A Story on Attitude and Persistence

I want to tell you about a particular client that's been working with me for about a year now.

Like most of my clients they found me after exhausting other avenues.

They have problems that no one seems to be able to help them with

So they thought they'd try me.

She is a Doctor

Young and ambitious

However she was born with a congenital hip issue.

Essentially, there is no hip socket on one side.

Leading to pain, limitations in movement and potentially a bleak future.

Previous personal trainers tried to help but she'd wind up getting hurt.

The medical community told her the only option is a total hip replacement.

Which, if we're honest is true. She knows it and as a Doc, knows that currently these replacements have a lifespan and can only be done twice on the same hip.

She did the maths.

Didn't look the way it added up

So she winds up in my Dungannon Clinic

And we made a plan.

I gave her the speech, “everyone can improve, we just never know by how much”

And

“In your case it is management we need, to slow the inevitable decline “

If, and it was a big if, we can build muscle and improve proprioception around the joint, maybe we can slow the decline.

We created a workout plan and gave her “fidgets” to play with.

Now here is the magic.

As a girl that had been failed by the gym, she wanted to exercise at home.

Over the course of a few months the workouts started being done more consistently.

The “fidgets” became natural.

And a 12 hour shift on the ward became more manageable

Then she joined the gym.

The training program evolved

Consistency bedded in, became a habit, something she looked forward to.

And just the other day she was in for a monthly consultation and she told me something that I missed the significance of entirely.

She had to practically spell it out for me like I was 5 years old!

She had been sore for a week because her and her fella while away for a weekend went for a walk.

She walked 3-4 miles along a beach.

Me, being me, got stuck on her being sore and trying to figure out strategies for managing that pain

I didn't think about how significant a win this was.

It was pretty much the first time in her life she had been able to get out the car and walk to enjoy a location.

Even the boyfriend was shocked, she told me he kept asking if she needed to stop or take a break.

And now she's hungry for the next part.

Can we build more strength? Can she keep improving?

We can certainly try.

As a coach specialising in injury management, this is an incredible story.

And as a numpty, I almost missed the significance.

I hope you are smarter than I am

And you get how big this is.

And how this can be a story about stopping to smell the roses.

To appreciate the wins, no matter how big or small

And to not get bogged down in problems

Take time to appreciate the wins.

And before I finish off, her results to date are 100% down to her patience and persistence.

Her willingness to listen and apply.

Her trust in the exercises I gave her, and the candour I offer when I say that a particular exercise may not be suitable but we will try.

When I say “you are responsible for you”

This lady understands that completely, and has taken full and complete responsibility for her actions knowing her quality of life depends on it

And I am proud to have her in my stable.

Regards

Dave Hedges

www.davehedges.net