Member Success Story: Darin Werner

Darin, one of our awesome Rise members, drives 80 miles round trip to come work out with us, 3 times a week. We are so proud of him for prioritizing his health and for setting big goals for himself (see below!). We hope his story inspires you as much as it inspires us:

"Before I started at Rise, basic chores and tasks around the house and farm would make my body sore.  I would procrastinate things until I could no longer avoid the task, knowing I was going to feel it the next day.  Now I rarely get sore or achy working around the yard/house/farm.  I feel great and get far more stuff done.

I never would have dreamed that I would enjoy going to a gym or that you could talk me into going 3 days a week.  For me it is an 80 mile round trip, so it would have been easy to quit if the experience wasn’t great.

My big goal when I joined was to be fit enough to hunt in Africa in the spring of '25 and New Zealand in the spring of '26. Africa was much more enjoyable when I was able to fit better in the plane seat on a 15 hour flight. Hiking and shooting were a piece of cake, and I know that they would not have been without Rise.  New Zealand will consist of real mountains and tougher challenges, but I am well on my way to hitting that goal.

I am down 15 lbs since I started at Rise and have added 5 lbs of muscle.  All my clothes fit me better, and in fact some of my clothes are now too big.  I haven’t been this weight since 2018.  I am significantly stronger, I move better, and my balance is greatly improved.

I have never been a gym rat or person who enjoyed working out.  In fact, I hated it.  Just the thought of going to a gym was intimidating.  Rise met me where I was and helped me move forward. 

To really put this in perspective, I have not missed a week of at least 3 workouts since I started besides when I was overseas.  The coaches are great, and the facility and equipment are top notch.  No matter who you are or what your fitness level is, there is never any shame or judgement. The coaches are genuinely invested in your success.  I joke that if I was still in a position to recruit talent for my previous employer, I would be trying to recruit some of the coaches.  They are just great people with great attitudes."

Way to go, Darin! We love having you at Rise and can't wait to keep cheering you on.

To learn more about Rise, head here to sign up for a Free Fitness Consultation - a completely free 45-minute meeting with one of our expert coaches. We'll give you a gym tour, chat about your goals, health history, nutrition, and more. Come check us out and see if we're a good fit, no strings attached.