Patient Spotlight: Lisa Koza

Patient Spotlight: Lisa Koza AIDS LifeCycle | Ride to End AIDS Event

Lisa is a Revolutions in Fitness client and also a very active cyclist who recently participated in the AIDS/LifeCycle|Ride to End AIDS Event this past month. Read on as Lisa tells all about her success & experience at the ALC Ride and how Revolutions in Fitness assisted in her preparation! 1) Tell us about your experience with Revolutions in Fitness? My experience with Revolutions in Fitness has been life changing. It has caused a shift in my thinking about physical therapy and the importance of having the right professionals focused on ensuring my body can achieve its optimal performance on and off my bike.  And, there were immediate results! When I showed up at Revolutions in Fitness in May I had been training for the Aids LifeCycle (ALC) ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles since February. The week before I came into Revolutions in Fitness I was doing a bike ride around Lake Tahoe which is 72 miles around and at mile 52 my left knee was not going to go any further. I was so worried because I was sure that I no longer had any chance to do the ALC ride that was only two weeks away. Needless to say, my experience with Revolutions in Fitness was nothing short of miraculous because not only did I participate in the ALC, I completed all 545 miles! 2)What do you feel that you got out of your Physical Therapy & Bike Fit experience with Revolutions in Fitness? The most significant thing I got from working with the Revolutions in Fitness team is empowerment!  I suddenly had the knowledge and skills needed to shift my body into healing and optimal performance. I was amazed to see how seemingly small changes in my bike fit had profound effects on my body and I noticed immediate results when riding. 3) You recently just participated in the ALC Ride. Tell us a little bit about your success and experience? Did you feel your experience with Revolutions in Fitness helped you prepare for it? if so, how?  Imagine you were an avid cyclist. Then you became a mom to two amazing boys Japhy Ryder (9) and Beckett (10) and you stopped riding your bike for 12 years. That was my story. Then imagine that you text a friend asking "Do you still ride your bike?"  and their reply "Yes, as a matter of fact the training rides for ALC start tomorrow morning at 9:00 am, you should do it!" I signed up for the ALC ride that evening which is 545 miles that takes 7 days to complete. The next morning I showed up for my first training ride 18.8 miles. The first week of June I completed my first ALC ride. I know that would not have been possible without Revolutions in Fitness. When I couldn't complete the bike ride around Lake Tahoe I was convinced I was not doing ALC. Working with Curtis was such a powerful experience physically and mentally. When he was checking the fit of my bike and small changes caused huge shifts in how I felt in the bike seat I was hopeful that working together I might be able to actually do the ALC ride. It was so important for me to be able to understand what my body had created it could fix. Learning techniques to keep my muscles strong and stretched was critical. And having the understanding and knowledge kept my mind from going into the negative space that I "couldn't do it". I want to share one of the most profound moments on the ride for me. It was Day One. I was still nervous that my knee would be in too much pain to ride every mile that day (82 miles). I could hear Curtis' voice telling me to listen to my body no matter what and get off the bike if I needed to be off the bike. I had even decided that the bus that would take me to camp that day was the "party bus" so I wouldn't be depressed about getting on the bus. At lunch time (40 miles) I was seriously worried and feeling my knee. I realized that there were Physical Therapists at the lunch stop!! I was immediately hopeful. I was able to apply the techniques and stretches that Revolutions in Fitness taught me. I used the foam rollers that were available and I met with one of the therapists. The therapist helped me with additional stretches and taped my knee. I was able to complete the day. What I realized that day was that I had been empowered and supported by physical therapy!! I knew my body was supported and would do what ever my mind decided. The foam roller became my best friend at lunch and in the evening at camp and enabled me to support my body to complete 545 miles of serious hills and long days in the seat. In case anyone is wondering, yes, I signed up to do the ride next year. I would love for you to join me! 4) As someone who lives a very active lifestyle, how important would you say it is to manage your aches and pains, injuries, and so on with the help of a PT clinic? I would say it is crucial to manage your aches and pains and/or injuries with the help of a PT clinic. I would also say don't wait until you have aches and pains.  Be proactive. What I have learned through this experience is that a PT clinic can help you with a routine for proper recovery techniques after your activities, helping you avoid aches and pains. And, if you are a cyclist, please be sure to have Revolutions in Fitness do a bike fitting for you! 5) Would you recommend Revolutions in Fitness to others looking for PT or Bike Fit services? I am so grateful for Revolutions in Fitness and the team that made it possible for me to complete the ALC. I am pretty sure there isn't a person that knows me that hasn't heard about my transformative experience with PT, the amazing team at Revolutions In Fitness and the importance of having your bike fit by the best professionals! I am pretty confident that many of my team mates will be visiting Revolutions in Fitness as they prepare for ALC 2018. So yes, I will continue to sing the praises for PT, proper bike fit and recommend Revolutions in Fitness to everyone!           Want to hear other patient perspectives? Discover more amazing testimonials like Lisa's HERE!