An inspiring tale by Nimble client Anne Pelletier
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Camelback may not be a big mountain, but for me it might as well have been Everest. Rising 2700 feet above sea level in Phoenix, Arizona, this rocky peak looms over the surrounding desert. I have vacationed in the area for many years, but I never have had the confidence to make the climb.
Scaling a mountain was the furthest thing from my mind when my doctor gave me some ominous news last year. “You are in an alarming state of de-conditioning,” he told me. On the way home from that visit, I made a vow to make exercise a part of my life. The problem was, I hated exercising! The thought of repeating my previous experiences in a gym was off-putting: boring repetitions, endless time on a treadmill, one-size-fits-all trainers whose workouts left me exhausted and discouraged.
So, it was without much hope that I joined Nimble Fitness. I had done some research and found they were conveniently located and offered TRX equipment. I had never worked with TRX, but the novelty attracted me and I decided to give it a shot.
I immediately felt comfortable working out in Nimble’s low-key space. Everything here, from the well-educated trainers to the quote painted on the wall, contributes to an atmosphere of well-being, as opposed to simply “getting big” or seeing how much you can bench press. I was referred to Keith, who along with Antonio and Daniel, co-founded Nimble in 2006.
At first we started slowly. I could ride the bike for only 3 minutes on level 1! De-conditioning, indeed! That didn’t faze Keith, however. He always encouraged me and I soon found I felt more energetic AFTER my workouts than I did on the way there. My friends laughed when I told them. “That’s the way it’s supposed to be!” they said.
Soon, I was looking forward to my time at Nimble. Keith always had new and interesting workouts planned for me. He was constantly aware of the limitations of my body, whether a shoulder or a knee hurt, for example, and he planned his workouts accordingly. I’ve worked with TRX, slant boards, resistance bands, mat work, Yoga, Pilates, weights and various machines. I now arrive early to get in 20-30 minutes on the bike before my session. And by the way, I’m up to 20 min on level 6.
All this put me in much better shape to tackle Camelback when I visited there last month. With a gentle push from my friend, Erick, and a helpful guide I was able to make it to the top (and back down) fairly easily. The upward climb is a cardio-taxing workout that challenges you to pull your body up a steeply rocky ascent. Going down, your joints get the workout as they support you on the steep descent. At the top, I took a moment to celebrate and Erick memorialized the moment in the photo you see here. Afterwards, I felt such a sense of accomplishment! I am so grateful to everyone at Nimble who has been supportive of me. I couldn’t have done it without them.
Today, regular exercise is a part of my life. That’s never happened before, but I am so glad it’s true now. My doctor can’t believe the transformation, but I can, because I’ve worked hard to get here. And if I can do it, you can, too!
-Anne Pelletier
