Elevate Yourself
Elevate
Part 1 -Dancing Again!!
When Eldridge asked me about doing a testimonial, my first thought was OMG! Before and After
pictures! No Way! As I thought more about it I realized I would never have come as far as I have in such
a short period of time without Eldridge’s training, support, and yes, the occasional kick in the pants.
Most of my life, I was always an active person, running, biking, skiing, skating, dancing. Staying in shape
and within 5 pounds of my “ideal” weight was never a problem. The last few years due to work stress,
relationship stress, sliding into bad eating habits and not exercising have taken their toll. My “before”
picture is March 2011 and was something of a shock. I found myself looking in the mirror and wondering
who this person was? I didn’t recognize her. And as for doing all the activities I used to do – my knees
and back simply would not tolerate it.
October 2011, with Eldridge’s help, I did a complete reset on my fitness goals, eating habits, and focus. I
made my health a priority. However, knee, shoulder, and lower back problems were an issue. Working
with Eldridge we focussed on re-building my stability around my knees, my core, and my lower back
flexibility and movement. His understanding and application of body mechanics and corrective exercises
has worked wonders. We started out slowly and carefully building up the muscle strength and stability
with dynamic exercises. Eldridge has continued to increase the challenge as I’ve improved. I can now do
the lunges, the cross over squats, and the dreaded stairs. Best of all, I have started taking dance classes.
Who knew my knees and lower back would ever allow me to dance (and in heels) again!
This “after” picture is April 2012. In the last 6 months, I am over half way to my total weight loss goal.
My strength and endurance have skyrocketed. I’m working out twice a week with Eldridge, dancing
twice a week, and doing 2-3 sessions of cardio on my own. I have so much energy these days, I still can’t
believe it. Being in better shape is helping me deal with the day to day stress, sleep better, and simply
have a more positive outlook on life.
So what’s next? I am on track to lose the rest of the weight. I’m definitely continuing with my training
sessions with Eldridge. I’ve come so far in such a short time with his help. I’m excited to see how much
farther I can go (and I know he will push me). And I will definitely keep dancing....
I am proud to say that I am now at my "pre-pregnancy" weight since having my first born...did I mention he's 16 yrs old?!? After having 3 children, my family planning was done by the time I was 30 years old. Great right? Well, I struggled with my weight for years after that. Looking back in high school - I was a gymnast, volleyball & track star....no one ever told me how hard it would be to maintain my weight. I was a heavy smoker for most of my years in my 20s. I wasn’t taking care of myself anymore…I said good-bye bikini body! So instead, I started to concentrate on my career goals. My children were all active with their dance classes, including my husband who played hockey and basketball on the weekends -- so what was my excuse? I had none…I was too lazy to even go for a run. Why would I go for a "run" if I hated it in high school? So why would I like it now? I was fed up and decided that 2012 was the year for me!
I joined World Health in February 2012; upon signing up I was asked to list my goals, my first reaction was …"to run a M-a-r-a-t-h-o-n". I even chuckled at my own response. Having Eldridge as a trainer was a blessing! Always had my back telling me "You can do 1 more -G!" In the beginning I was so sore after our session to the point where I couldn't sit on the toilet! The next day I'd tell him how much pain I was in...his response..."Really? Awwww - good because you're doing 20 more today!" Gah - no sympathy, but deep down inside I knew that is what I really needed. After losing 13 lbs since February, I can truly say that I am so proud of myself! Not to mention I completed my first 5K race in June 2012. Who was I kidding? I can so do this! I've become addicted to my workout routines, along with my healthy eating choices - I have more energy throughout the day, I've seen a drastic change in myself physically and mentally and because of all of this...here I am today stronger as ever! Eldridge - Thank you for being amazing trainer/friend and for all your encouragement this past year, now I can truly say I like myself inside & out and I will do my best to maintain my new lifestyle! I am proof to all working moms out there...as a mother of 3 children and at the age of 38 years old - you can do this! Who knew that only "1 hour" a day (and cardio in between) would change my life forever, no more excuses you can do this!
