We’ve had a lot of success stories at Vero Strength, but the most dramatic may be of Lynn Larsen’s.
Lynn entered our gym on October 5, 2023. She had experienced a traumatic accident that resulted in major back surgery where she actually died on the table twice! She was left very thin, weak and lacked basic function. In fact, we had to extremely modify her initial movement screen because she couldn’t stand from a seated position without assistance.
To be honest, Lynn wasn’t 100% confident that we could help her, but after some convincing, she decided to give us a try and was matched with Marina as her trainer.
At first, workouts were very simplistic and focused on just getting her to the point where she could perform daily tasks and be more independent. At that time, she could barely lift a water jug to move it.
Lynn committed to the gym three days a week, put in the work and before long, transitioned from performing simple bodyweight movements to doing weight-bearing exercises.
In less than a year, she can now back squat 70 pounds and deadlift 80 pounds. Her stability has increased significantly, and she’s even lunging and balancing on one leg—an incredible achievement considering the challenges she also faces with neuropathy.
Seeing the benefit of strength training and wanting to maximize her efforts, Lynn also gave up alcohol, leaned on Marina for nutrition advice and began to eat better and prioritize protein.
One she was able to do weight-bearing exercises, her body composition started to change fast. Her latest Inbody scan revealed that she's gained five pounds of muscle and decreased three percent in body fat in the past month!
Here’s where a picture is worth a thousand words. Check out the amazing transformation in Lynn’s posture and physique.
Not only is she more capable in the gym, but she now golfs regularly and just returned from a trip to Iceland, where she was able to hike! (That's the photo at the top of this post). She's gotten her life back.
Marina adds, “Lynn’s work ethic is unmatched, and as her coach, it’s been incredibly rewarding to witness her dedication and progress. While Lynn often gives me more credit than I deserve, the truth is that she wouldn't be where she is today without her hard work and determination. I can't wait to see her progress in another year."
Lynn has gone from being feeble to being truly vibrant! She even looks younger. Her confidence has soared, which is evidenced by her new wardrobe of booty shorts (she’s proud to be “age inappropriate!).
Looking back, what stood out the most about Lynn when I first met her was her fiery attitude and desire to change the way she was living. She didn't think about others in the gym judging her and didn't compare herself to others. I believe this mindset was the key to her success.
I hope Lynn serves as an inspiration to you all, as she does to us. Many would think that the odds were stacked against her, but she prevailed!
Side note: as the owner of the gym, I couldn’t be more proud of Marina. Not all trainers would know what to do with a case like Lynn’s. She progressed Lynn safely, earned her trust, guided her lifestyle choices and they became an important part of each other’s lives. And they have fun doing it!
