Personal trainer Justin Earnest does the Gator Roll. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/CELIA STOREY)
When I think back to my clients' most memorable breakthroughs, I return to moments when people accomplished a really personal and particular goal they'd always dreamed of. Rarely do I remember the common goals such as losing weight or losing inches, although I've certainly shared a client's pleasure in such achievements hundreds if not thousands of times.
No, my favorite moments involve clients' performing an action that surprised not only themselves, but anyone and everyone close to them.
Sometime in either 2002 or 2003 while I was the fitness director for Little Rock Racquet Club, Debbie, a woman in her mid-50s, came to me with an idea.
"I want to do a pullup," she said. "My whole life, it's the one thing I've always wanted to do, but never could."
I couldn't say yes fast enough, and we got started.
The challenge with pullups is that they require a combination of muscle strength and strength-to-weight ratio. You have to be strong, yes, but your weight also has to be manageable enough for the strength gains to matter. Otherwise, you'll be great at lifting weights, but a pullup simply won't be a possibility.
Debbie's problem was 100% strength related. She was an avid runner who practiced good nutrition, and her weight hovered between 115 and 125 pounds. She was a small but sinewy woman who was determined to accomplish her goal. For the next six months, Debbie and I put our heads down and worked.
As one might imagine, we spent a lot of time strengthening the shoulders, back and arm muscles. But the real breakthroughs happened with her core training. Her lower back, abdominals, gluteals and hip muscle strength improved dramatically, which help to stabilize her during the pullup.
Exactly 180 days after Debbie first came to me, she performed her first real "dead hang" pullup. It was a moment I'll never forget. Her face lit up with joy, and we hugged in celebration of her lifelong goal.
Moments like that remind me that sometimes your career chooses you — not the other way around.
One of the key exercises we used in Debbie's training was the Gator Roll. It's a core exercise that requires no equipment, but it does require strict discipline to form. Best of all, this exercise is appropriate for people of all fitness levels.
1. Lie on your back and lift your feet 6 to 12 inches off the floor.
2. Extend the left arm directly over your head and extend the right arm about 45 degrees from your shoulder.
3. Tighten your abdominals as you hold this position for 4 seconds.
4. Roll your body to the left until you've done a complete twist without allowing your feet or hands to touch the floor.
5. Hold for another 4 seconds, then roll back over to the right.
6. Switch your arm position and repeat on the other side.
7. Perform five rolls per side.
Achievements like Debbie's take dedication, focus and motivation. Fortunately for me, she had all of those intrinsic traits long before I entered the picture. I only added the missing ingredient of education, and Debbie's dreams were realized.
In many ways, I think our achievement benefited me more than Debbie — it reminds me that anything is possible. Happy lifting!
Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies) and a master's in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.
Style on 06/03/2019