Profile: Nurse, snowboarder, too tall.

Injury: Back Pain

Issue: Tallness

I was logging kilometres training for a marathon, doing deadlifts with bad form, and picking patients up from awkward positions. It could have been any one of those that extruded my L5-S1 intervertebral disc and pushed it against my nerve.  My left leg was numb for 6 weeks and with pain going down my nerve root movement and muscle disappeared.

After 10 months of minimal progress seeing crowds of specialists, some reinjuries, cortisone injections, and contemplating surgery, a buddy told me to check out Ian’s shop.  I was sceptical when I walked into Ascension like a zombie, how was this strange loud guy going to be any different than anyone else I’d seen?  I was berated for not coming in sooner and felt weak.  After that, Ian spent the time and found where my issues were, then he focused movements and his wooden thumbs to those spots.

Each workout is customized for your needs, whether it’s rehab or sport-specific.  Because of this focused approach you don’t waste anyone’s time.

Ian’s coaching has been the key to improvement, yelling at you from across the gym to do better, or laughing at you when you’re doing a really bad lift with terrible posture has kept me on the right path.

He shares the wins, even if it’s straightening your leg for the first time in over a year.  Comparing where I’m at just 6 months after starting at Ascension is unbelievable.  This gym is for people who want to improve and will put in the time, you will be surprised at the results.

Jon Taplin, RNP