Our Spotlight Member for February is Terry Gordon! Terry shares about she went from feeling lethargic, to having more energy and stamina - and how she experiences her strength in "real life" outside the gym!
BREAKTHROUGH: Thank you, Terry, for being our Spotlight member this month! Tell me a little bit about how you were feeling before you joined, and what led you to feeling like you wanted to start doing some strength training?
TERRY: I had triple bypass surgery 4 years ago, and prior to that I was training for half marathons and marathons. After my surgery, I really stopped doing any kind of exercise. I have never done any kind of weight training before. And I felt lethargic, no energy. I felt stiff. I felt like my movements were not as easy as they should be. So, I really thought that I should start doing something. I didn’t know exactly what because I had been doing some off and on walking but that didn’t seem to fix the situation.
BREAKTHROUGH: So then, I know this is kind of a funny one, but it was one of our members that was talking about us at a nail salon and you just kind of overheard and….
TERRY: Yes, my journey to Breakthrough was not normal, if you will… if anything is normal! I was getting a manicure/pedicure and another lady in the salon was talking about how much she loved Breakthrough Gym. My ears perked up. I thought, Oh! That sounds interesting. Maybe it is something that I should try. And when she was leaving, I said, “Excuse me. I was overhearing your conversation, and can you tell me where it is and a little bit about it?” So, she went into detail in terms of the training that you do, and how it is all individual and specialized depending on the person and what the person needs. I thought, this is something I should try. So, I called and made an appointment and here I am today! I think it has been five months.
BREAKTHROUGH: Yes, it has! And it has been really impressive to see all the things that you have accomplished! So, how are you feeling so far? Do you feel different from when you first started?
TERRY: I do feel different. I have a lot more energy. I definitely feel it with my flexibility. I feel it with my stamina. I feel it with my strength in all sorts of ways.
BREAKTHROUGH: That is great! I think it’s really cool to notice progress in lots of ways. For example, we can see progress with what we do in the gym, and seeing your data history on the Bridge App for your program, and seeing weights increasing over time. One thing that you mentioned the other day - you were talking about how you went to the football game, and how you were climbing the stairs at the…
TERRY: SoFi Stadium?
BREAKTHROUGH: Yeah.
TERRY: So, we went to the NFC championship and if anybody has been there before, it is quite a schlep from where you park to when you actually get to your seats. First of all, the parking structure is about six levels, so you have to go up and down the stairway if you don’t want to get into the elevator. Then you have to walk there. Our seats were practically at the top of the stadium - like nosebleed section. My husband is quite tall. He is thin and he’s got a huge stride. I thought, “Oh Lordie!”
BREAKTHROUGH: Ha, ha!
TERRY: It is going to take me forever to catch up to him and to get up to where my seats are. But it was great. I did it with no problem at all! No perspiration, and I was like - Yeah! I can do this! This is great! So, I really felt it there.
BREAKTHROUGH: That is awesome! I love moments like that where you see that it is not just coming into the gym because it ticks off a box and we are supposed to do it for our health. It’s about doing those things in our everyday life and having it be a little bit easier or do things that would have been harder to do if you weren’t training.
TERRY: Oh, absolutely! I can tell you that if I hadn’t been training, I would have been huffing and puffing to the top of that stadium.
BREAKTHROUGH: I love it! So, we always like to hear a little bit about your why… Everyone is busy and it’s hard to carve out time for yourself… What is the reason that you prioritize getting in here 2-3 times a week to take care of you? What’s your deeper why?
TERRY: My why is really health. It’s really staying fit as we get older. It’s mobility, it’s strength, it’s flexibility. Because I realized that if I don’t start doing something now, as I move on in years, I am going to feel more stiff. Everyday things are going to be harder to do. So that is really my why. My why is - I refuse to just sit on the couch and do nothing about it. I really want to continue to be healthy and fit and have some strength.
BREAKTHROUGH: Yes! I absolutely agree with you. It’s really powerful to know that there is something you can do. You don’t have to just accept the “inevitable.”
TERRY: No, you don’t. It is really just a matter of just making a decision to call Breakthrough…
BREAKTHROUGH: Ha, Ha! Yes!
TERRY: … and say, hey, I want to train! I promise you that is going to be comfortable. I promise you that it is going to be challenging. And I promise you that is going to be fun.
BREAKTHROUGH: Oh, that is so great to hear! We just love having you!
TERRY: Thank you. I love being here!