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Why This Busy Dad Calls PowerStrength an Investment in His Health
Dan Sipka wasn’t looking for a gym.
His wife had been training at PowerStrength for a year and a half when she handed him a free pass. He used it and took off from there.
Now training at PowerStrength’s Alpine location, Dan is stronger, healthier, and in better shape than he’s been in over a decade.
The change goes well beyond the gym.
He’s a dad of three, co-owner of a business, and, in his words, trying to be “capable and present at every aspect” of his family’s life.
THE START
Dan began training on December 30 of last year. By then, he had watched his wife work toward her own goals.
“My wife started at PowerStrength a year and a half ago,” he said. “She was really working hard, getting in shape. And then she had a free pass, and I took advantage of that and never looked back.”
Her reason was a family one.
“Just to get healthy for our family,” Dan said. “Just kind of transform our life and health.“
He noticed it at home.
“Eating better. Coming home with a clearer mind. Better physically.”
WHERE HE WAS
Dan grew up playing sports and kept playing after high school and college, mostly pickup basketball, volleyball, and softball.
“And then the last five years or so, I kind of got out of that,” he said.
Life got busy. He and his wife bought a business four years ago, and with three kids at home, the gym wasn’t a priority.
“I was never a big gym guy.”
WHY IT MATTERS
What changed was what he wanted for the next few decades.
“I want to be capable and present at every aspect of my child’s life,” Dan said. “All three of them, and my wife, at each stage of their life. I want to be able to be there for them.”
THE RESULTS
Dan is clear that the benefits go beyond the physical.
“I’m in the best shape I’ve been in probably 10 years,” he said. “But not just the physical aspect, but the mental. It’s a stress relief. It clears your mind. It gets you going for the day. I’ve just seen my life become healthier, and that’s what I wanted.”
AT HOME
The clearest proof shows up with his kids.
“I used to be a little bit out of breath running around with them, throwing them up in the air,” he said. “Now I come home from the gym, and one of the kids is like, ‘throw me up, Dad, you’re so strong.'”
One of them has raised the bar.
“The other day, they said, ‘you’re getting so strong at the gym, you’re going to be able to lift a house.’ So I think me and the coach have got some work to do on that.”
AT WORK
Dan and his wife run a specialty retail market, so his days are full.
Training has changed how he approaches them.
“It helps me mentally,” he said. “I go in with a clear mind. I’m thinking clear and making better decisions for the business.”
THE COACHES
Dan points first to the people at PowerStrength who make the environment great..
“One hundred percent, from the coaches to the people you work out with,” he said. “They really care about you. They want to make sure you’re doing well here and outside of the gym.”
That includes the texts.
“Getting a text from them like, ‘hey, you’re crushing it.’ That’s just motivation.”
It also includes keeping him safe.
A month ago, Dan hurt his shoulder and wanted to push the weight anyway.
“They said, ‘you’re not trying to go to the NFL here, let’s tone it back.’ That helps, because I probably would have put more on. They’re always looking out for you.”
The other members matter, too.
“They’re striving to do the same thing you are, so it’s kind of like a team in a way.”
A GOAL HE DIDN’T THINK HE’D HIT
This fall, Dan set a goal for PowerStrength’s member challenge, Strongtober, of bench pressing 205 lbs, 5 times. He did it 6 times.
“It was awesome. I mean, I was ecstatic,” he said. “I never thought I would be able to lift that much. It’s empowering.”
AN INVESTMENT
Asked what he’d tell someone on the fence, Dan didn’t hesitate.
“It’s 100% worth it,” he said. “I know it’s hard to fit it into your life. Sometimes people are busy, but they have so many different time slots. And the money’s worth it. It’s an investment in your health. Overall health down the road is important.”
WHAT’S NEXT
Dan’s goals look years ahead.
“I want to be there and present in every aspect of my kids’ life,” he said. “And I think just being physically and mentally healthy is key to that. PowerStrength has done that so far, and I know it will continue to do that for me.”
It’s also changed what he wants to do outside the gym.
After years away from pickup sports, he’s thinking about them again.
“Since coming here, it’s made me want to get into pickup basketball again. Softball, volleyball. Those things were always super fun to me. I like being active.”
Asked to describe what PowerStrength is, Dan landed on one word.
“Amazing. It’s what it’s done for me physically and mentally, and just the people. You feel like a group, like teammates. I couldn’t be happier here.”
READY TO MAKE YOUR NEXT 10 YEARS YOUR STRONGEST EVER?
Men and women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who want to get stronger and have more energy can join the Personal Training Program at PowerStrength at any time. No previous workout experience is required — each program is customized to the fitness and ability level of each individual.
Multiple personal training sessions are offered in the early morning, mid-morning, late afternoon, and evening. Find your nearest PowerStrength location — Alpine, Kentwood, Jenison, Plainfield, Holland, or Byron Center.
Click powerstrengthpro.com/adult/contact-adult to learn more and schedule your risk-free consultation.