Meet Denise. Our kimbentley Dragonfly Yoga Giveaway Winner.
Teachers Michelle and Wendy with Giveaway Winner Denise!
Congratulations go out to our Yoga Giveaway Winner, Denise. When I met Denise to photograph her with Michelle and Wendy, teachers at Dragonfly Dance and Wellness Studio, I didn’t realize the depth of her fitness journey which included knee surgery and ultimately a knee replacement after chemo and radiation for breast cancer. It never ceases to amaze me how many strong and inspiring women we have in our fitness community.
Denise’s Fitness Journey
Denise finished chemo and radiation treatments for breast cancer in December of 2009, and that’s when she began TRX classes with Benji at Chain Reaction Fitness in Eau Claire, WI. Denise admits she was a mess back then and didn’t even know her body anymore but little by little she became stronger. Denise had also been dealing with a meniscus issue and underwent surgery to repair her knee. Again, she persevered and shortly after was able to compete in a Tough Mudder Competition in 2012! Denise credits her speedy recovery to working out. Denise also began practicing yoga and took classes from several teachers but much to her dismay her knee became an even bigger issue, and she was no longer able to enjoy exercise. Yoga became painful. She could no longer run in place for a warm-up nor could she do jumping jacks. Denise continued to workout but found it necessary to modify every exercise. Ultimately, Denise had a knee replacement in September of 2015. Recovery took time but as what seems to be her style she was determined to return to her workouts. Getting back to exercise after time off can be difficult both physically and mentally because many times we think we can rebound and begin working out at the same level we had before taking time off. Of course, this is not always the case. Denise realized that she needed to stay calm and take it slow. Not only did she miss her workouts but she missed the people she worked out with including her husband. For Denise and her husband, Tuesday night boot camp is date night! ♥
Where is She Now?
It was almost 6 months since her knee replacement when Denise found out she won the yoga giveaway. I checked in with Denise this week and she has decided to pursue yoga with private lessons so that she can proceed at a pace that works with not only her busy schedule (She’s Owner/Operator Urban Style Hair Salon) but also at a pace that works for her body. Listening to your body and working out at a pace that is best for you is a lesson everyone can benefit from. Congratulations, Denise!
Here’s to finding your style,™ – Kim