Just go to World Health - Bay Club and ask for Eldridge...tell em' Gina sent you!!!
Gina Laxamana 38 yrs, Mother, Paralegal (Oil & Gas Company)
Its not often you see an industry leader of the Worldhealth Bay Club practice what they preach and take it even further. Dennis's goal was to get ripped for his Mexico trip but he accomplished much more than that.
I started training with Eldridge in October 2010 and can honestly say that choosing him as my trainer was the best thing I have ever done for my body shape and fitness level. I have worked out with other trainers in the past but never saw these same results. I spend less time in the gym than when I worked out on my own but have obtained greater results. I am stronger and leaner and much more noticeably fit looking. Â I get a lot of compliments these days on how toned and conditioned I look and there is no doubt in my mind that it is a result of my training sessions with Eldridge. He has a very relaxed style but is very effective in pushing you beyond your own perceived limits. One of the attributes I appreciate most about Eldridge is his attentiveness he stays focused on his clients throughout the session! He is also knowledgeable and good at making sure he keeps the sessions varied and interesting. Eldridge has made a great contribution to my fitness level and I highly recommend him as a trainer.
I joined Eldridge's boot camp in January 2010 following a Christmas vacation that included too little exercise and too many treats. I was in good shape prior to the bootcamp and had trained with two other personal trainers in the past, but knew I needed something to kick start my workouts. Eldridge did not disappoint!
Each boot camp session was composed of entirely different exercises than the ones before. He was constantly changing things up with functional, compound exercises mixed with intense cardio. Some mornings I felt like throwing up, which to me is an indication of how good a workout is! He also threw in fitness testing and body composition analysis to help keep us on track and work towards specific goals.
Not only does Eldridge think through the workout plan and make things progressively more difficult, but he is also focused and present during the sessions. We typically had a group of 4-6 people, and he was always around to watch our technique and form. Some trainers are distracted, talking to other clients or using their cell phones, but Eldridge gives his clients 100% of his attention.
In June 2010 I had some boudoir photos taken, and thanks to Eldridge's boot camps, my additional workouts, and a clean diet I was in the best shape of my life. My strength, endurance, core stability, and cardio have all improved since working out with Eldridge. I continued with Eldridge's boot camps for 18 months, and will definitely sign up again when they resume in the fall.
I've been training with Eldridge for several years and our twice weekly training sessions are an integral element of my fitness program. Training with Eldridge has allowed me to understand my fitness potential and has given structure to my entire fitness and nutrition objectives.
I'm a disciplined and self-motivated person, but training with Eldridge allows me to push myself to a level that I cannot reach on my own. Our sessions are dynamic and varied, and always successfully target the specific objectives we've established.
Fitness, nutrition and wellness have become a key part of my life, and my personal training with Eldridge will continue to be instrumental in my success.
I’ve been training with Eldridge for several years and our twice weekly training sessions are an integral element of my fitness program. Training with Eldridge has allowed me to understand my fitness potential and has given structure to my entire fitness and nutrition objectives.
I’m a disciplined and self-motivated person, but training with Eldridge allows me to push myself to a level that I cannot reach on my own. Our sessions are dynamic and varied, and always successfully target the specific objectives we’ve established.
Fitness, nutrition and wellness have become a key part of my life, and my personal training with Eldridge will continue to be instrumental in my success.
If you want to achieve your personal fitness goals, I would recommend training with Eldridge. I have been training with Eldridge for just under a year and have noticed significant improvements in my physical strength, cardio endurance, and core stability. Eldridge provides exercises that engage multiple muscle groups so you get the most out of every workout. Each session has new and interesting workouts and can be done anywhere. Eldridge can modify any exercise to fit specific needs for physical limitations, injuries, or other considerations.
The following are my testaments to Eldridge’s training ability:
If you have been debating how to start a new routine or you need to get yourself out of an exercise rut, Eldridge will give you a new perspective and the tool to achieve an improved-you!
