COLUMN BY RICK FORGIONE —
On one of my first days as a member of ChrisFit, I pulled into the gym to see one of my new “family members” pushing a big black pickup truck across the parking lot.
It didn’t occur to me that it was actually for exercise until my trainer Chris Tybor popped his head out of the car window and yelled to me “you’re next.”
Praying he was kidding, I tried to show confidence with a quick laugh and a half-hearted thumbs up. But as I retreated into the gym I was already compiling a list of reasons why pushing a 4,200-pound truck up and down a 75-yard parking lot was impossible.
Turns out, Chris was bluffing and the truck stayed parked. Don’t worry, he found some other way to kick my tail during our 30-minute session.
That’s what I have grown (not groan) to love about ChrisFit.
Having just finished my fifth week of training, I can honestly say that each one of my 13 sessions so far have been different from the previous one. Chris utilizes his various “torture devices” well and he’s a master of maximizing those half hours with a calculated program that pushes you to your limit, without asking you to do the “impossible.”
And over time, the impossible becomes the possible.
A portion of my very first session included doing two sets of 15 squats by simply sitting on a workout bench then standing up. Last week, I was doing three sets of 15 real squats while holding an 80-pound kettlebell.
A month ago, I was winded after walking the treadmill for 30 minutes. Now I’m able to finish off 60 minutes on a higher level and incline and even jog the final few minutes.
This is where having a trainer is so important and beneficial. Without Chris, I would’ve probably tried to pick up that 80-pound kettlebell the first day and either hurt myself or hate it so much I never picked it up again. On my own, I’ve never even stepped foot on a treadmill, opting instead for exercise bikes that I could coast on while reading.
I went into this six-month program with the No. 1 goal of losing weight. After only five weeks, I’ve lost 35 pounds. But just as important, my limits under ChrisFit’s training continue to expand and I am growing stronger and more confident.
So guess what my reward was after hitting that 35-pound weight loss mark?
“We’re going outside and you’re pushing my truck around today,” Chris said without a trace of it being a joke.
I hoped my nod would mask the doubt that started creeping into my mind.
Outside, Chris explained I would be pushing the truck from behind while it’s in neutral about 175 feet south across the lot, which luckily included a wonderful small downward slope. After that, I would go to the front of the truck and with my back against it, push it up that stupid slope.
Oh, did I mention he wanted me to do that three times?
I thought about protesting, but Chris gave me one of his classic “you can do this, so just do it” stares.
And I did it. An exercise that had literally scared the hell out of me just over a month ago became another benchmark passed.
As I mustered every last ounce of energy I had pushing the truck to its final stop, one of the gym’s newest members pulled into the parking lot and saw what I was doing.
“You’re next” Chris yelled out to her.
“Ha, I don’t think so” was the response.
I kept pushing and thought to myself: “She’ll be out here — when she’s ready.”
Check them out
To learn more about ChrisFit Personal Training, 2423 Hyde Park Blvd., call 818-0078 or visit its website.
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