Sue Wacyra
Sue Wacyra is a member of Lucille Roberts Fair Lawn. Here’s her inspiring story, in her own words!
Back in August 2010, I injured my knee in a cardio class–due to my own carelessness, not that of the instructor. I ended up having to go to physical therapy for a month and could not run for a month after that. My doctor freed me to back to cardio classes with some restrictions in October 2010 and cleared me for running in November. I was able to get back into the cardio classes, with modifications; certain moves continued to bother knee. After class, I always iced my knee.
I really wanted to get more into toning and strengthening classes, so I spoke to one of the instructors about personal training, and she recommended Mary Katz, who trains at Lucille Roberts Fair Lawn. I told Mary about my knee but also emphasized that I wanted her to push me as hard as she could. She worked on strengthening all of my muscles but took care to insure that my knee was o.k. Mary stresses doing the moves correctly, and, while I thought that I had been doing my squats and lunges properly, I soon learned that I hadn’t been doing them correctly. Mary corrected my moves, and I could REALLY feel the difference.
After working with Mary for about six weeks, I realized that my knee no longer bothered me at all! I could do any moves required in the cardio classes, and I was able to do all of the exercises Mary wanted me to do with no knee discomfort at all! My physical therapist had told me that the key to healing my knee would be to strengthen the muscles around it, and Mary has helped me to do that. The extra benefit is that I can now take some of the cardio classes that I had been a little nervous to take because of the quick moves. The first time I returned to one of those classes, I saw friends I hadn’t seen in a while, and they all thought I had lost weight; it was actually the toning that had happened from working with Mary.
My goal for 2011 is to lose 20 pounds and to really tone my muscles. I will continue to work with Mary because I know she will keep me motivated and will work me to my fullest potential!
About Sue: I am 57 years old, have been married for 33 years, and have a 29-year-old daughter, who is getting married in November of 2012–so Mary will have me as a client for quite a while because I need to look good in my gown! I am a marketing communications manager for a garden hose company. In my spare time, other than going to the gym, I like to run 5Ks and to do obediance training with my German Shephard, Sarge. I have also become an iPad addict and can’t stop playing Angry Birds! My favorite activity right now is helping to plan my daughter’s wedding.
