Stilwell Health and Fitness - Arcata Jim Falls: Jeremiah is always encouraging. I like machines, and he always explains the muscle-skeleton system so I understand the “what” and “why” I’m doing my various exercises. We live in machines made of flesh and bone, and Jeremiah is an ace mechanic.
Some context: I was in a bad ATV crash 9 years ago and was technically all healed up, but still had chronic pain in my back, no stamina, and weakness and sciatica in my bad leg. I felt old and broken and was not fun to be around.
A year and a half ago, my family “got sick and tired of me feeling sick and tired” and ganged up on me. To appease them, I agreed to visit Jeremiah at Intentional Fitness for the first time.
I was impressed from the beginning. He did a thorough workup to establish the probable sources my pain and weakness. I went thru a series of body measurements and muscle group strength evaluations to establish my baseline, and inform him where to start chipping away at those pain sources.
The first thing was I learned how to stand and walk “differently”. What I thought and felt was standing straight correctly really wasn’t straight at all. I had adapted to my injuries by favoring the old injuries. That adaptation became “the new normal” and a handicap once my bones and muscles had healed.
We focused on key muscle groups and better posture, and sure enough, the pain became much less problematic. When I forget to pay attention to my posture, the pain sneaks back in, but now I know how to knock it down quickly without meds. I’m able to do things I hadn’t done in years.
I’m not Superman yet, and I have a long hiking trip with friends coming in the future, something I’d never have considered a year ago. We’re working on my stamina, strength training, and walking progressively longer distances using the tools he has taught me. I know when the time comes, I’ll be ready and it’s going to be fun!
