Personal Training Success Story – Denise Johnson
Denise Johnson is one of those people who just intrinsically know how to work hard. She was an emergency room nurse while living in Colorado and used to workout by riding 250 miles a week and competing in races.
She and her husband Bill have both worked hard to have a good life and make a difference in this world. They have three great, intelligent kids and a therapy practice that helps kids from troubled homes. So it was a little frustrating for Denise when she started having back pain and “just” working hard didn’t help.
She decided to reach out to us because of a recommendation from her good friend Amy Weyrauch. After she was explained on why this system would help her back pain she was hopeful, but she knew that it was going to be challenging. Now when you are used to riding 250 miles a week and then find yourself doing, what you perceive, as “just” a stretch, it can be a little frustrating.
But what you do after feeling the frustration (as we ALL who have done this have experienced) is where you either succeed or fail. You can make up a bunch of excuses and quit and say, “It’s not for me. “ Or you can trust the process and yourself and know that it is going to take a little work to reap the new life it will give you.
Obviously since she is the March member of the month and a personal training success story, Denise chose the latter.
1) What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a program?
My back was in constant pain from Spinal Stenosis. I always had pain and it was frustrating. I also wanted to reconnect to my health and fitness. I had developed apathy about it, and knew it needed to change. “If you don’t have your health and fitness you don’t have anything. You wont be able to enjoy the life that you have created because you will not feel like yourself, be in pain and not have vitality.”
2) What did you do before?
I used to be a spin instructor and used to lift weights. Back when I lived in Denver, CO I used to compete in bike road races and train by ridding 250 miles per week. I used to run, but had to stop because it hurt my back WAY too much. I walk a lot even though I know that that will also hurt my back. I had also gone to every different kind of modality and it hadn’t really done anything. I was lukewarm on the idea of trying any of them again.
3) What results have you achieved since starting your program that you are proud of?
My back feels fantastic! The whole program has really helped, but the myofascial stretching and the ELDOA’s really helped. I now know how to move properly. Being educated on how to address my body and how to perform the exercises correctly has really helped me. I am now more connected to my health and fitness and what it means for me to be fit.
4) Do you have a favorite exercise? Least? What do you like or don’t like about them?
I love all the exercises that involve lifting weights. It feels really good to move like that. I dread the ELDOA’s and Myofascial stretching, even thought I know that they are what I need the most. I still do them, but they are really difficult.
5) What are some challenges or goals you are currently working on?
Myself!!!
6) What do you like best about our program/ having a trainer?
The education. I love learning how to move properly. You could study it, but that would take forever and even then I might not get it right. So this was invaluable to teach me how and why. The fact that I have been able to correct and alleviate the pain is very exciting to me.
7) What advice would you give to the other SolCore Fitness members?
Stick with it. It is a difficult mental adjustment, as you get older. Having support along the way is necessary.
8) What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program?
If you can’t make a commitment to yourself you wont be able to fully commit to anything. If you are in pain this is the program that is for you.
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HI – I knew Denise years ago, so find it inspiring to read her testimonial! Thank you Denise. I’ll stick with it!
Flo