Progress in the fitness world is typically measured by lifting heavier, losing pounds or running faster. But not all goals are so quantifiable. In OPEX Gyms, we look beyond just the barbell, the scale and the timer when tracking progress.
We asked three of OPEX clients to describe what progress means to them.
“The greatest progress I’ve made is the improvement to my sleep. I used to wake up constantly, now I sleep through the night. I’m like a new person.” - client Sally
When Sally came to her coach Dan, she complained of low energy throughout the day and a lack of motivation in the gym. Through a sleep tracking app and deeper questioning, they realized that she had no consistency with her bedtime, was using electronics to wind down, would eat a big meal 1 hour before sleeping and would wake up 5-7 times every night.
Coach Dan helped Sally implement a regular bedtime (even on weekends!), replaced scrolling social media with a good book, and moved her dinner to an hour earlier. Within weeks, Sally’s app showed her sleeping soundly for 7 hours, she felt refreshed upon waking and had great energy throughout the day.
“For me, progress means that my lifts are moving up. I PR’d my Back Squat last week, and I know the training I put in is working.” - client Jacob
When Jacob began working with his coach Georgia, he had the very specific goal of competing in a powerlifting meet. Georgia assessed his structural balance and movement and concluded that he needed to work on glute strength, and through food logs concluded that he needed to increase the protein and carbohydrates in his diet.
After 8 weeks of hitting a daily macronutrient goal, implementing great food hygiene practices to improve the absorption of nutrients and following his lifting program 4x per week, Jacob PR’d his back squat by 30lb. As a bonus, the occasional knee pain he had experienced in the past went away completely.
“By far, the improvement to my daily routine. The way my coach helped me lay out my day changed everything. I’m consistently training, I’m eating better, everything has its time and place.” - client Jack
When Jack sat down with his coach Meghan for their initial consult, he named time as his number one obstacle to sticking with a fitness program. Jack’s busy work and family schedule meant he would regularly miss meals, would often eat fast food and was inconsistent with his training in the gym.
Coach Meghan had Jack describe his average day, and together they came up with a plan to block off time in his calendar for a daily lunch break. She helped him find a healthy meal delivery service for lunches and he committed to training 3x per week at 6 am, before his responsibilities for the day could get in the way. This has helped Jack feel empowered to make more changes, and at their next monthly consult Meghan will brainstorm with Jack to establish a morning routine and a strategy to increase his daily activity from 1000 to 4000 steps per day.
Every one of the individuals who trains in our gyms has unique values, goals and purposes in life, so it makes sense that progress means something different to each one of them. Our coaches are trained in the holistic OPEX coaching method, which teaches them the tools to create progress that includes, but isn’t limited to, physical characteristics like aerobic capacity and fat loss. We celebrate the lifestyle changes our clients make with as much enthusiasm as their strength gains.
Find an OPEX Gym near you and start making the progress you value in your health and fitness.