video series to teach proper mechanics in the Olympic lifting movements entitled, “Olympic Lifting Movements for Power Sports”.

The concept of Boca Cryo was formulated after years of training athletes and private clients and seeing a need for recovery elements which could benefit large, diverse numbers. One of my clients, who has become a close personal friend, helped ignite the fire for the business.

Has it been a smooth road?
Boca Cryo has been in the making for almost four years! It started out as a comprehensive training and recovery concept which brought into play cutting edge technologies in both fields.

Once we whittled the larger, more expensive, unrealistic model of doing everything, we decided on something that would benefit many, be different and doable in the marketable area of Boca Raton, Florida.

Finding the right location was the challenge and took almost two years of searching and walking away from some potentially bad lease agreements.

Planning, construction and permitting all posed their individual challenges but ultimately, divine order saw the project to completion.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Boca Cryo – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Boca Cryo is a wellness company which offers healing and recovery through state of the art technologies, all non-invasive and drug-free.

We offer 6 different therapies in our center. Our flagship service, of course, is Whole Body Cryotherapy, issues with inflammation, pain, stiffness, sleep disorders or just looking for performance improvement? Need to be more alert without the use of over the counter stimulants or supplements? If so, this therapy is for you!

3 minutes of sub zero temperatures (-160 F) using safe, cold air in a “true” whole body chamber, leaves you with a rush of endorphins and other pain modulators. This short stay in the cold also boosts your metabolism while strengthening your immune system! Our specialized chamber is equipped with speakers which play your favorite tunes while moving freely about. Unlike our competitors, we DO NOT use liquid nitrogen (which proved to be fatal in one case in NV several years ago). Our chamber is totally enclosed, affecting the receptors in the head and neck (better response by immune system) which the “others” lack.

We also offer localized cryotherapy for those specific areas of pain and inflammation. This can be administered a La Carte or in conjunction with WBC.

Boca Cryo Facials are becoming popular as well. For those looking for less wrinkles and puffiness, tightened skin, closed pores and a younger look, this is for you! This 10 minute therapy, in conjunction with WBC, is shown to increase collagen production. This protein helps make the skin look younger and fuller without injections and expensive creams.

Boca Cryo also offers a state of the art Magnetherapy, using a device called the Magnesphere. This low level magnetic resonance device helps relax the body by balancing your Heart Rate Variability or HRV. Our autonomic nervous system is divided into Sympathetic (fight or flight) and Parasympathetic (rest and digest) systems. By bringing these two systems into balance, the body begins to heal itself! What an amazing idea! No one uses this device without relaxing so much they fall asleep during the session. Treatment outcomes are amazing as well!

Boca Cryo also offers Compression Therapy for the lower body. This pneumatic system inflates sleeves covering your legs. Systematically, the compression helps eliminate the bi-products of exercise and recirculate blood back to the heart via the venous system. Athletes or weekend warriors, as well as people with circulatory insufficiencies, can benefit from this therapy.

Finally, Boca Cryo also offers salt therapy. This form of therapy entails relaxing in a room infused with medical-grade salt crystals which are inhaled and help with respiratory issues ranging from asthma, smokers cough, or even sinusitis, to mention a few. Salt therapy is also a tremendous therapy and healer for skin disorders such as acne and psoriasis.

We are most proud of the comprehensive, state of the art services that we can offer a very diverse population.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love Boca Raton for its diversity. Young to old, from parts as far north as Canada to the islands of the Caribbean, Boca has it all.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1200 Yamato Road Suite B3
  Boca Raton, Florida 33431
• Website: www.bocacryo.com
• Phone: 561-717-4402
• Email: [email protected]

Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.