Time to celebrate another client and their massive accomplishments so far! Stephanie has certainly come a long way and it is so encouraging to watch her press forward and work through any road block that gets in her way. After having back surgery twice, she sought out a team of health professionals to help get her life back and strengthen her body to handle the stress of her daily activities. I have had the privilege to be apart of that health team and have had the opportunity to watch her obliterate any obstacle she faces! It has been an absolute pleasure working with Stephanie and it’s about time we help cheer her on!! Great job Stephanie!
Name: Stephanie Gauthier
Tell us a bit about yourself: busy teacher, food lover, travel enthusiast, wife, music fan, movie nerd, loving auntie and cottage girl.
How long have you been working out with Matrix of Motion? I have been training with Greg for almost two years.
What is your Workout/Exercise/Therapy history: I have never been an especially active person. A pretty severe back injury in my late twenties forced me to re-evaluate my attitude towards fitness and taking care of myself. Two back surgeries and several years later, I am in the best shape of my life. I am stronger than I ever thought I could be, and continuing to work at it.
Why did you start working with Matrix of Motion? After my second back surgery, I needed support and guidance to safely exercise and build up my strength in order to support my spine. Personal training and MAT were something I decided to try in order to achieve these goals.
What do you like most about working with Matrix of Motion? Greg is amazing! He is so good at developing an individualized program that keeps pushing you further while still keeping you safe from injury. It is never boring….we are always trying something new. Plus, he’s a super nice guy (even though he makes me do lunges)
What has your experience been like? Greg has made me look at exercise in a different way. He does a great job of explaining the “why” in everything we do. By helping me to understand the mechanics of my body, I was better able to develop the strength and flexibility that I needed to feel healthy and pain free.
What are your goals? Anything specific that you are working towards? My goal for starting with Greg was to develop strength and live a life pain free. I have far exceeded that goal! I am constantly working on strengthening my back and core to support my spine.
What do you use as motivation to help keep you moving forward? I like to set short term, challenging goals so that I feel like I’m working towards something. I recently climbed the CN Tower for the second time and, with Greg’s help, was able to do it 20 minutes faster than my previous attempt in 2012. I’m thinking of trying a tough mudder next – on to the next challenge!!
What advice can you offer to others who are looking to get in shape/become healthier/starting to exercise etc… I used to think of personal training as something extravagant. I now consider it one of the most important parts of my week, something that I am unwilling to do without. Through personalized, supported exercise, I have completely changed my life. I no longer limit my activity because of pain or injury….I have Greg and personal training to thank for that!