Breakthrough Spotlight Mark Wood!
Our Breakthrough Spotlight for July is Mark Wood! Mark’s dedication to his training and nutrition have led him to accomplish some pretty awesome goals, and we are so excited to celebrate his strength!
Breakthrough: So, Mark, you’ve been a member for almost 2 years. Tell us where you were at when you first started.
Mark: I was a mess!
Breakthrough: Oh my gosh!
Mark: I had a doctor who was honest with me and told me that my back problems and foot problems were because I was out of shape and I needed to find a place that would help me work on my core. And those things are no longer problems!
Breakthrough: That’s good news! How were you feeling at that time?
Mark: Getting out of bed started with a backache. I have arthritis in my back and I didn’t have a lot of mobility in my upper back, and I had a hard time twisting. Now those things are much better. I don’t have back pain at all any more. And although I can’t see my own back, I’m told I have some muscles back there too now!
Breakthrough: Oh absolutely!
Mark: I also started with a boot on my foot and plantar fasciitis… and I looked pregnant!! Now I don’t have that same belly, and of course the boot is gone too.
Breakthrough: Yes, you’ve changed quite a lot! So as part of your training with us, you’ve done quite a few of our challenges, including the Drop Two Sizes Challenge, and the Tactical Strength Challenge. So you’ve accomplished some pretty cool stuff in the time you’ve been here. For example you had a goal to do pull ups, and went from not being able to do them at all to working up to 5 so far, which is great! In all the things you’ve been able to achieve so far, what are some of the things you are the most excited about?
Mark: My most exciting thing I think is moving forward with my deadlift, and being able to lift more than I ever thought I would. And also knowing that I haven’t even really hit my max yet.
Breakthrough: Was that something you would have ever thought about trying before?
Mark: No, I never really thought about weightlifting before. I tried it in high school, but beyond that it was something I had decided wasn’t for me. But here, we work on a lot of mobility things first, which is more important for me. And once your body opens up you feel like you can try different things.
Breakthrough: What made you ready to give this a try?
Mark: Well I ran into you guys at an event with a friend, Francine who was training here. I had seen a change in Francine since she got started. And it was at that time that my doctor told me I needed to find a place to work on my core and mobility. So the timing was right for me to find you guys.
Breakthrough: We always like to have you guys share your deeper reasons for why you train. I mean, you’re dedicated and in here 3 to 5 days a week. So, what’s your “why”?
Mark: My why is very simple. It makes me feel better. I sleep better. I eat better. Everyday is easier on me now. And it’s continually getting better.
Breakthrough: Good! Well, you have your whole life ahead of you to keep getting better. Is there anything you’d share with someone who was in your shoes before and might be wondering about getting started?
Mark: You know, everyone is friendly. It’s a team. We are all in different places and working on different things, but everybody is here for each other. And that’s really helpful. It’s not like that in other gyms. I have people here with me that help me move forward, both the coaches and the other people training. And that’s really important not just physically, but psychologically too.
Breakthrough: That is so great to hear, and it truly means so much to us! Thanks so much for sharing with us Mark – we are so happy to keep celebrating your strength!
