32 | SUNRAYS SEPTEMBER 2014
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
FITNESS
I
f there’s one thing Sun
City personal trainer
Shepherd Green has
learned in his 40-year
career in the fitness
industry, it’s that positive
reinforcement can be as
large and boisterous as a
whirling fist pump, or as
small and composed as a
single word.
Pat r i c i a Hender s on
responds to the latter
of the two. “Shepherd
puts a positive spin on
everything,” says the Sun
City resident, who has
worked with Shepherd
twice weekly for the past
six months, rehabbing
from what she calls a
“conundrum” of medical
issues. “For instance, he
refers to my right leg as
my ‘weaker’ leg, not my ‘bad’ leg. I really appreciate that.”
According to Shepherd, exercise is just as muchmental as it is physical. “Proper
attitude is necessary if you want to improve,” he states. “I tell Patricia if you
can perceive an event and believe it, you can achieve it. She has proven that
she is willing to do whatever is necessary to accomplish her goal of walking
without a walker, so we have entered a partnership agreement to accomplish
this as a team.”
Patricia’s conundrum began in 2012 when physicians recommended hip
replacement surgery to eliminate the constant discomfort she experienced
and that a pain clinic couldn’t control. “One thing led to another,” says the
Illinois native, who moved to Sun City Texas fromHouston with her husband,
John, in 2006. During surgery, doctors discovered she had a broken femur.
Afterwards, Patricia developed blood clots in her leg and lungs. Then her
gallbladder burst, requiring more surgery. It was a debilitating blow for
the 79-year-old former travel agent, who once spiritedly explored the world
to familiarize herself with travel packages for company clients. She’d been
nearly bedridden and still in pain for almost a year when her son took the
reins and began researching the Sun City Texas Fitness Center. He decided
that Shepherd was a good fit for his ailing mother, and the partnership began.
“Shepherd has done wonders for me. I’ve gotten so much stronger,” says Patricia,
happily adding that her once constant pain is gone and she can now comfortably
go further, and for longer periods of time, on her walker. “Exercise has improved
my physical endurance and my mental attitude,” she adds. “Shepherd always
looks at my progress positively, however small it may be. My goal is to walk
unassisted, and with Shepherd’s encouragement, I’m sure I will.”
Athlete of the Month
By Lynda Dufour
Patricia Henderson
Personal Trainer: Shepherd Green
Meet Shepherd Green
Personal Trainer
Children’s Swim Time
For Kids Ages 4-15 years
MAY - September
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Daily
Outdoor Pool
Children’s Age Restrictions
Children ages 4-15 may use
the pool during designated
swim times.
Children under the age of 4,
per the CA Rules/Regs., are
not allowed at the pools or in
the Fitness Centers.
Certifications
Cooper Institute
Certified Personal Trainer
Ball, Bands and More
Mad Dogg
Certified Spinning Instructor
Aerobics and Fitness
Association of America
Group Exercise Instructor
For an appointment with
Shepherd, call 512-964-9420
