I’ve always enjoyed fitness. Before fitness, I was a spinning and aerobics instructor, and I did pretty typical gym workouts with a lot of cardio and very little weights. I had tried fitness a few times at a few different boxes and I absolutely hated it.
I was overwhelmed by all of the abbreviations like WOD, AMRAP and TABATA and felt very weird and self-conscious doing the movements. Both my husband and my daughter loved fitness, but NOT ME! It got to the point where I didn’t even want them talking about it the house!
Then one day about a year after trying it, I went to lift my son out of the bathtub, and it felt almost impossible.
My son, Noah, who at the time was 13 years old and 5’5”, has Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy and Autism. Due to his conditions, he has to be carried and lifted from place to place. I then thought, he is only going to get bigger and I still need to be able to lift him. What can I do to ensure I can still lift him when he’s 6’4” like his dad?
That’s when I thought maybe I would give fitness another try and that time, it stuck. I loved the members that were in the 9:30 class and the coaches worked with me until I was comfortable on my own. Soon I was competing in local competitions, coaching, and working for several companies that make workout apparel and nutrition supplements. But most importantly, it didn’t take long to start noticing a difference when lifting my son.
Now, 4 years later and him being 50 pounds heavier I can still lift him. On top of all the everyday lifting like bathing, loading him into the car, and putting him in bed I can also lift him up onto a horse and take him paddle boarding. Every time I go to lift him, I act like I am setting up for a power clean or a deadlift to make sure I do not hurt myself.
Even though I started fitness just to help increase my strength, I fell in love with the community.
Without fitness my whole life would be different. I have made countless friends that are more like family. My daughter met her husband at fitness Cape Coral 4 years ago and now they are expecting their first child! I can’t wait for my grandson to be old enough to bring him in for a kid’s class. I am thankful for all of my fitness family and friends.
-Crystal Curry is a fitness Lever 1 Trainer at fitness Cape Coral.
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