French Linen

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Thanks Ron!

I have the good fortune of a new opportunity at work but the bad fortune of having to move buildings and leave my much loved corporate gym. But, I take with me lessons from a wonderful mentor.

Until this past year, it was a long time going back to high school since I've had a coach. In my adult life I've had many exercise instructors but a coach brings you something more than just instruction. We actually use the word "coach" a lot in the business world to talk about the mentoring process. A good coach does more than just tell you the mechanics of how to do something better. They help take you to new levels, provide extra motivation, and are also very honest with you when they know you can do something more and better than you think you can.

A year ago I walked into my corporate gym thinking it would be just like any other gym. Finding the gym in the first place proved to be a comic endeavor. I knew it was on the 19th floor but there was no "19" button in the elevator. Upon inquiring, I was told you had to take the stairs. Whatever staircase I ended up in was obviously not the right one -- I became stuck as all doors were locked! And, it was hot! Fortunately, I had my cell phone and got just enough signal to call for some help. The person at the gym had no idea where I was so it took a few tries!

I looked at the class schedule which was always my main criteria for any gym. There was a morning class called "circuit training" that fit my schedule so I planned to go the next day. Then, that night, my right leg fell into the gap between the platform and the subway car so the next day was spent nursing my injuries. In fact, it wasn't until the next month that I was ready to get back to the gym.

I at least could find the gym the next time. At the base of the staircase is a sign that reads "your workout starts here". I'm quite sure the person I met next was the one who put it there. Ron, the morning trainer-in-chief, took one look at me and knew he would have some fun that day. Not realizing that everyone else would be wearing the standard issued gym clothes - a t-shirt and gym shorts - that the gym provides and launders, I showed up in my Danskin attire that had helped me fit in at my previous -- and much more expensive -- Equinox gym.

Having not exercised as much in the last month due to my injury, I was already a notch behind the class. And, the other few people in the class were all two decades younger than me! Ron began by yelling "I'm in a bad mood today". I quickly recognized that he had that drill sergeant quality that I had come to recognize through my work with my U.S. Army clients.

What I could tell right away is that this wasn't a standard, latest fad class. This was Ron's class. And, Ron just does whatever he wants -- which is whatever he thinks will inflict the most amount of pain. But he's smart enough to take you to your limit without injuring yourself. I survived the class, but it wasn't pretty. I'm guessing Ron was betting I wouldn't be back for another but that's because many people don't come back.

I did come back for another -- and for a year. You never know what to expect with Ron's workouts. Some days are more aerobic -- running up and down the 19 floors with boxing gloves on punching Ron along the way -- and others are strength days in the gym. Thanks to Ron, a weight room is no longer daunting for me. A year of Ron's workouts and I have some well toned muscles. In fact, I had to go out and buy some new, heavier weights for my home gym.

At the end of January, Ron told us he would be out for a couple of weeks due to some surgery. As I had suspected early on, Ron is a former special forces Army guy. Yes, he's tough, and he's lived a large portion of his life with shrapnel in his body. When the doctors opened up his chest, they couldn't believe how much shrapnel there was and so the surgery was much more complex than they had imagined. When Ron didn't come back to work after a couple of weeks, we all began to worry. After another couple of weeks some people abandoned the gym without Ron's motivation kicking their ass.

Two months went by and as I was walking in, I heard his famous yell, "I'm in a bad mood today." Now, however, I know Ron better. Ron has seen the worst and always bounced back. In fact, he was proudly showing off the scar running the full length of his chest. He is more than your standard issued instructor -- he's a coach and a mentor -- both in how he lives his own life and how he helps you lead yours. The real translation for his famous phrase is "I'm going to make you stronger today".

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