IFAST Client Spotlight: Alec Smith

Hey everyone!  We are back with another IFAST client spotlight and today I have Alec Smith.  Alec has been with us for over a year now and originally came to us to improve his athleticism and to get out of back pain.

Alec is a busy guy running his own business, but he consistently makes it in 3-4 times a week.  He works extremely hard (I know because I write his programs and they are not easy:) ) and has made some awesome progress!  So here is Alec.

Alec, can you start off by telling us a little about yourself?

I’m a 28 year old dietitian and wannabe athlete. I love being active and being outdoors. My favorite activities include golf, snowboarding, basketball, football, triathlons, and anything on the water. As you can imagine, despite having an outstanding diet to aid in my recovery, these all take their toll on my body. I’ve had multiple ankle injuries, several concussions, dislocations, etc. Oddly enough I’ve never broken a bone (knock on wood). But my back is a mess, which makes for a nice segway into the next question.

What brought you to IFAST?

I have a back condition in the lumbar region known as spondylolisthesis. Try saying that three times fast. In short, one vertebrae is shifted forward about 25% compared to the vertebrae below it. The doctors suspect I was born with it (it can be genetic and my dad has it). Sitting or standing for prolonged periods tends to really exacerbate the pain, so I decided long ago that I would do what I can to help strengthen that area to alleviate it. I read once in Men’s Health magazine about Bill Hartman and how IFAST specializes in working with corrective type exercises. Over a year later, I’m glad I made the decision to try these guys out.

How has your experience been at IFAST?  What makes IFAST different from other gyms you have been to?

Finally, what do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment thus far?

It’s tough to point to just one accomplishment really. I will say that I feel the most important thing I’ve gotten out of it is a greater knowledge base for myself and learning the important movement patterns to prevent my back from acting up. I also went to buy a sport coat recently and the guy helping me noted that there was a crease between my shoulder blades. He said he doesn’t see that often and it’s because I actually have good posture. From a strictly physical standpoint, I’m quicker than I’ve ever been, my bench press max has gone from about 165 lbs to 205 lbs, and I can single leg squat off of a box with a weight vest on for reps. And most importantly, my back doesn’t hurt!

Thanks so much for the interview, Alec!