Dec 2021 Client Rockstar Dave "The Pusher" Fagan
Updated: Dec 1, 2021
I’m just gonna say it. Dave is everyone’s favorite person to train with. He makes us laugh and strikes the perfect balance between pushing himself beyond what’s comfortable and advocating for what his body needs that day. Whenever someone sees Dave and Jordan’s bedroom (remember our July Client Rockstar!? Lucky guy, Dave is married to her) come up on the Zoom they know they’re gonna get one of them and it’s gonna be a fun hour together!
Dave is 38 years old and lives in Manalapan NJ. He has 3 boys under 10 (that visit me regularly in training sessions). He’s been married to is wonderful wife Jordan for 10 years and works in medical it for MSKCC. Dave’s super into Ghostbusters, Harry Potters, and Legos (not necessarily in that order)...and then, of course, there’s the marvel and superhero universes.
Dave has had an interesting journey with his health. He injured his knee when he was in high-school, and prior to that he was BIG into karate. That injury kept him from moving like he used to. His weight fluctuated a lot and he had gastric bypass surgery a few years ago, but gained some of the weight back during the sedentary pandemic time and hasn’t been feeling great. "There wasn’t an opportunity to go to the gym or be outside. Finding time to exercise with 3 small kids requires not only time and energy but also buy in and relief from your spouse or co-parent."
Eventually, Jordan, who had been training with me for a few months, suggested Dave and I start training together.
One of the concerns Dave had personally, was that it’s hard for him to take time for himself. With ieFitness, Dave found a program allowed him to exercise in conditions that met his needs specifically. Our Zoom sessions are perfect for Dave because they’re flexible with times. They’re also remote. With no travel, Dave’s not away from kids or responsibilities right before school or after work. Dave took the initiative to find a program that met his needs and schedule as a working parent.
“Your programs are specifically tailored - we work on my balance and core
strength. We made sure my lower extremities, which were ignored for a long time were in safe and healthy condition, so that my upper body workouts, while defining major muscle groups, were safe. You are an excellent coach who is flexible with us and our schedules and you put your clients first.”
Dear reader, I add this amazing quote from Dave not to toot my own horn (but TOOT! TOOT!), but because it’s obvious that Dave knows what’s important to him in a coach and a program. He got clear on that and then found the right solution. Often times we beat ourselves if we have trouble being consistent or quit a program. When really, it might just not be the right fit for us or our lifestyle. Be like Dave, find the thing that works for you!
“I don’t feel sluggish during the day. Im able to cope with the things thrown at me better. I’m not as out of breath. I rolled my ankle recently and my recovery has not been as long as usual. My clothes fit better. While I still have things I want to work on, I don’t feel as out of shape as before I started. I was able to play laser tag with my kids a couple weekends ago with a mask on and a 15 lb backpack and not be out of breath. I was sweating and it was a workout running around with the kids. I can chase them around and not feel out of breath and it’s a nice feeling to have the stamina for that.”
I asked Dave what he would say to someone in a similar situation to him who is considering getting stated with a fitness program. He said he had 3 pieces of advice:
"Go Slow. Don’t jump into the deep end of the pool and realize you can’t swim. It might feel like you’re not making progress, but you are. Don’t compare yourself to yesterday, compare your self to 2 weeks ago and track your progress over long periods of time. Thinking of human physiology, it took you a year to learn how to walk! You’re not going to know how to do everything on the first day so take your time and do it slowly.
Don’t be hyper-competitive with yourself or others. Know that not everyone is built the same. When you’re hyper-competitive with yourself, you often burn out and don’t have anything left for the rest of your workout.
Know yourself. When your body is feeling tired, injured, or just not right, speak up. Don’t just take the hit, because that doesn’t help anybody, you or your trainer. Exercise requires continuity and scheduling. If you do two days of hard work and can’t build on it, it’s not that you wasted the days, but you set yourself back. Focus on building stamina and feeling better than the day before. "
That’s great advice, Dave! He’s a rockstar for so many reasons, but one of the biggest that he trusts his body, knows what he needs and wants, and advocates for himself! That's something we could all learn from.
But there’s a reason Dave’s "The Pusher" and not "The Advocate". For starters, he’s an actual beast at doing push-ups. But mostly it’s because he’s so tuned into his body, he doesn’t only know when to slow down, he knows when we can take it to the next level and he pushes himself just a little farther each time. I can’t tell you how many times he’s said to me, 'I can keep going 'or 'I’m gonna get this' or 'Let’s try heavier and see how it goes.' Keep going, Dave!