A few thank you notes from Renegade clients.As fitness professionals, a client's end result is always most rewarding. These testimonials are stories and letters written by Renegade Personal Training and Fitness clients and are published with client permission. "A Poster Child For Good Health!"
I had been overweight and out of shape most of my adult life. I always joked that I was on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it! It is a known fact that I tend to hide my insecurities behind a joke. At 42 years old, 320 pounds, a 48 inch waist, and out of breath to just bend over and tie my shoes; it was no joke! I remember being embarrassed when I had to ask a flight attendant for a seat belt extender on a flight. I knew I needed to do something, but I was too content with my current situation and weight." "It finally took a health scare and an overnight visit in the hospital to give me the wake call that I needed. I was driving home from work one evening and feeling so light headed and dizzy that I had to stop and get out of my vehicle to get some fresh air. The following weeks I began having chest pains. Upon calling the medical clinic, they directed me to go directly to the emergency room, and not to drive. It was discovered that my blood pressure and cholesterol were both dangerously high. I was kept overnight for observation and a stress test was scheduled for the following morning. I was concerned, as heart disease is hereditary in my family. During a follow-up visit with my doctor, I was put on medications to reduce my high blood pressure and cholesterol." "Unfortunately, the medications were not enough. My blood pressure and cholesterol did lower, but they were still high. Deep down, I knew the answer; get in shape or suffer the consequences." "I knew that I needed to find an exercise routine that I would enjoy and would benefit from. I decided to join the Eagan, MN Life Time Fitness. I was committed to having a healthy lifestyle, so I made a few decisions. One of those decisions was hiring a personal trainer." "When I hired Ryan Branson, he assured me that the process would be straightforward. He took my goals very seriously and focused his attention towards all of my uncertainties and weaknesses. He structured my program around a periodized schedule which met different phases my body was going through." "Working with Ryan over the past two years I have lost over 120 pounds, went from a 48 inch waist to an amazing 35 inch waist, and have completely removed my blood pressure and cholesterol medication from my daily routine." "The most recent time I met with my doctor he referred to me as a poster child for good health!" -David Waugh- * * * * * * * * "The Rewards of Hard Work"
I'd always been a tall and lean type of guy, one who dabbled a bit in weight training in my late teens/early twenties until a shoulder injury made training very hard to do. A sedentary lifestyle, a job where I sat for hours on end and the changes that one's body undertakes with age all chipped away at that lean form little by little. One day in 2001, after returning from a convention trip to Cancun I was shocked to see a flabby, weak, middle aged guy with my face looking back at me from our vacation photos. Those pictures were a wake up call. I went straight to the local gym and started up with a personal trainer. My goals were to lose body fat but also to build muscle and strength. In about 18 months I went from 230 flabby pounds to 210 of pretty lean muscle, losing 35 pounds of fat while gaining 15 pounds of solid muscle. It was hard work, but I stuck with it. Then my trainer moved away to start a new career and education. I was afraid I would not be able to sustain what I had accomplished. Before he left, my trainer introduced me to Ryan Branson, and I began training with him. That was two years ago. Ryan listened closely to my goals, which had changed to more power/strength and size gains with fat loss mixed in. Building muscle was going to be harder than ever, since I was then 39 and had been stuck at a plateau for some time. Ryan was inheriting a client who had already undergone one physique metamorphosis, was at a more advanced stage of training and was trying for another big body change without the use of drugs or steroids. Ryan combined a constantly changing regime of power, strength, hypertrophy and endurance programs with strong advice on diet and proper nutrition to break through that plateau and start advancement on my goals. Today, at age 41, I am the biggest and strongest I've ever been in my life at relatively lean 225 pounds. Ryan deserves the credit for his effective training programs, hard work and his obvious desire to see me reach whatever goals I set for myself. I'm looking forward to seeing where we go from here. -Tom Richmond- * * * * * * * * "Trying a Different Approach"
Growing up I had always been thin. However, exercise was never a part of my daily routine. Almost 10 years out of college and 2 kids later, I realized I needed to do something physical. I joined a local fitness center and for over 8 years worked out 3 to 4 days a week. In the beginning, I saw my body change and dropped 2 dress sizes. At that time I was taking classes and doing the occasional weight training program. Year after year I kept seeing the same people, none of them ever really changing. It occurred to me I was stuck too! It was then that I knew I needed to try a different approach. I joined a women’s weight training group that Ryan was leading. At first I couldn’t do any of the core exercises, maybe one or two reps and my abs would give out. My balance was even worse; I cursed that stability ball each time Ryan brought it out for class. Don’t even get me started on the hanging abs. As the weeks went by, I got to know the other women and Ryan better and I actually enjoyed coming to class. My balance was changing and I felt stronger and more confident in my abilities. Ryan kept asking us for our goals and giving us diet tips each week. After a year with Ryan I decided my diet needed to change in order to reap the benefits of all this weight training. I felt I was stuck again and needed to lose a few extra pounds. Ryan encouraged me to start journaling my daily food intake and keep track of calories. After 3 months of lean protein, fruits and vegetables I had lost 18lbs. I know that might not sound like a lot, but for my height of 5’6, getting down to 125 pounds, was a huge transformation. All the muscle Ryan had worked so hard to put on me could finally been seen. I never knew I had muscles under the fat! Ryan was really encouraging during those moments of despair. I wanted to give up more than once and dive back into my old eating habits. I made it through those tough times and have maintained my weight for more than 6 months. This fall will be my 20th High School Reunion and I know I can be confident in my appearance! Thanks, Ryan! -Karrie Reasor - * * * * * * * * "Pain Free"
