We are celebrating Gail as we kick off the New Year! I’ve known Gail as long as I’ve been a kettlebell instructor. We met through our greyhound adoption group, even before we adopted our first hound. Gail joined Iron Clad just shy of a year ago.
Like so many of us experienced when we were new to kettlebells, Gail sometimes felt frustrated by the unique techniques we teach in kettlebell training. She has a lot of exercise experience; she used to play collegiate volleyball and fast pitch softball, followed by cycling and weightlifting. But how she used to train was a very different technique and mindset. Gail worked really hard to put aside what she knew and practiced before, in order to embrace the idea of doing our best to use proper technique on each rep and allowing the bad reps to become lessons on how to do better, rather than seeking perfection.
Everyone has their a-ha moment and after her’s, Gail’s progress skyrocketed. She has been improving each month in her strength, conditioning, and technique. Gail most recently progressed to doing kettlebell snatches and is handling the new challenge like a champ. Gail also gets a shout-out for her training consistency. She has never missed a scheduled class and consistently comes to class 3 times a week since she started!
“I feel so much better and stronger after not doing much for a few years. It is really important to maintain strength, flexibility, cardio, and mental health at any age, but especially as you enter retirement years. I was not comfortable with some things (like the strength wall, being in pictures, and the member of the month), but Shari has been encouraging me to take a step out of ‘my comfort zone’. It’s like when she says ‘you need a bigger kettlebell’. Thanks, Shari – I truly appreciate your extreme patience and help with my kettlebell training!”
I’m really proud of Gail for stepping outside her comfort zone to overcome these obstacles.
When she’s not training at the gym, Gail is very involved in our greyhound adoption group. She helps in many different ways, but the one that touches me the most is how she is caring for a special needs permanent foster dog. Gail was instrumental in improving the health of the dog and getting her stable.
Congratulations on all of your hard work, Gail!