“I have started workout programs so many times I can’t remember them all. None have lasted. I really want to get in shape, but I don’t know what to do first!”
TV infomercials bombard us regularly with the latest fad workouts and multi-purpose exercise devices.
The promise of fast weight loss and a flat stomach has convinced many viewers to spend their money. So, starting an exercise regimen is relatively easy. All you need to know is on those instructional DVD’s! Well, maybe not…so many people quit after only a few weeks of workouts.
Finding a way to stay motivated after starting a new fitness program is crucial for success. Many of us find we just can’t do it by ourselves.
Enter the “Personal Trainer”. We are fortunate to have one of the best Personal Trainers, Marie Morgan, right here at Imagine. Marie started her career as a personal trainer in 2005 in Grand Blanc and got her certification while working at the Y in Flint. She has worked at the Ann Arbor YMCA for the past 10 years, and now teaches classes at Imagine Fitness.
Marie’s specialty is “functional training” which, she explains, focuses on developing a strong core. Using BOSU balls, stretch bands, and stability balls in concert with your body weight Marie creates a challenging, satisfying, and effective workout without using heavy weights. She has also developed modified fitness programs for beginners. These programs allow the members of her training classes to work at their own level, avoiding injury.
She smiles and says “I love to give people 6-packs”, stressing the importance of improving core strength, especially as we get older. Being in a class with a trainer, Marie adds, “keeps your commitment (to staying fit) going”.
Marie then told me about meeting her friend (and now 5-year training client) Dawn, who had joined a cancer survivor fitness class Marie was teaching at the Y. She admired Dawn’s commitment during those 5 years, telling me “she looks to Dawn for strength.”
It’s fitting that about a year ago on October 26, 2014, Marie and Dawn ran the Super Hero 5K together. Dawn set a PR in that 5K-her best time ever!
Marie teaches classes three days per week at Imagine Fitness, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Go to www.Imaginefitness, or stop by Imagine Fitness @3100 West Liberty in Ann Arbor. Schedule your free class and experience a great new way to get (and stay) fit!
