I Faced My Fears

I’m gonna have to give you a bit of a background history for this to make sense…

1. I am a 47 years old, menopausal, AMAZING woman.
2. I have had 2 cancer scares and surgeries.
3. I have had 2 even scarier spinal surgeries.
4. I now have the ability to set off metal detectors from across the room.
5. I like chocolate.

As you may have concluded…I have issues with my body. Which is why I have been a gym unicorn for approximately 4 years now.

         

I don’t sweat.

I sparkle.

A lot.

Anyway, I tried something new. I put my trust and my broken form into the trained hands of Andrew Frech. No, not French, Frech…right, no ‘n’.  Got it? Good!

This is a name that anyone in my area (Granite City, Il) should know and if you don’t then carry your jiggly butt down to Club Fitness and introduce yourself. I don’t trust easy and with all the damage my body has sustained over the years- I have had real fear in the gym. Anything that could, would, or hypothetically hurt my back was a resounding NO in my book. I was afraid. Back issues are some of the most painful things you can do and recovery can be long and difficult, so taking a chance was and is scary for me.

Bench Press- There was no way on God’s green Earth I was ever going to put myself on that bench and dangle massive amounts of weight over me. I could hear my spine cracking just at the thought.

** Take note of this next statement because I do not say it often…clears throat  …**

“I was wrong.”

Yup, you heard (read) it here first. I was mistaken. As Andrew explained, if done properly and with guidance, it is possible. And, I did, in fact, climb on and do a few sets on the bench press. Not only on the bench press but squats, overhead press, pendelay rows, deadlifts…what?

What are these words I’m using? No, it’s not a foreign language. It’s fitness language. Sets, reps, press, row, dips, squats, weight, goals, curls, cardio, but the worst one is TABATA! This one could easily be used as a torture technique in prisons. But Andrew showed me that not only could I do them but I could finish them as well. Did I like Tabata? NO. You don’t have to like it to benefit from it. You have nothing to lose but the weight and your breath.  >>>Go for it. <<<   MAKE YOUR FAT CRY!

But this is where Andrew differs from most. Halfway through my training sessions with Mr. FRECH I came down with the plague and wanted to do nothing more than be swallowed by my bed.  Andrew was one of the few voices of encouragement received every day as I battled the crud. He didn’t have to check on me but he did. He reminded me to eat and drink plenty of water so my body didn’t suffer side-effects from being so sick.  That’s going above and beyond in my book and most fall short. As I said, I don’t trust easy but Andrew is easy to trust.

When I finally returned to the gym- 3 weeks later- he didn’t hold back. He woke my body up with a brutal workout.  I would have punched him, but I couldn’t lift my arms.

BEST WORKOUT EVER.

Here’s what I’m trying to say to you- if you need a trainer that will teach, motivate, and guide you in a journey that can last the rest of your life- Call Andrew Frech. If Andrew is booked, check out one of the other awesome trainers on staff at Club Fitness.

I hope to see you there! I’ll be the one sparkling on the rower while cursing Andrew for making me do it.