My odyssey began in the fall of 1999 when I first learned about a novel kind of gym that would soon be opening in Old Mystic. I wanted to join a unique kind of gym that was different from the predominantly mainstream chains or basic storefront fitness clubs that were becoming remarkably prevalent in the area, so this place really intrigued me. This new and innovative facility was called Advantage Personal Training (APT) and was unrivaled by the others.

My search for a gym all came about because I was entering my mid-forties and found myself sitting for extraordinarily long periods at my desk, chairing meetings, or on an airplane. Because I was involved in so many fast-paced and exciting new projects having targets for performance and deadlines for completion, the stress associated with my career was also exhausting. It seemed as though everything was taking a toll on me ? both mentally and physically. My mind and body were telling me that I needed to care for them better and that I had to do something about it because I was out of shape.

Up until then, my job and career had always taken center stage, leaving no time for working out in a gym. The best I could do was to take the stairs instead of the elevator. The thought of beginning to work out at age 45 worried me ? not so much in the sense of being frightened, or injuring myself, but in the connotation of finding a ?good fit,? or suitable facility. I had read that one?s personality has a direct effect upon exercise performance, so being a ?type-a?, I had concerns about everything ? trainers, equipment, cleanliness, approach, and results. I was looking for structured and logical progression leading to success because failure is simply not in my vocabulary.

Fast-forwarding to the present, I am happy to say that I made the right choice by joining Advantage. In fact, I have been a true-to-life ?case study,? where detailed plans and a path for my development that were specifically tailor-made to suit me, have resulted in overwhelming success. Over the last 19+ years, Greg and his staff have provided the guidance, tools, expertise, and encouragement, taking me from ?beginner? to ?intermediate?, and now to ?advanced? levels of endurance, stamina, strength, and speed in my respective age group(s). During the last two decades, I have witnessed remarkable muscle growth and more importantly, muscle retention, using APT?s prescribed methods and direction. Not only do I look and feel better, but I am also proud to say that my waistline has returned to a svelte thirty-two inches ? what it was in high school!

What?s more, my cognitive function is markedly sharper, and my memory & thinking processes have improved. I?ve read where studies show that regular physical exercise is directly attributable to these enrichments. Currently, at age 64, the focus has slightly been modified (from stamina, strength, and speed) toward including more emphasis on flexibility, coordination, and balance, as I enter my ?golden years.? lol

Recently, I suffered a distressing personal setback where I was hospitalized and had to undergo a very delicate operation. Because of the nature and location of the operation, I was forced to use alternate methods of sitting up and overall mobility so as not to impede the healing process. As I called upon various other muscle groups away from the subject area (incision site) to do so, I was inexorably reminded of how Greg and I had worked together to strengthen and develop those substitute muscles in the gym ? never knowing that one day they would be called upon and put to the absolute test.

Now that I am back in the gym after being sidelined for three months, carefully created routines are followed where incremental goals will accrue, and lead to the major milestone of complete recovery.

I am grateful to Greg and every member of his staff ? past and present ? that helped contribute toward achieving my goals. In addition, I am extremely proud to be a member of the APT family, and recommend that everyone experience the thrill of using state-of-the-art equipment in a first-class facility under the tutelage of trained professionals.

I have always worked out my whole life, (maybe not correctly), but I always played sports and did strength training.

I learned how to use weights properly when I took an admin job at a personal training gym nearly 20 years ago.

A year later I became a trainer!

Many people will encounter health issues and injuries in this journey we call life, even Personal Trainers.

I’m here to tell you my story.

I’ve had many joint injuries and surgeries over the years. I was diagnosed 4 years ago with CPPD (Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition), which is a very painful joint disorder that causes calcifications in the joints, and unfortunately, it has no cure.

It has taken me almost 4 years to digest this news, and realize that I can no longer do things the way I once could.

If I’m going to cook a meal, work in the garden, clean my house, etc on a certain day, I need to know what kind of workout will be sufficient for me that day.

I also cannot lift the weights I once could. Every once in a while I will still try to lift heavier weights on a good day, which leaves me regretting my decision and causes sleepless nights due to the pain.

But I also know the importance of keeping strong so I do what I can and when I can!

I’m 54 years old and keeping the weight in check and staying as strong as I can. I consider myself a great cook (No matter what my son says). My cupboards always have glass jars with fresh ingredients in them, and I don?t buy a lot of pre-packaged food.
I have been lucky most all of my life to keep a good diet and I have always had a taste for good, clean food. I am definitely a label reader and have to know what I am putting into my body!

I’m here to tell you to keep moving. If you can move, then you can improve. So don’t stop being active, even if your body makes it difficult.

I?ve always been an athlete. From a young age, I?ve played softball, soccer, basketball, as well as had stints swimming, doing gymnastics, etc. You name it, I?ve done it. Because of this, I was always pretty lucky to be able to eat what I want, but as most know, this eventually catches up with you. For me, it caught up with me in the fall of my senior year of high school. I was decently active because of volleyball and the travel softball team I play for, but with how much time I had to spend on my coursework combined with poor eating habits, I was becoming less and less fit every day.

In September, I committed to play Division I softball at Princeton University. This had been a lifelong dream of mine, so as you could imagine, I was ecstatic. I really did think I was ready to go, but in November I took a hard look at what was in the mirror ? I was out of shape and had little to no strength from always putting off lifting. Luckily, a family friend and fellow softball player recommended going to Advantage to start getting into shape for college ball. It ended up doing all that for me as well as changing my life.

You can ask Greg Drab, my goal never was to lose weight. I just wanted to gain speed, power, and the like. However, I quickly fell in love with Advantage, the trainers, the facility, and the other people there. I never felt uncomfortable, and because of this, I started to spend more and more time there. I would go after school, even after games, and sometimes on the weekend, I would go twice in one day. I discovered a love for heavy lifting, and I changed my eating habits in order to have more energy to go to the gym. All of this began to pay off as I saw results. I lost 30 pounds and gained an awesome amount of muscle mass. High school umpires asked me what fitness program I was doing, people who hadn?t seen me in a couple of months couldn?t believe how different I had looked, and I felt amazing. I?m sleeping better, and waking up earlier (sometimes now you?ll see me at the gym at 6 AM, which I would have never thought was possible before!).

Overall, my whole lifestyle has changed. I enjoy working out, and it?s hard for me to go a day without it. I love being known as the gym rat of my friends, and I know I?m going to college ready to play at the Division I level. This weekend, I?m even running my first 5k, which is super exciting! I now know that fitness will be an important part of my r?gime for the rest of my life, and I couldn?t be happier about it.