This one is for the guys

I thought I would start with a few celebrations.

First, the Hooligans and I just celebrated our eight-year gotcha day. Hard to believe that was eight years ago. Remember our "meet the puppies" day at the Tread studio? Well, here they are living their best Arizona life. They are very good little adventurers.

Second, it has been one year since my talented surgeon gave me a bionic hip. Her work is literally holding me together. When I look back on the day I sat down and typed, "Hip Fracture Specialist in Phoenix", it blows my mind that one simple moment can lead to something so great. It was a lesson to me. I don't always get to know what the big moments are at the time.

Third, I got nothing but wonderful encouragement from last week's newsletter. Here are a few:

• "Ahhhhh...your words and travels bring me Zen."
• "Thank you for sending the newsletters!! I read and enjoy them. Please enjoy 'being as me as I can be'! Glorious freedom in Christ."
• "Love your newsletters!"
• "I'm reading...keep writing."

Now I want to celebrate a few guys I train, even though I am known more for my work with women.

Ernie is sixty-one. He lives in a rural part of the country and much of his work and recreation depends on the strength of his body. Think cowboy. He came to me with a post-surgery brace on his knee, and an arm he was unable to lift due to rotator cuff tears. "Hmm, where to begin?", I thought. Core strength! We got to work doing basic core strengthening exercises for 30 minutes once a week. Lots of isometrics (holds). Modified planks. Can you guess what started to happen? His shoulder started improving. I shifted our sessions to include shoulder range of motion work, which led to light weights. Well, fast forward two years. He can now lift heavy weight overhead with good form. His knee has healed and he can now squat, lunge and deadlift. But the best thing is he can do all the things that make him...him. That outdoor lifestyle is once again completely accessible. We laugh each week at the aging process since we are similar in age and have been through many surgeries combined - but his commitment to strength training is solid. He did the work and saw the results firsthand. Way to go, Ernie!

Robert is sixty-six. He came to me at the beginning of the pandemic, when the gyms were shuttered. He had been working out with a male trainer at a big gym and wanted to maintain his workouts for the few weeks the gyms would be closed (we were so hopeful, weren't we?). He joined my online program and has been a committed student ever since. If you have done an LYBU class, you know Robert. He is dedicated to both a healthy lifestyle and having a pain-free back. His work requires many hours at a desk, and he would tell you that his three weekly workouts with me keep him moving and help keep his chronic back issues from becoming unmanageable. A pain free life is a happy life! Way to go, Robert.

I find them inspiring because they reinvented their fitness when they reached a certain age. They didn't let arthritis derail them. They didn't let injuries and surgeries stop them. They made a commitment and got to work.

One more story. I've known Sean for years. He has been through the ringer with back surgeries and pain. Several years ago, he moved to the mountains of Oregon. His new home was just minutes from a canyon with an extensive trail system. The beauty of this new land summoned him outside to explore. As he started to walk more frequently, guess what happened? Decades of chronic pain started to improve. His core strength and posture started to progress. Could that really be? Isn't it just a walk? Who knows the magic that happens when you start to move, especially outside. Sean is a reminder to me - it is always worth a try. Way to go, Sean.

Since I spend a lot of time celebrating my women, I thought I'd give a shout out to the guys. Thanks for bringing your energy and dedication to my practice.
Have a great week!