Thanks E – I couldn’t have achieved this without you!
Sherry Hayter
Accountant, Calgary, AB
I’ve been engaged with this whole fitness thing unknowingly since I was in grade school. I was your typical 10 year old kid with more energy than I knew what to do with. Recess and gym were my favorite classes. As I grew up my attention and curiosity for the opposite sex grew. Questions about fitness no longer became about how many push-ups could I do, or how many laps around the gymnasium could I run in 12minutes but rather, could dodgeball qualify as a type of flirting/ foreplay that I, as a strapping young adolescent teen become skilled at to win her affection? If you fill in the blanks, that particular day in gym class did not go so well; (note to self: foreplay isn’t suppose to hurt until later in life hehe).
Fast forward 10 years; I find myself in creative writing 101. I had this crazy idea at the time, that since I loved hiphop and rap music I could major in the literary arts. I loved the wordplay in some of the 90’s hiphop lyrics, “a rat tat tat tat wit ma gat is where its at” by Mobb Deep. Unfortunately, my aspirations to become an accomplished lyricist didn’t agree with the mandatory pre-requisite of technical writing….Damn it! So like every lost soul in the early semesters of College I was trapped in the proverbial academic purgatory. Until I enrolled in a class called Socio Culture in Physical Education did I really appreciate exercise, the art of “play”, and human movement. I fell in love with everything that had to do with human anatomy and movement. Fast forward 4 years- here I was graduated with a Kinesiology degree and 30 pounds overweight from the 4 years of mental academic and social anarchy that my body endured.
Looking back the whole situation was ironic, here I was studying how to keep people healthy yet ignoring the rules for myself. Its comedic to remember taking the final exam for Nutritional Science and then celebrating with “Peters Drive In” afterwards. And, to add insult to injury- literally, I had torn my knee (ACL) in a game of rat-pack basketball. Here I was on top of a physio bed practicing how to bend my knee, when just 3 years earlier I was running 12sets of suicides. “Why did this happen?” I asked myself over and over while forcing my knee to bend to 90degrees (which took 3 hours, the day after surgery). After post-op rehab my right leg had shrunk 3.5cm. The visual difference was astonishing. Eventually, I rehabbed the knee to 100% and got on to become a personal trainer.This was a point in my life where I did some real learning. My first few years as a trainer was truly a wakeup call, a definite reality check. My mindset was "I'm educated, a fairly nice dude, clients should be flocking at my doorstep wanting to train with me". That just wasn't the case. There's just some skills that can't be learned in lecture halls."Softer" people skills like empathy, trust, and non-verbal communication. Skills I felt that my peers just intuitively obtained. I however, was a late bloomer. I later learned that its not what you say or how "gospel" like you can phrase something, its what you do. At that point I took responsiblity for my own health, wellness and physical circumstance I began my personal journey with the help of coaches and mentors- whom I'm truly greatful for. And, on this journey I obtained a physique that I set out to obtain while learning the real essence of my craft as a trainer.
I love witnessing the positive physical, emotional, and mental changes in my clients. I love hearing their stories of triumph over perceived health and fitness limitations. I am amazed of how much success, love and happiness they begin to attract in their lives by becoming healthier and fit. That reason itself drives me to become a better trainer. I view myself as striving to become a sharper instrument in a clients’ toolbox on their journey to leading a healthy, happy and productive lifestyle.To me training is the ultimate metaphor. The metaphor of how much a person love's his or her self. I'm passionate about being that bridge to an individuals real potential. I love the feeling of exciting and inspiring people into action. I love training because I love connecting with people. In making that connection I discover more about myself. In my mind every connection I make with clients reflects aspects of my craft as a trainer and as a person. It"s as though I'm a composite of every client who is important to me (and they all are). I gain knowledge from those clients who I intensley love to train and from those who I intesley dislike to train. Its as though one may represent my higher aspirations, and the other my deepest fears but that will be another story......
Before
After
© 2013 Elevate.
