Personal Training Client: Chua Boon Hong
Occupation: Educational Psychologist
Age: 48 years old
Personal Trainer: Joseph Goh
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Since my completion of a marathon about 10 years ago, I have been living a rather sedentary lifestyle due to increased work demands. I was contented with some bouts of brisk walks and slow jogs in between my busy schedules just to keep my weight in check. The awakening came when my 82 years old father was hospitalised after experiencing excruciating pain in his back last year. His scoliosis has worsened and I was told by his doctor that it is a genetic condition that may eventually affect me.
Truth be told, I have already developed a hunch and my shoulders were caving inwards. There were frequent neckaches, I could no longer squat without knee pain and my left hip joint gave me occasional pain too. Visits to Tui Na brought about some temporary reliefs but the nagging discomforts would soon return. My husband came to know about FTI through his work contacts and recommended that I gave it a try.
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The initial assessment findings by Joseph were spot on and it gave me confidence to embark on more trainings. Learning to release and activate my muscles was like opening the door to a treasure chest that was always there and yet invisible. Every part of my body was instantly roused from its sleepy state and my mind began to recognise that they were there, all connected to each other. Amazingly, I started to sense some muscles in my body that I didn’t used to. Never would I have imagined that I could squat without any pain after the first session.
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I have been training for about one month and am starting to see visible changes in my body posture too. My shoulders are gradually opening up and my head is leaning forward less. Movements have become more automatic and fluid. There is improved mind and body integration; I have better control over which muscle(s) to use for different purposes. I’m also unlearning and relearning more efficient ways to use my body so as to avoid any unnecessary strain. Joseph’s astute observations, constant dialogues and assessments guide the way he carefully plans and calibrate my trainings. The activities are not merely interesting, but more importantly, they match my presenting abilities aptly and make me feel successful when engaging in them.
Learning under him is motivating and stress free as he is readily encouraging. His diligence in forwarding the images/videos of exercises to follow up at home is certainly very helpful as it promotes personal responsibility and independence. Training at FTI has certainly changed my mindset about aging and the importance to understand and maintain one’s functional capacity. It is flawed to think that one should be resigned to less mobility and physical ailments once we age. Instead, we can start by doing our part towards a more abled and pain-free years ahead!