Christine is a busy professional working in the field of cancer research, with a schedule that includes travel, long hours, and constant demands. Yet, she still prioritizes her health and consistently comes in for functional strength training sessions at TrainSMART. After a recent workout, she shared some thoughtful praise about her experience—and it struck me how valuable her insights could be for others who are curious about safe and effective strength training.
Strength training plays a critical role in increasing our healthspan—helping us live better, longer. More people are beginning to understand this and that it’s one of the areas of our health we can directly influence, but starting out can be intimidating. The good news? Research consistently shows it’s never too late to begin.
That’s why I’m especially grateful to Christine for taking the time to sit down with me and share her personal journey with TrainSMART. Her perspective offers encouragement and reassurance to anyone wondering if now is the right time to start.
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At TrainSMART, we specialize in creating safe, customized programs designed to build muscle and bone, burn fat, increase strength, enhance balance, boost energy levels, and improve cognitive function. As experts in longevity, our intelligent strategies are crafted with your unique needs in mind. Through unwavering commitment and personalized care, we believe you can feel better and stronger than you did 20 years ago.
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Could you tell me about yourself and how you found TrainSMART?
“I am almost 75 and I have always been pretty active. I played sports in high school, I walked a lot, and periodically, especially as I got older I've worked with different trainers or go to the Y(MCA) or to a gym. I have tried different activities to try and stay fit. I don't like swimming. It didn't come naturally to me, so that didn't work out very well. I have arthritis and I did aerobics in the pool and even that hurt my joints, so that didn't work out. Then someone recommended TrainSMART to me. It was a high recommendation, it was actually my former trainer. She was leaving for the city and she said this is the only place I would ever send my clients. And now I have been here for almost 3 years.
What I really like is everyone gets their own program and exercises. The first day I came, Brandon worked with me and gave me a few things to do to see my capabilities and took it from there to create a program. Everyone has their own program, so most times I am in here there's between 2 to at max 4 people working out and they each have their own program. There are some common themes, but it is really geared to what you need. I see people doing stuff and I think woah, I’ll never be able to do that, but I think I probably will with the work I do here at TrainSMART.
Now, the goal is not to push me beyond my capabilities, so I have no concerns about injuries here. At other places I have worked out and you’re lifting weights and you might not be doing it right and then “woah”, I ruined my shoulder for a couple months but I never worry about that here because the trainers are really expert in what they do and they really watch us like hawks. They really keep their eyes on us and I think I am doing an exercise right and Brandon will say straighten your back out, tuck your pelvis in, stand up taller, and it just always reminds you to keep your form.
I'm just really happy with the workouts and the atmosphere. Most people in the gym at the times I go are adults, some are older, only a few of us are in our 70s but it's a nice mix of people and everyone is serious about staying fit. The exercises are all about functional activity. I know that I'll be able to bend down and pick up things, I can squat down and pick up things, I can get up from a chair. All of those activities as you get older are really important and I think the work I do at TrainSMART keeps me able to do that.”
What are your fitness/training goals?
“Well when I started here you asked me that and I think I said to be able to keep moving. You see people as they get older, they can barely walk let alone do anything a little demanding. I feel like I'm better than when I started here, I'm much more fit. but I am not out to run a marathon, I just want to be able to be active, pick up groceries and bring them into the house, get up the stairs, and have a really vital life for the rest of my life however long that may be.”
“We have our guest speaker series for our students here, and we had a physical therapist come in. He’s 73 and he was speaking on strength training as we age to our students. He said his goal is to get old I thought it was funny but at the same time I was like that's a pretty good goal”
“You know not only get old but be able to enjoy your older years because you're fit”.
How has TrainSMART helped you?
“I think back to the first time I came in and Brandon gave me some exercises to do. I wasn't great, I could barely get up off the ground. I was never a couch potato, so it has really made me a lot stronger, and now I can just jump up from a seat. I have problems with arthritis in my legs, my hands and my back, and I think it (strength) makes me much more able to deal with those limitations because I think the stronger your muscles are the easier it is on your joints.”
What do you like most about TrainSMART?
“I like the comradery with the other people who come in. The wonderful thing is the scheduling, if you go to the website, almost every day there are time slots from 6am-1 and then starting again later on in the afternoon. I can have an odd schedule and I can just pick a time that works for me. But the times I usually come there are people who come at the same time regularly and we’ve really gotten to know each other well and it makes it a lot more fun. We push each other. There is another woman my age and we keep each other going and challenge ourselves. I like the environment. I have been to places where the trainers really shout at the clients to push them, some people may need that but I don't like it. The trainers here are all gentle, and kind, but still push you to take the exercises as far as you can without shouting.”
Do you have a favorite exercise?
“I do, the McGill Curl Ups are growing on me. I like it because you really brace your abdomen, and you push your spine against the mat, and you come up. Over time I can feel that I am a rock right here (pointing to her abs). If it was 40 years younger, I'd be showing you my abs because it makes such a difference. Also, especially for mobility and being able to get up. I think if you build core strength up it makes such a big difference and I like doing them, not just the result.”
If you or someone you know needs help with safe strength training, TrainSMART is designed to teach you everything you need to know. No matter your age or fitness level, our comprehensive assessment with a medical professional will design a safe plan to get you started. The flexible scheduling offered at TrainSMART will make consistency in your training possible, even if you have a busy schedule. It’s never too late to start!
