It’s now time to get fitter, stronger, quicker and more athletic. That has been the mindset this summer for two brothers who live in Wellington — identical twins Ryan and Reid Snider, who graduated from Palm Beach Central High School in May.
Upon graduation, it closed the chapters on their high school athletic careers, but it opened up new athletic avenues for both boys to pursue.
This summer, the Snider brothers have been on a new fitness journey as they prepare to begin their career at the nation’s elite service academies.
Ryan Snider is headed to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he has accepted a commission to the U.S. Air Force Academy, while Reid Snider is getting ready to attend college at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. At both places, being physically fit is mandatory, as well as being mentally alert and academically sharp. Right now, Ryan and Reid meet those criteria.
Since graduating from Palm Beach Central in May — where Ryan was the valedictorian and Reid was 13th in their graduating class — both boys have had a steady diet of intense physical activity.
“In the final few months of school, we were getting up to go run at least one mile at 5:45 in the morning,” Reid said.
Now the boys are getting up a little later, but running longer, usually close to two miles per day.
In addition to their conventional outdoor workouts, they have been keeping physically fit and active by digging holes and planting trees on their family’s nursery, Richard Williams Nursery, which is located in Wellington at the corner of Indian Mound Road and 125th Avenue South.
They have also been busy using their family’s home gym.
“Working on a nursery is hard work,” Ryan said. “We are also lifting weights, doing leg workouts, and doing many upper-body exercises, such as a bench press and chest flys in our home gym.”
“We have a daily goal of at least 12 pull-ups inside our home gym,” Reid added.
Ryan and Reid recently met up with some other South Florida residents who are also headed to the service academies for group exercise.
“Just recently, we did a six-mile rucksack march while each of us carried a 40-pound backpack to simulate what we will do in the military,” Ryan said. “At the end of boot camp, we will have to walk 12 miles with roughly 45 pounds on our back. It’s called March Back, and it tests our fitness, stamina and camaraderie.”
In addition to their daily fitness and strength routines, they are eating the right food and drinking the right fluids. “We are eating lots of spinach and drinking water, milk and orange juice,” Reid said.
Both boys and their parents — Dan and Diana Snider — left on June 24 to drop off Ryan at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Ryan was set to officially report on June 26. Then, Reid and his parents will head to New York on June 29, as Reid is officially reporting to the U.S. Military Academy on July 1.
Intense and daily sweat and perspiration sessions will continue to be the norm for Ryan and Reid Snider until they report to class in August. Air Force classes begin on Aug. 8, while West Point starts classes on Aug. 19.
