The comeback

For Michele Pirc, life once moved at full speed, balancing a bustling career as a mental health nurse practitioner with physical pursuits like running, biking, gardening, skiing and spending time outdoors with her two sons. Eight years ago, everything changed when she was struck by Lyme disease, a debilitating and long-lasting bacterial illness caused by a tick bite.

“There were times I could barely walk,” she recalls. “I was in constant pain, hunched over like a 90-year-old­—I’m only 58—and exhausted. I had to cut back on my work hours and give up the things I loved doing. It was a nightmare.”

Time for a Professional

By last September, after years of intensive treatment including IV antibiotics, medication therapies, holistic care and nutritional support, the disease had finally cleared. Her 108-pound body, however, had been weakened and lacked muscle tone, flexibility and stability.

“It was time to call in a professional,” she says. “I toured several training places in town and interviewed the people in charge. MaxStrength Fitness stood out as the one with the most experienced trainers. They were not afraid of taking me on. As a medical practitioner myself, it meant a lot that their protocol is science-backed and comes from a physical therapy perspective. They understood more than just fitness, but how to work with a body that had been through trauma.”

The trainer-led protocol—two 20-minute sessions per week—fit nicely with her work schedule, and she formed a bond with the trainers.

“They were nimble, thoughtful and incredibly knowledgeable about the biomechanics of the body,” she adds. “They listened carefully, adapting each movement to my limitations until I gradually gained strength.”

Today, Michele is happy to report she’s back to hiking 6 miles through wooded trails, fishing on Lake Erie (she recently reeled in a beautiful steelhead) and plans to hit the slopes again this winter.

Beyond physical gains, MaxStrength gave her something even more meaningful: hope.

“I feel like I’ve been given a new lease on life,” she says. “You don’t realize how precious simple things are until they’re taken away. Now I seize every opportunity.”

Your Personal Algorithm

MSF Founder Jeff Tomaszewski publishes a motivational e-newsletter for members filled with science-backed content and ideas to elevate the training experience.

This month he explores how your brain runs on an algorithm, much like your social media feed. Anyone who has watched a cute cat video and then sees their feed turn into a cat circus can relate that you are shown what you pay attention to.

“Your own internal ‘algorithm’ responds directly to your environment and the things you repeatedly see, do and interact with,” says Jeff. “If your environment supports your healthy goals—walking shoes waiting by the door, healthy snacks in the fridge—your brain begins reinforcing those habits automatically. Oftentimes one simple shift is enough to create momentum. Small changes can make a big difference.”

“Rather than letting your head drop or tilt back, keep it in a neutral position, with a fist-width distance between your chin and chest, and gaze fixed straight ahead,” he says. 

With the MaxStrength training protocol, members know their trainer is watching every detail of their form so they can get the most bang for their buck.

MaxStrength Fitness

13500 Pearl Road, Strongsville

440-467-0700

4212 State Route 306, Willoughby

440-226-8080