Mike’s Inspiring Pilates Story

It’s possible to find inspiration to set and achieve our goals from many different places. But when the going gets tough, finding someone to look up to can be a great motivator. Today, I want to share a client’s inspiring Pilates story, because he just accomplished something big. In fact, he is letting me share his story because he hopes it will inspire others to keep moving and set their own fitness goals.  

Meet Mike.

When I first met Mike three years ago, he was recovering from a double hip replacement. He had started Pilates while in physiotherapy but had “graduated” from post-surgery therapy. He needed to rebuild his strength after surgery, and his daughter found b.Pilates & Fitness. 

In the beginning, we worked on building up the strength in his hip flexors so he could pick up his leg to simply walk up stairs or up a curb. We worked on balance, which is needed for every step you take. We worked on strengthening his glutes and core, and did full body exercises so that his whole body would get stronger and help his recovery time.

We’d move from one apparatus to another, doing what he was able to in the beginning. If you know the standing leg pump on the Wunda chair, you know that you have to pick up your leg and place your foot onto the pedal of the chair. In the early days together, we didn’t even go near the chair. When it seemed doable, we started doing the leg pumps with light springs. At first, Mike had to take his leg and foot out to the side of the chair and around to get his foot on the pedal.  

As the months passed, I was able to add in new exercises and create longer workouts on each apparatus, until now – when we can often spend a whole session on one apparatus. Today, he can lift his leg and foot up and straight onto the pedal (maybe slightly turning his foot to the side, but don’t worry we will keep working on that!).

Mike deserves all of the credit for his dedication to his recovery, which he did by getting stronger, losing weight, and changing his eating habits. When he wasn’t with me, he would do a short workout at home a few times a week. Then during the first lockdown, I made him a longer video he could follow along with at home. He has come a long way. 

Mike’s Big Goal

You would think that recovering from surgery is a huge accomplishment – which it is! But Mike decided to aim higher. He wanted a bigger reason to keep moving and working hard on his fitness, so at the beginning of the year he set a lofty goal. He loves getting out onto trails with his dogs, so he decided that he’d do a real hike at the end of the summer. 

Thanks to a few weather and scheduling delays, Mike accomplished his goal this past Saturday! He and two friends (and the dogs) hiked to Alder Flats in Golden Ears Provincial Park. The hike was over 15km, and rated as moderate – though Mike admitted it was much harder than he thought it would be. But he did it. 

Hearing his post-hike stories this week was wonderful, and I’m so happy to have been part of Mike’s healing and strengthening journey. Congratulations! 

When we set goals, we often think only of the end result, and I love Mike’s Pilates story because it tells a journey. Three years ago, he had just had hip replacement surgery, and I’m sure a difficult hike was the last thing on his mind. He probably just wanted to be able to walk up the stairs or tie his own shoes. 

Through the power of setting small goals, he has reached milestone after milestone, and is stronger and more fit than before his surgery. If Mike can, you can. All it takes is baby steps, support, and a vision of where you want to go next.