“The human body was designed for movement and it honors God every time you practice what it was created for.”
We know the damaging effects inactivity may bring, which makes it even more alarming that only 23% of American adults are meeting their requirements for both aerobic and muscle strengthening exercise. And out of the people who do consistently work out, half of them find absolutely no joy in their routine.
But what if we shifted our mindset to view movement for what it truly is? Not a chore or a form of punishment, but a privilege and gift from God.
“I didn’t think I would ever be able to play basketball again”
These thoughts consumed Nate as he lied on the floor after a bullet penetrated through his knee. Holding the door shut with his foot was the only thing separating him from a random, robbery invasion. This quick thinking most likely saved his life but still resulted in a bullet entering in through his knee, barely missing his femoral artery, tearing through his hamstring, and ultimately settling in his left glute where it still resides today.
“Learn to appreciate what you have before life forces you to appreciate what you had.”
Like many, Nate took for granted the gift of movement, but that tragedy ultimately led him to pursue his purpose. As a former basketball star, Nate’s injuries left him no choice but to recondition his workouts and find joy in exercise again. It changed his perspective about exercise not only in his life, but also formed his philosophy as a fitness trainer and movement specialist. Check out what Nate has to say about how that incident completely changed his life forever.
“Working out for me today is about so much more than how much weight I can lift in the gym. At one point in time that was a big factor, however, after suffering a major tragedy, I’m just glad to be able to still workout at all. In October of 2011, I was shot in my left leg, just slightly above my knee. At that very moment I didn’t know what my future looked like when it came to being active.
I grew up as an athlete and always was able to do so many different things physically, like running, riding a bike, playing basketball, and doing flips. So when that tragedy occurred, I didn’t know if I’d be able to do any of those things ever again. Now here I am today and if I didn’t tell you, you would never know I had been through something like that. I’m so grateful for the fact that I can still do many of those things that I grew up doing all my life.
So today when it comes to working out and managing my overall health, I focus on things like movement, range of motion, and most of all pliability. Maintaining complete function and strength at the same time really matters. Allowing a 10-15 minute warm up and a 15-20 minute cool down is important in my programs. Really getting the body ready for any amount of intense movement is critical. It’s also critical to deep stretch after that intense movement is over. This allows for a much better recovery and helps speed up the process. It helps you continue to push towards your goals and avoid plateaus along your journey.
One thing I always tell my clients is, ‘It’s not just about looking good today, but you want to continue to feel good as time goes on!’ That’s my motto when I think about working out now.”
Movement doesn’t always have to be intense, just intentional. It’s a privilege and celebration of what your body can do, not a punishment for what you ate. If you’re ready to celebrate your body and recondition your workouts by finding joy in exercise again, schedule your complimentary wellness evaluation with Nate today and begin training with purpose tomorrow.
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