Sharon Sullivan - Hybrid In-Person/Remote Coaching Client

What was the problem you needed to solve? Or in other words, why were you looking for a coach?

- I had been looking for a coach to take me to the next level. I'd been working out all my life, but I wanted to be trained by someone who could help me lose the last of the weight I wanted to lose, get more definition, and gain more strength. I was getting older, and it was harder to maintain my body. I was also recovering from open-heart surgery to repair an aneurysm, and I wanted to get back to where I was prior to surgery.

Why did you choose the business that you did?

- I met Gabe a few years prior when a friend took me with her to work out. I really enjoyed his workouts. I started following him and reading his posts and articles. My goal was to work with him one day, and the long recovery from open-heart surgery pushed me to take that next step.

How did they help solve your problem?

- When I first started training with Gabe, we had to take things slow with weight training. After surgery I had to wait 12 weeks before I could do any weight training. And when I started back it was difficult and scary because I had a 6-inch scar and wires holding my chest together. I couldn't really move much for weeks after surgery, and my mobility was compromised for months. So I was really cautious in my first sessions with Gabe. He worked with me to help me increase my range of motion and give me confidence again in lifting. Today, two years post-surgery, I'm lifting heavier than I ever have and just completed my first strongman competition.

How was their solution unique?

- When we first talked, Gabe and I discussed how to first work my way back to where I was before heart surgery and then how to take it to the next level once I got there. He incorporated the right exercises into my training program to build me back up, both in my weight training and cardio level.

What did you like about their approach or delivery?

- Gabe was not like, "We're gonna go from 0 to 10 in a few weeks." He knew my recovery from such a major surgery would take time, and he didn't push me to rush it. Gabe was very thoughtful in his approach to my training program. He made sure each week we were building on what we did the previous week. By doing this, it helped me fully recover, probably more quickly than most faced with the same surgery. And, in the end, I didn't realize how those little steps brought me such big gains.

How would you summarize the experience as a whole?

- I would not be where I am today if it weren't for Gabe. I'm a very motivated, dedicated person. I don't need someone to push me to work out. But having Gabe push me in my training and share his knowledge - not only about weightlifting but nutrition - has taken me to a level I wouldn't think I would be at at age 52.

Would you recommend the business to others? If so, who?

- Gabe can work with anyone at any level. He understands the hard-core athlete (like the longtime fitness enthusiast or high school athlete) who wants to improve their performance to the busy mom who wants to shed weight and just look better. He can tailor a workout program for anyone to meet their goals.

Your experience switching to strongman and competing in your first meet after being a competitive runner for so long

- I have been weight training and running for over 25 years. I was a competitive runner, racing in 5k, 10k and half marathons. Once I started working out with Gabe, he began introducing some strongman-type workouts into my weekly plan. I LOVED IT! I really looked forward to his workouts each week. When he asked if I would be interested in doing a strongman competition, I was in! We only had 10 weeks to train for my first one, but Gabe worked me up to where I could lift a 125-lb. stone and deadlift 225 lbs. Not something I ever thought I could achieve! Even though I didn't perform as well as I would have liked in my first showing, I'm already looking forward to my next competition in the fall.

Previous
Previous

John & Sarah Scales - In-Person Clients