by Matt Stemley

Let’s just get right to the meat and potatoes…THERE IS NO “PERFECT” TIME.  But there is a “right” time.  The “right” time to start is WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF.  Now, we have worked with enough individuals to know that cancer treatment is hectic:  radiation 5-days per week, chemo infusions for hour(s), surgeries with weight and activity restrictions, trying to manage to work.  BUT, what an opportunity…Imagine this…If you can manage to prioritize and show up to your sessions DURING your busy time, then wouldn’t you think that would make you more likely to be able to CONTINUE prioritizing your health habits even after you leave our exercise programs?  At Maple Tree our sessions run 1-hour just 1-time per week and we have found this to be INCREDIBLE for helping us achieve our mission!

Here at Maple Tree we talk a lot about our mission which if you have not heard it is “Maple Tree exists to improve the quality-of-life” of anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis”.  In order to effectively improve someone’s quality-of-life we need to be able to help them be successful at the habit of exercise.  Our programs are infrequent enough to help minimize strain on your schedule AND also put the ball in YOUR COURT to achieve results because we only give you HALF of what you need.  That’s right HALF!  In order to create change in the body it is recommended to exercise AT LEAST 2-times per week…Yet at Maple Tree we feature patient success on Facebook and Instagram each week???  How does that happen???  You see, because we only give you HALF of what you need it puts the ball in your court to do what your trainer says and take accountability to learn how to exercise on your own with what your trainer teaches you.  THIS IS WHY OUR PROGRAM IS AMAZING!  We are MASTERS at helping our patients achieve results and learn how to continue taking care of themselves!!

During your sessions your trainer will teach you how to “exercise”.  Exercise is a specific way of moving that elicits a specific adaptation in the body.  This adaptation occurs only if the exercise session is MORE intense than what the person does on a daily basis and only if the FREQUENCEY is often enough to allow for adequate stimulation but timed appropriately to allow for adequate recovery.

At Maple Tree we pair you with a trainer to help push you and keep you accountable to be able to achieve both of these in a mode/method that is the SAFEST for you.

We want to push you a bit to get the results you NEED and DESERVE, but it is our promise to go about it in the SAFEST way.  You need you exercise sessions to be harder than your life.  If general life is more strenuous on your body than your exercise sessions, then odds are that you will get injured in “life”.  HOWEVER, if your exercise sessions are more challenging than general life, you will be LESS likely to be injured in “life”.  

Our bodies are resilient and adaptable structures.  You are stronger than you think, and we know there is SO much potential to each person that walks in our doors.  85% of the people who start up in our exercise clinics have no former history of exercise within 6-month or longer leading up to Maple Tree.  So if you are nervous about starting from scratch, then fear not!!!!  We want to help you realize your potential, we want to help you learn new ways of exercising that dismiss your concerns of aggravating that old injury, we want to LISTEN to you about your goals and PUSH you (just enough) to help you get back closer to the days of feeling “normal”.  And with all of our exercise programs being FREE of cost to the patient there is no reason why you could not try it to see if you like it!!

 

As our annual giving campaign approaches (November 8-15th), we appreciate all the support and partnerships that allow us to provide excellent care to our patients. If you would like to join in the support of Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, please go to our website at https://www.mapletreecanceralliance.org/donate/. No donation is too small, and every little bit helps!