Our Spotlight Member for May is Kate! From the confidence boost of seeing your skills improve in training, to the power of taking time just for yourself, Kate shares how her training is positively impacting her both inside and outside the gym!
BREAKTHROUGH: Thank you, Kate, for chatting with me!
KATE: Thank you for asking me!
BREAKTHROUGH: It’s kind of funny how you got started with us. It was seven years ago when we first opened and met you…
KATE: Yep!
BREAKTHROUGH: And we thought, oh my gosh Kate would love training here and we’d love to work with her…
KATE: I know. I know!
BREAKTHROUGH: What was going on at that time? You had a newborn and …?
KATE: Yes, I had an infant, and it just wasn’t the right time for me. So, I taught myself how to use kettlebells, but I got to a point where I wanted instruction. I thought to myself, Kati and Caleb are legit- I hadn’t forgotten about you!
BREAKTHROUGH: We kept in touch every so often over the years, but sometimes the timing just has to be right. And finally, the time was right for you to come on in. We are so excited to have you!
KATE: Oh, this has been unbelievable! It is amazing! I love coming here! I love it!
BREAKTHROUGH: Awe! Yay! So, what was it that convinced you that now was the time?
KATE: Well, really it was my doctor telling me that she wanted me to start strength training because I am in my 40’s now. And she didn’t want me losing muscle mass. Well, I remembered that I love this place, so this was a perfect reason to get in here. I told my husband that I have to, and he said, well okay!
BOTH: Ha, ha!
BREAKTHROUGH: So, you felt if you were going to get more serious about strength training you wanted to get some instruction, and not have to go it alone?
KATE: Right. Exactly. Because I was worried about injuring myself. Because I would go to the gym inconsistently and try to lift free weights or use machines and then I would realize that there was some kind of twinge somewhere, in my back or my knee or my shoulder. I realized that I can’t do this by myself because I’m not in my 20’s or 30’s anymore, and I don’t want to get hurt.
BREAKTHROUGH: So how are you feeling now?
KATE: I feel great!
BREAKTHROUGH: It’s been about two months…
KATE: Yeah, almost two months! I feel amazing!
BREAKTHROUGH: Great! Now that you have been consistently training for two months, is there anything that surprised you that you weren’t expecting?
KATE: I think how quickly I’m getting stronger, and how quickly my body is changing. I didn’t join to lose weight or anything like that, but like, now my muscles are starting to come out!
BREAKTHROUGH: Oh yeah!
KATE: It is crazy! How I move through space. How I move through my house. My posture is different. How I am driving in my car. Everything is just kind of… (zip sounds) you know!
BREAKTHROUGH: Ha, ha!
KATE: You know? It feels really good. Waking up in the morning and my shoulder doesn’t hurt.
BREAKTHROUGH: That is awesome! When you hit your stride with your training, you notice all these little ripple effects throughout your life. It doesn’t happen overnight, but usually a few weeks in, if you’re consistent you do start to notice - I am moving a little differently in the normal stuff that I do in everyday life.
KATE: Yeah! Like when I was walking up that flight of stairs in my backyard and I texted you that I was doing step ups right now! Totally different!
BREAKTHROUGH: Yes! I love looking for those little moments where your training impacts how your daily life is going. And it is a big deal! It seems so minor, but it is not.
KATE: It’s not! It makes everything easier. Everything about just going through my day is easier and I have more energy and I am happier. I can come in here and think, I am so tired, and I don’t want to do this - but I do want to do this because at the end I am going to feel amazing. And the rest of my day is going to be better.
BREAKTHROUGH: Yeah! For sure!
KATE: That is another surprise. Well, I knew it was going to be good for my mental health, but way more than I anticipated!
BREAKTHROUGH: That is honestly one of biggest reasons why I think sometimes people, when they finally start training in a way that isn’t just mindless, but where they are actually trying to build a skill and they can see themselves improving, they start to recognize that this isn’t just about ticking a box and saying - I exercised today. It is part of how you care for yourself overall.
KATE: Yeah, exactly!
BREAKTHROUGH: That is powerful! So, one of things that we like to have people share is what is your why?
KATE: Oh! Now I can’t remember what my why was at the beginning of all of this…
BREAKTHROUGH: That’s ok. Sometimes it changes.
KATE: Yeah right! I think my why now is because it feels really good to take care of myself. I feel really healthy, really strong. Things are really changing, and I can take care of myself better - because I have kids to take of, and my husband, and my life and all sorts of responsibilities.
BREAKTHROUGH: Ha, Ha! You’re an adult!
KATE: Ha, Ha! Right! And it makes it easier to take care of everybody else. But also, every time I leave here, I have this sense of accomplishment. I lifted some heavy things multiple times in a row. And that is awesome. It makes me feel like I did something challenging; I overcame something, you know!
BREAKTHROUGH: I know for me when I first started getting into strength training years ago, I used to think, ok if I can do what I did in training, then I can probably – because I am a nervous, anxiety person…
KATE: Oh yeah, me too! High anxiety.
BREAKTHROUGH: Yeah, so I’d start to recognize that, ok if I can do that in training, then this other thing that is making me nervous, I can probably do that, too. It is a is a confidence boost.
KATE: A total confidence boost!
BREAKTHROUGH: I am glad that you are experiencing that. That is a really good why! And I like that you said yes to yourself. I think a lot of people have some motivation to take care of themselves because of how it will help them take care of others better. But I think there is something really cool about recognizing that is also awesome to just do something for you.
KATE: Exactly!
BREAKTHROUGH: That is an awesome why. I think a lot of people can relate to that. A why can shift, like you said. Maybe it was not what you felt at the beginning. But now, you are a new you, two months in…
KATE: Right!
BREAKTHROUGH: …and there is different stuff happening. Anything else you want to share?
KATE: I guess, just that it is so precise. Having this program that is just for me and for what we are working on for my goals, my body, and my challenges, and just how everything is so beautifully addressed, and I just feel like it’s working. It is amazing!
BREAKTHROUGH: Good!
KATE: I love my programs! They are so fun! Ha, ha!
BREAKTHROUGH: Well, we love you, Kate!
KATE: Thank you!
BREAKTHROUGH: Thank you for taking the time to share all this with us. We appreciate it!