Member Spotlight: Ian Shaw
We believe our members are the heartbeat of our great community and provide amazing inspiration to others overcoming their own challenges.
MEET IAN:
1. When and Why did you first start coming to Coastal Strength & Fitness?
I started coming to Coastal in January of 2018. My wife Susan had been coming for years and had repeatedly encouraged me to join her. Personally I didn't think that I needed to join a group fitness gym because I, "already know how to work out". However at the start of 2018 I noticed that I had put on a little weight and was getting a little "softer" than I was accustomed to, so I decided to take the plunge and try it out. In addition to getting a bit pudgy around the middle I had yet to get full strength back in my left leg after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery a few years ago, and thought this was as good a chance as any to see if that could be addressed.
2. What fitness activities/sports were you doing before you joined Coastal?
I've done some amount of distance running for about 15 years, and within the last few years I started to get into weightlifting. Other than that I love all sorts of sports and will join a pickup game of pretty much anything if given the chance, especially baseball and ultimate frisbee!
3. What results have you seen since you joined Coastal Strength & Fitness?
Over the last year I've lost 20 pounds and set personal bests in a ton of lifts, including deadlift, squat, dumbbell bench press, and many more. My blood pressure is down, my pulse is down, and my energy is better than ever. In addition to that my left leg is stronger than it's been at any point since my knee surgery, and keeps getting stronger all the time. Ben Lengel helped a ton with rehabbing my knee through his gait analysis sessions and work on my scar tissue. I can't emphasize enough that I went through two different sessions of physical therapy after my surgery and Ben and the rest of the Coastal crew got my leg strength back more effectively in a fraction of the time. It's been an amazing year and I can't thank the coaches at Coastal enough for encouraging me to push myself further and to set my goals high.
4. What do you like most about Coastal Strength & Fitness?
The coaches at coastal are incredibly attentive to the needs of their members, which is amazing considering how many members the gym has. Everyone receives personalized attention and advice that is tailored towards their individual goals. Will, Diego, Ben, and Kristen all know that I am competitive and like to stoke that energy in me to push me further and harder.
They always have time to check in on my progress and give me advice on how to tweak my nutrition and workouts so that they work better for me. The positive energy at Coastal is infectious and I will be hard pressed to find a more uplifting and encouraging atmosphere anywhere else.
5. What is your favorite Coastal training day of the week and why?
I personally love Saturday Smackdowns. High intensity work with a team supporting each other is a lot of fun for me because it's reminiscent of my days when I played on sports teams. Having other people in your group cheering you on and giving you fist bumps is a great way to keep you going even when you may want to quit.
Lightning Round Questions:
1. What is your Spirit animal?
Border Collie.
2. If you were a Superhero, what would your super power be?
Super Strength.
3. What is your favorite treat meal?
An entire thin crust pizza!
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