EquiVita - Week 1

Client Stories
As EquiVita reached a major milestone in celebrating their 10th anniversary, they gathered some important moments from its ten year history that highlights what makes the clients so special. So sit back and enjoy reading through some of these cool stories.

When I was in school the professors made it clear that they believed the only way to make a career in Exercise Physiology was to work in cardiac rehab or to teach/research. But, I knew from my experiences that what the majority of people needed and what could make the greatest impact in their current quality of life was found in biomechanics.

10 Weeks to 10 Years: Week 2

Week 3

Week 1

Biomechanics can be a confusing word- as I learned many times through advertising attempts- but it basically means how your body moves. From the body builder trying to develop his calves, or the runner trying to relieve hip pain or the person too busy to exercise but trying to minimize muscle loss: the movement of the body is the secret to success regardless of the goal.

With my belief in the value of biomechanics, the question became not what I wanted to do, but how to do it. Prior to starting the business I had developed the concept as a post-rehab training model for the hospital where I worked, as well as, tested the model at 3 other health care facilities. All of these facilities were interested in third-party reimbursement for the program but I knew that direct insurance billing was already a major limitation and hindrance to so much quality of care that it didn't feel like the right direction.

In January of 2001, I officially incorporated BodyByMe with the simple premise: provide the education to enable people to make biomechanical choices. My belief was that many people didn't need (want nor afford) 1-1 training, but the value of the information about how their body moves and how that movement could be causing pain and/or hindering goal attainment could be realized in a single assessment. The design of programs from this assessment would vary dependent on the specifics found and the individual. This concept I called Transitional Fitness: guiding the transition from one level of fitness to another.

Although it has evolved over the years, this assessment is still the foundation of all of the fitness training at EquiVita and one of the main reasons that we have been able to help clients from every fitness level achieve successes they have not been able to realize elsewhere.

Speaking of clients, it seems like the right time to introduce one of our clients:

MARYSUE

In her 20s through her mid 40s Marysue Fitzsimmons regularly worked out on her own in a gym. The self-motivated exerciser refused to pay someone to instruct her. A few years ago, while talking with her sister who had been working with EquiVita Transitional Fitness Trainer Tami Wise, Marysue noticed something peculiar. "I wasn't doing anything!" she said. "I was so disappointed in myself. I couldn't drag myself to do anything. I thought, oh, ok fine. I'll get the (Comprehensive) Assessment from Adam. When I did I was so impressed by that."

She said Adam explained clearly and concisely why she had specific aches and pains in her shoulders and back and she worked with him to strengthen "all those secondary and tertiary muscles. Adam really knew how to do that without hurting me."

These days, Marysue, who is 56, works in sales, lives in Bexley, and works out twice a week with Adam and trainer Andrew Lizon. During the six years she's worked out at EquiVita she's learned that a knowledgeable staff trumps a gym full of gleaming equipment and thumping "high-energy" music. "I was always comfortable with the usual gym environment," said Marysue. "When I first started here I was a little concerned. I didn't see the typical equipment you usually see in a gym. They just had the bands and the balls and a few weights. You don't need all that other stuff. With the proper trainer you can do a heck of a lot. You can be more creative with less."

Beyond the equipment at EquiVita, Marysue echoes what every other client stresses when asked why they spend time at EquiVita: attention to details. "Adam works with all the clients and their individual trainers to make sure they're on track," said Marysue. "Adam knows everybody's issues and concerns. When he's in that room he knows what's going on all around him (with other trainers and clients) without saying anything."

Marysue also gravitates to EquiVita for the everyday environment of the place. "It's a completely jovial atmosphere," she said. "Everybody works hard and respects each other. People know what's going on in each other's personal lives-not in a nosy way. I've gained a lot of confidants there-particularly in Adam. I've gotten through some tough times and had a lot of friendships there. It's such a diverse group. Everyone I meet there is smart and funny and very entertaining. If you're in a bad mood and you go in there it's really hard to hold on to that. I can't say enough about Adam and his philosophy. Adam really knows how to keep you in the present."