From the Dental Chair to the Gym: How One Dentist's Experience with a Personal Trainer Transformed Their Life

As a personal trainer at Motive Training in Grand Rapids, MI, I have had the pleasure of working with clients with a wide range of fitness goals and concerns. Recently, I had the opportunity to work with a client, Thomas, who was in significant pain and discomfort. Here is his story.

Thomas was dealing with neck, shoulder, back, and hip pain and was looking for a personal trainer to help him alleviate symptoms and get in shape for ski season. He initially hesitated to work with a personal trainer, which makes sense.

Most people, like Thomas, believe personal trainers focus solely on weight loss and muscle gain rather than overall health and wellness. However, his brother, a chiropractor based in the Midwest, recommended Motive Training. His brother knew our gym teaches people how to move with purpose from the inside out, so he persuaded Thomas to give us a shot.

Good Assessments Lead To Better Programming

When Thomas first came to our studio, our Lead Trainer, RJ, sat down and went through a complete health history and physical assessment. Thomas is a dentist by trade, so he spends a lot of time on his feet or hunched over his patients; that partially explains why he was so achy all the time. However, we found more mobility limitations during our thorough assessment. Once our team knew where to start, I devised a 100% customized exercise program for Thomas to get him feeling better.

We hit the ground running, and he was crushing it. I showed Thomas how to move his joints through controlled articular rotations (CARs) and taught him how stretching should be done. Here is one of Thomas’ favorite hip CARs variations.

Like many others, Thomas perceived stretching to be something you do to recover rather than to train. However, it only took a few sessions for the reality to settle in: stretching is training, and it’s hard work!

Progression Requires Adjustments

But like any program, we had to adjust training sessions or programming to keep him moving forward. For example, if he felt particularly sore or tight, we pivoted to stretching and mobility training. If he had a specific event or goal, we adjusted the program to that. Because we are constantly adapting and refining his regimen, he has continued to see results and progress over the past seven months. That’s the key to good personal training.

But the most important result of his training is the reduction in his pain and discomfort. He reports that his neck, shoulders, back, and hips are mostly pain-free. As a result, he can work, live, and keep up with his four-year-old daughter significantly better than before training. And that’s what motivates me as a personal trainer–helping my clients achieve their goals and improve their overall anatomical and physiological health.

Here is a snippet from Thomas’ recent testimonial about his experience with us.

Marie has been fantastic! I originally signed on for three months of training to alleviate pain and get in shape for ski season. I figured I would learn some good workouts, and then when the three months were completed, I would join a gym and apply what I learned at Motive Training. No way! I’m in seven months and still going strong.

• Thomas

Don’t Be Like Thomas, But Be Like Thomas

I know too many people who hate working out, but it doesn’t have to be a miserable experience. With the right personal trainer and a personalized training regimen, you can achieve your fitness goals and improve your overall health and wellness. And at Motive Training Grand Rapids, we are committed to helping our clients do just that. But don’t take my word for it; here’s another quote from Thomas.

Marie and Motive Training are the only people I trust with my overall anatomical and physiological health!

• Thomas

Most things are too good to be true, but not us. We strive to be the best personal trainers in Grand Rapids, and we’ll never stop trying to live up to that standard. And while most personal trainers are focused solely on their sessions and appointments, we go above and beyond to ensure you’re progressing in and outside the gym.

So reach out for help, and we’ll show you a better path forward.

Written by:

Marie Barker, CPT, FRCms, NBC-HWC

Are you looking for a sound, effective fitness program? Reach out to us today.

We’ll teach you both how to move with purpose so you can lead a healthy, strong, and pain-free life, and we’re available online or in Grand Rapids, MI, and Austin, TX. You can find us in the Heartside district of Grand Rapids, MI, and the St. Elmo district in South Austin, TX.