Testimonials
Meet pam
Pam - Present
“I know that my mom was intimidated by the idea of going to the gym and did not know where to begin, which is where Liz comes in. I had been taking (and loving) Liz’s bootcamp class for a few months and I had come to really trust and appreciate her as a trainer, so I thought that she would be the perfect fit for my mom.”
-Maggie
pam's story
“Her approach is somewhat holistic and appears to be a mix of more traditional exercise with the principles of yoga to achieve an overall balance of conditioning, endurance and strength” ”
Pam had a goal. She is actually walking the path of that goal as I write this. She has already posted pictures from her first days of hiking the Annapurna Circuit & Sanctuary trek (150 miles w/17,800' max elev.). Pam has done the work, with me and on her own. Yes I was there to provide the exercises, design the programs and ensure proper form, but I truly believe one of the biggest parts of the job as a personal trainer is to be the mirror. We have to show our clients what we see within them, we must reflect back the strength and courage that is there so they can see it as well. Once we do that, they do the work.
I have the pleasure of having Maggie (Pam’s daughter) as a regular participant in my Thursday night boot camp, Maggie is committed, always doing her best and most often smiling while doing it. When her mother had reached out to train with me I made space for her in my schedule.
Upon our first meeting, I could tell that Pam was intelligent, funny and we had a connection. What made the process easier for me was her trust in me as a professional.
“What I quickly learned was that I needed a much more comprehensive physical tune-up. Her initial assessment of my overall condition clearly established the effects of 35+ years working at a desk job … essentially no core strength; poor balance and flexibility; weak back, shoulders and arms; and pretty much non-existent leg strength, especially in the muscles supporting my knees. Her ability to “see” what was going on with my body and clearly explain to me how everything was connected and interrelated made me believe her when she promised that, if I was willing to do the work, she could and would get me ready for our trip. Her confidence and encouragement from the outset got me through what was a rude awakening about my overall condition that otherwise could easily have derailed me.” - Pam
Pam - Before
We needed to start out slow, with some stabilization and rehabilitation exercises. We worked on core strength, balance and some knee and hip specialized exercises first, with the goal of reestablishing neural pathways to those muscles.
“She taught me how to actually feel my muscles as they engaged to do the things I asked them to. As the weeks went on I quickly began to really feel a difference and then to see one also. “-Pam
With Pam’s consist work we were able to move onto more strengthening exercises. I knew with the type of excursion that was ahead of her, leg strength would be paramount. We had some bumps in the road but Pam’s outlook matched mine, they are just bumps either you alter course slightly to avoid them or you slow down and approach them slowly eventually passing them.
“I also have occasional bouts of vertigo, so she was always sensitive to whether certain exercises would trigger its onset. There was never any question that what she planned for me was specific to my individual needs, and not just a set program. With her guidance, my initial feelings of incompetence soon gave way to a desire to show real progress each week.”-Pam
One of the greatest accomplishments as a trainer is to see your client’s in the gym working out when they are not scheduled to meet with you. Pam was in the gym on a regular basis, working on the prescribed training exercises as well as working on her cardiovascular conditioning.
“Since my mom has been working out with Liz, I have noticed so many great changes. Not only has she improved her physical fitness, but I can tell that her confidence and energy levels are higher than they’ve been in years. My mom has always taken care of herself, but she has always put her needs behind those of everyone around her.” - Maggie
Pam had suggested that maybe I meet with her husband Fred for a few sessions since he had been experiencing some knee pain on recent hikes. After meeting with Fred and conducting an assessment I determined that the knee pain was stemming from his hips. We worked on releasing some over active muscles and activating those that were underactive. What I really needed was for his brain to connect to his hips again. We did this by working on hip and glute floor exercises.
Pam and Fred
“After 8 weeks, I have noticed major improvement in my stamina and overall conditioning as well as reduced post-workout pain(s) and faster recovery times. My back and hip discomfort is mostly gone and my knee is greatly improved. I am now probably in the best shape I have been in in the last 20+ years” – Fred
Our last session together was a joint session for both Pam and Fred. I created a daily pre-hike warm up routine and post hike cool down routine. I also established a Facebook connection with Pam. As they progress on their journey I want them to know I am here for them, reach out if needed. Sometimes the connection does not just end when the training stops.
Through years of training I have come to realize that more often than not we as trainers can’t just prescribe exercises, programs and nutritional guidance. Our clients are coming to us, asking for help, in order for us to provide the best help we need to know them, and they need to know us. We need to create a bond, trust must be established. I care for all of my clients, I care about their health and well-being in all areas of their life and Pam, Fred and Maggie are perfect examples of this.
“First and foremost, Liz’s priority is for you to reach your full potential in every aspect of your life, which comes through in her training. She knows exactly how to push you even when you feel like you’re ready to give up, while also making working out fun!” - Maggie