Ryan,
I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude to you for your help. Who would have guessed that I could cut 9 minutes off my best marathon time by working with you for such a short period of time. My goal since I started running marathons was to qualify for the Legendary Boston Marathon. Try as I did, with my chronic back, hip and knee problems, I ended up injuring myself by overtraining and was either unable to continue training and/or was not able to run the race at all. In August 2007, I had to quit running altogether and eventually had surgery in November 2007. I started running again in January 2008 but always thought about the strength and endurance I had when I worked out with you years before. Needless to say, we started working out together approximately 6 weeks prior to Grandma’s marathon. I actually made it through a marathon without an injury! I knew the morning of the race that I was going to accomplish my goal! Even though our workouts are extremely hard, I am very excited about our continued relationship. I am confident that I will improve with each new and exciting challenge. Because of the results I have seen already, I know that I will obtain my ultimate goal of running the Leadville 100 in Colorado in August of 2009. I have confidence that I will finish the race because of my workouts with you. Thank you for your expertise and shown dedication towards me! Again, I could not have met my first goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon without you! I have complete confidence in my 100 mile Ultra Marathon Goal. -Kathy Jambor - * * * * * * * * "A Humbling Experience"
Before I met Ryan, I was incredibly self conscious about the way that I looked. I woke up in the morning and looked in the mirror and felt only one thing, disappointed. I was convinced that once I reached high school, I would automatically receive the muscular physique that is so often associated with a teenage boy my age, but that notion was completely false. Everyday I would wake up hoping for a drastic change, and every morning I was again disappointed. I would try and convince myself that I didn't look that bad, but that just made me feel even worse. My self confidence was close to non-existent and I was having trouble keeping a steady group of friends. On top of this, I didn't have enough energy necessary to complete my school work and would end up taking two to three hour naps in order to refresh myself and continue studying. Because of this I had mild anxiety and depression issues that culminated in my missing two weeks of school at the end of my junior year. Then I met Ryan Branson. Ryan was a very understanding guy, but he knew what I needed and pushed me through the ugly parts. I still remember the first time I lifted with Ryan, I was so embarrassed about how weak I was, but he didn't even seem to notice, and the environment in his club was one of support, and not of judgment which also helped a lot. It was hard, and took time, but it was something I could take pride in. I was no longer sitting and waiting for change to come, I was doing something about it. There is no such thing as the miracle diet or exercise program, getting into shape takes work and dedication, however that journey was made so much easier with the guidance and support of Ryan. Now I am confident and feel strong, alert and energized. I am no longer afraid to try new things because I feel athletic enough to not look like a fool. I have made new friends and am much more relaxed in who I am and what I want to become. This is easily on of the single most important life-altering experiences I have had to date, and I am so grateful that Ryan was the driving force behind it. -Ryan Howley- * * * * * * * * "One Month, One Year, One Goal"
I was introduced to Ryan through a mutual friend, who knew I was looking for a personal trainer but had no interest in joining a gym. I had my initial consultation with Ryan, and although was very impressed with him, was deterred by the suggestion of meeting with him 3 times per week. I had way too much on my plate to be able to commit to that kind of schedule. I explained to him that what I was looking for is for someone to design a training plan for me that would allow me to meet with him once a month, and then work out on my own in between. Ryan answered “I can do that!” I have been training with Ryan since March. During my first session, I warned Ryan that he may need to carry me out to my car afterward, since my legs had turned to rubber. I was able to hobble out on my own, and after 2 weeks was actually able to make it all the way through the workout. I went back for my second session, and was once again floored by the challenges Ryan put before me. The amazing part was, though, that each time Ryan raised the bar, my body rose to the challenge. He encouraged me every step of the way, and soon I was doing things I had no idea I was capable of. I still struggled with my “stress eating” habits, which was an important piece of the puzzle for my weight loss. Ryan and I agreed that I would keep a food log, and send it to him each week for analysis. Believe me, knowing that you have to admit to everything you eat is enough to deter you from inhaling that bag of chips! It has been 6 months and I am half way to my weight loss goal of 50 pounds. With Ryan’s guidance I know I will make it. My body is stronger than it has ever been, and I have dropped 3 clothing sizes. Thanks Ryan for pushing me hard and for never taking no for an answer! -Amy Konop- |
