Strength for the thingsyou'd rather not askfor help with.
I'm Therese. I train adults 55 and over in their own homes around Citrus County. One-on-one, at whatever pace your body is setting that week.
Tell me what's been feeling harder lately. I'll be straight with you about whether I can help.
If any of this sounds familiar
Something twinged stepping off a curb one afternoon. Or you reached for the counter faster than you meant to, and your heart went for a second.
So you were more careful the next day. You took the elevator. You asked someone else to get the box down. You let the yard go that weekend. Every one of those was a sensible decision. None of it was silly.
The trouble is that careful adds up. A few months of doing less, and getting up off the couch really is harder than it was. That feels like proof of the thing you were worried about.
It isn't proof.It's what a body doeswhen it stops being asked.
Strength usually comes back sooner than people expect. Confidence takes longer. That's the part that changes your week.
What we're working toward
When I ask people what they miss, this is what they tell me.
- Getting up from a low chair or the floor without planning it first.
- Curbs, uneven pavers and a wet pool deck that feel solid under your feet.
- Groceries, laundry, a grandchild on your hip, carried without bracing yourself.
- Gardening, travel, and getting in and out of the car more easily.
- Enough strength in reserve that a stumble stays a stumble.
Why I come to you
Your front step. Your driveway. The chair you get out of eight times a day. The step down to the lanai you've never quite trusted.
No gym has those
A plan written for somebody else doesn't know they exist. Training where you live means we practice the movements your day actually asks of you, in the places it asks for them.
Nobody watching
No parking, no locker room, and nobody thirty years younger glancing over while you find your feet.
Or somewhere else
If you'd be more comfortable meeting away from the house, say so and we will.
What a session looks like
About an hour, at your place. I bring what we need.
- We sit down first and talk about how your week went.
- A warm-up that gets you moving without using up your energy for the day.
- Strength work. Usually something to push, something to pull, and something for the legs.
- Steadiness practice. Most people notice this part first.
- A short cool-down, and one thing to practice before I see you again.
If you're stiff or worn out that day, we scale it down and still get something done. I'd rather you tell me than push through.
Ways we can work together
Most of what I do is one-on-one in someone's home. It isn't the only way.
One-on-one at home
The bulk of my work. Your house, your front step, the chair you actually get out of. About an hour at a time.
Small groups of four or five
The same work with a few of you together. Good if you'd rather not do it on your own, or if neighbors want in.
Aqua sessions in your own pool
Water takes the load off your joints, so we can work on balance and strength on days when land is hard going. I come to your pool.
Talks for groups
I speak to clubs, communities and neighborhood groups about staying steady and moving well. If you belong to one, I'd be glad to come and talk.
About Therese
I've been training people for over twenty years. I'm an IFA certified personal trainer and I'm fully insured.
I didn't start in a gym. My first job was as a certified nurse's aide in nursing homes, and I worked in daycare and at a veterinary hospital after that. Looking after people who needed a hand came a long time before any of the fitness work did.
Around the same time I was taking kickboxing and Tae Kwon Do classes, and working a job that kept me sitting down all day. My body started to really hurt. I went looking for ways to keep training without making things worse, and most of what I understand about movement came out of that search.
Other people were dealing with the same thing, so I started helping them work around their own injuries. That is where the coaching began, and it is the part I have cared about ever since.
My focus now is corrective movement for everyday function. The work is aimed at what your body does outside a gym rather than inside one.
How I work is straightforward. I listen to what's concerning you. I watch how you move. Then we adjust those movements to bring back more natural mobility. Most of the people I see are in their sixties and seventies.
What you can expect from me
- I won't ask you to push through pain.
- I'll tell you why we're doing something, not just what to do.
- You won't be compared to anyone else, including who you were at forty.
- I'll say when something belongs with your doctor instead of me.
No Limitations, Only Modifications
I'm glad to work alongside your physician or physical therapist and follow their lead. Training isn't a substitute for medical care.
What clients say
“All my life I have been rather sedentary. At 57, after a bout with breast cancer and a difficult reconstruction surgery, I knew I had to do something to improve my quality of life. It is over a year now and Therese has me doing things even the doctors said I couldn't do. She is truly good at what she does, pushing when necessary and joking as needed. My mental and physical health have both improved.”
“I was in a severe car accident and have herniated disks from my neck through my entire spine. Since being in class I have gained my balance back, and I am able to do activities in my daily life without constant pain. You have inspired me to not give up.”
“She never forgets to remind you about your form and breathing. As an asthmatic this is especially important to me. I would recommend her to anyone.”
“Her bubbly personality and her ability to make you feel comfortable trying new things is what makes her so great as a trainer. She takes the time, and I feel she truly cares about all her clients.”
“Nonstop enthusiasm, friendly inspiration and upbeat fitness for the at-home workout.”
Questions people ask me
- I'm really out of shape. Shouldn't I get fitter first?
- No. That's what I'm for. We start with what your body can manage this week. There's no level of fitness you need to reach before you begin.
- I've got a bad knee, hip, or back.
- So do most of the people I work with. We build your plan around it. If you're seeing a physical therapist or your doctor about it, I'll follow what they've told you.
- I'm afraid I'll hurt myself.
- I'd be more surprised if you weren't. We go slowly, I watch how you move, and you'll never be asked to keep up with anybody or try something I haven't walked you through first.
- What if I'm stiff or worn out that day?
- We scale it down and still do something worthwhile. Those days are part of the plan. I'd rather hear about it than have you soldier on.
- Do I need to buy equipment?
- No. I bring what we need. Much of the work uses a chair, a counter, your front step and your own body weight, because those are what you use anyway.
- How often would we meet?
- Usually once or twice a week, plus a short routine in between that takes five or ten minutes. We'll settle on something that fits your week.
- How far do you travel?
- I cover Citrus County. If you're a little outside it, call and ask anyway. We can usually work something out.
- What does it cost?
- Give me a call and I'll walk you through it. It depends on how often we meet and how far I travel to you. The first conversation is free.
Give me a call.
Tell me what's been feeling harder and what you'd like to get back to. If I'm not the right person for you, I'll say so and point you to someone who is.
What happens when you call
- We talk for ten or fifteen minutes about what's changed and what you want back.
- If it feels right, we book a first visit. I come to you, we go through what you can do now, and you finish with a plan.
- You decide from there. Nothing to commit to on the phone.