Dave is the real deal. KNOWLEDGEABLE - Dave knows about the different muscle groups and the safest ways to exercise them. ATTENTIVE - he studies your body from all angles to ensure your movements are controlled and effective. ENCOURAGING - he's terrific at cheering you on when you're trying to dig deep to complete that last lift. GOAL-ACHIEVING - Dave can see when you've 'outgrown' a weight, which is when he rewards you with a heavier one, often combined with a more taxing set of reps. And he's always SMILING - we chat, we laugh, we have fun together, even when my body's a tsunami of sweat. Each week, I feel a little more energetic, a little more toned, a little more mobile. I can now touch my toes! I've NEVER been able to touch my toes, even as a kid. This - coupled with steadier, stronger, less crunchy-sounding knees - is one of the most satisfying things to emerge from all that 'sweet pain', as Dave likes to call it. I'm also lifting heavier weights while maintaining a good technique. And I have way more mental stamina and physical endurance than I did several months ago when Dave and I first met. Back then I wobbled like a newborn calf after ten reps of breathing. Today, I wobble like a relatively fit middle-aged man should after being instructed to do non-stop compound exercises. After the challenges we've all had to face with Covid and lockdowns, my sessions with Dave have kept me buoyed up and focussed. I'm a naturally anxious person, so having a regular exercise routine has helped to keep me calm and spared me from needlessly catastrophising situations. What else can I say? The man's a ledge - and I'm fitter and healthier because of him.
