CLIENT HIGHLIGHTS | SEPTEMBER 2021

Our Athletes of the Month for September demonstrate the importance of the client-trainer team. Beth Orr, Steve Folberg and Jack Priske all have differing backgrounds and interests, as well as specific goals they’re working toward. Through clear communication, they and their trainers created a plan and they are following through with a lot of hard work. We can’t wait to see what they achieve with the remainder of the year!

 

ASF CENTRAL: BETH ORR

From Beth’s trainer, Darryl Payne, Jr.:

Beth is being chosen as Athlete of the Month because of a work ethic that most people aspire to have. She’s an athlete that makes a decision, dives in, and holds on as she chases her goals. She’s gone through rehabilitation from alcoholism and is continuing to set an example to the people she coaches through recovery through her exercise and fitness. Every time Beth steps in the door at Austin Simply Fit, other athletes’ and trainers’ eyes light up with excitement. She brings the vibes up at the gym and gets us all in a better mood, ready to tackle whatever is in front of us.

We asked Beth a few questions about her training, and here’s what she had to say:

What do you enjoy most about training with Darryl? I love training with Darryl! When I signed up for sessions, Darryl and I had a good discussion about what I wanted to get out of training. I wanted to be fit, healthy and strong. I feel confident we are getting there. I can see more definition and I feel stronger. My energy level has increased. Darryl also pushes me to not give up. I’ll tell him I can’t finish a set and he tells me I can, and 99% of the time, I finish the set. On top of all this, Darryl makes me laugh. Anyone who can push me to go further and harder than I think possible and make me laugh at the same time is an awesome trainer!

What have you been most proud of since you started training? I am most proud of how much stronger I have become. At 54, this is important to me. Darryl keeps track of my progress. This keeps me motivated.

What are you looking forward to? I look forward to becoming healthier. I want to live a long, healthy, active life. I know there are no guarantees, I just want to make sure I do what I can to make that happen.

 

 

ASF SOUTH: JACK PRISKE

From Jack’s trainer, John Cioffredi:

Jack was apprehensive about getting back into working out, but after we talked about having an open dialogue about where he’s at and what he feels his body is capable of doing on any given day, Jack has consistently come in and made steady progress toward his goals. With each workout, he’s grown more comfortable with higher intensity levels and has embraced the habits inside and out of the gym that are so important for seeing results. Jack is a hard worker, and a wonderful personality to have in the gym. I can’t wait to see his consistency and intensity pay off in big ways! 

Here’s what Jack had to say about working with John:

What do you enjoy most about training with John?I love how much John is detail oriented when it comes to form and technique. You really start to realize all the different movements you’ve been doing incorrectly at the gym and that maybe you’ve been doing push-ups wrong for the past 20 years!

What have you been most proud of since you started training? There are a lot of things to be proud of. However, the thing that’s made the most noticeable difference to me is how much my recovery time has improved even on a week-to-week basis. Although this is a long-term process, being able to see progress week-to-week is a huge motivating factor.

What are you looking forward to? I’m really looking forward to seeing my fitness level no longer being a barrier that prevents me from doing activities that I enjoy. That and being able to do a single pull-up would really be something to show me how far I’ve come.

 

 

ASF VIRTUAL: STEVE FOLBERG

From Steve’s trainer, John DeLaPaz:

Steve and I started training virtually in April of 2020. Throughout our training, Steve has consistently shown up to our sessions with a positive attitude and a tremendous work ethic. Because we have been training virtually, Steve had to get comfortable training with a variety of resistance bands and other household items. 

After just three months, Steve lowered his body weight and significantly changed his body composition. Since then, we have worked diligently to increase his aerobic threshold and increase his lean muscle. One exercise that Steve has really improved on is push ups. Since we started, he has more than doubled the amount he can perform and his form has improved significantly. I am extremely proud of Steve. He has transformed himself and has shown what you can do when you put your mind to it.

Steve had a few things to tell us about his experience:

What do you enjoy most about training with John? John is so knowledgeable about all the anatomical aspects of training. I totally trust his advice. Also, for him, training takes place in a larger context of overall health and wellness. He cares about his clients as human beings.

What have you been most proud of since you started training? I have never played a sport or otherwise been athletic. I didn’t start training until I was nearly 62 years old. I am much stronger than I used to be and feel better about myself and my body.

What are you looking forward to? Continuing to take care of myself in this way and get stronger. I also hope to get back into the gym once the pandemic is back under control, because all of my training has been virtual for many months.