Where should I start?
I was 15 years old when I first hurt my back. I was a promising pitcher in So. California and collapsed throwing a bullpen. The result was lumbar disc herniations and degenerative disc disease. My athletic career was instantly over and it took me years of physical therapy to live normally again.
In college I became an academic. In short, I didn't take care of my physical health and had my head planted over a book for untold hours a day, through a Masters Degree and most of a PhD. I had bad neck problems as a result (cervical disc extrusion), along with nagging, sporadic lower-back "flare-ups."
I have been in and out of physical therapy, chiropractic and massage care, and a plethora of sport injury specialists, alternative care physicians, and even mental and emotional counseling.
Then, about 7 years ago, I made a choice to "heal myself," after a minor car accident left me with crippling pain. However, I didn't entirely know what that meant, indeed, talking to my doctor, what I wanted was not possible, given my conditions.
Nevertheless, I tried a battery of things. Many didn't work, but some things did, and I was learning and glowing along the way. Still, I remained persistent.
The reason that I am giving this background is to demonstrate both my personal experience and the difficulties present in beginning to train me.
When I first walked into the X-Gym, I was already over many huge hurdles. Indeed, I was walking. I was under chiropractic care, had been through spinal decompression multiple times on multiple locations, received regular massage, and had been "working out" (as best I knew how), along with my doctor's rehab exercises. My intention was clear: I was going to join the X-Gym, learn their "secrets," over a few months, and then do it on my own.
Well, that was nearly two years ago, and I am still with the X-Gym. My body is almost unrecognizable now. I lost 3 inches in my waist (though my weight never changed -- muscle weighs more than fat), almost have a "6-pack," have incredible muscle definition on my extremities, and am very nearly pain free! I have also restructured my posture, reshaped my outward-pointing left leg, balanced my asymmetrical walk, and am now only months away from leaving "rehab" and entering "training"! Meaning, that I intent to USE this new body of mine and raise it to a higher level of performance.
I had predominantly worked with two trainers: Kelsey and Jay. Over the time that I have known them, they have tailored, re-tailored, and re-re-tailored my workouts (!), working with my doctors' comments and recommendations, as well as my own complaints and observations. In many ways they re-taught me how to walk (!), through slowly focusing on muscle groups that would pull and shape my structure into place. Now, don't get me wrong, they never once dispensed any medical advice, but, rather, they would take my doctor's comments that I would bring them and devise a workout modification, either in the gym with them or as homework for myself.
This direct and very active interest in my special needs was paramount in my recovery and getting me to where I am today, and, indeed, I thank them deeply for it -- and continue to do so!
Now, this leads me to the "style" of workout... The owner, PJ Glassey, has devised (and regularly updates and changes!) a rather incredible, yet counter-intuitive, style of short and intense exercise. I say "counter-intuitive," because it seemed to me to be a style of exercise that was potentially dangerous -- especially for someone "fragile" like I was. Indeed, this is one of the reasons that I waited so long to approach the X-Gym. I wanted to get "strong" (as much as I could) before joining. However, what I have learned is that this AMAZING style of exercise is WAY SAFER than 99% of the "medical"-style "physical therapy" that I had been in and out of my whole life!!! Indeed, it is THOUSANDS of percent MORE EFFECTIVE than the best physical therapy I have ever experienced!
While being a member there, I also picked up Glassey's book, "Cracking Your Calorie Code." Through reading this, chatting with him, and making countless alterations with a natropathic doctor (I didn't mention my food and gut problems, but they were about as bad as my body was when I started all this), I was able to TOTALLY turn my life around. I eat, and ENJOY eating healthful foods, have developed an incredible awareness of my self and body, and know more about postural and structural physical motion than most personal trainers that I see through other gym windows! It is really incredible, actually!
Anyway, my wife is now a member and dropped a dress size in her first 2 weeks of workouts!
This place is incredible! Truly. Yes, you have to put in the work! You have to push yourself. You have to LISTEN TO THEM and DO WHAT THEY SAY, or you will NOT achieve the results that I have. This is not a "ticket to ride," but it IS a path! read more