We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Holly Brewer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Holly below.

Hi Holly, thanks for joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

My defining moment comes down to something simple: driving with my right foot. I was born with a mild form of cerebral palsy that left me with functional limitations on the right side of my body – meaning anything that required fine motor skills (i.e. writing, driving, picking up small objects) was completely reliant on my left side. Even after years of physical therapy, I was unable to achieve any significant improvement beyond basic movement patterns.

Fast forward to when I started college. After spending most of my life in physical therapy to improve the effects of my cerebral palsy, I was on a path toward becoming a physical therapy assistant myself. My goal was to have an impact by helping others improve their lives and feel more comfortable in their bodies like I did.

Along the way, I joined a gym. Through trial and error, I developed a steady exercise routine of strength, cardio, and flexibility training. After roughly a year of consistent hard work, I noticed a was able to push through my right leg in a way I had never experienced in the past. I decided to put it to the test.

For the very first time at 18 years old, at 6 A.M. in an empty gym parking lot, I drove using my right foot instead of the left. This moment pushed me to the realization that while yes, physical therapy has a vital place in the recovery and maintenance process, bodies need resistance and flexibility training in order to move beyond the plateau barriers that are so often experienced by individuals who have long-term ailments and physical overcompensations from sedentary lifestyles. Within a week of this epiphany, I changed my major to a B.S. in Exercise Science, which I completed in 2019. This is the journey that led me to start Adapt & Thrive Custom Personal Training!

Holly, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I decided to start Adapt & Thrive with this as my main goal: to reach marginalized individuals who are searching for a more inclusive environment outside of a typical gym setting, to achieve their goals and take control of their lives. From personal experience, I know how hard it can be to overcome the anxiety of the gym that comes from feeling different. My biggest dream is to create a safe space for anyone who wants to feel better. You could consider me the ideal personal trainer for social outliers.

Until January 2020, my experience came from learning through the challenges of my own body and an amazing internship in Tulsa, OK that catered specifically to individuals with various mental and physical impairments. As a result, I have a unique perspective and insight into the effects healthy physical activity can have.

After finishing up my post-graduate internship with another eye-opening specialty facility outside Dallas, TX, I got hired on at one of the typical “big-box” gyms. It didn’t take me long to realize that the mainstream gym environment made me feel out of place. I also observed a general lack of knowledge from other personal trainers when it came to implementing fitness plans to accommodate for impairments. I knew that I had to make a change.

I was introduced to a local company with access to multiple semi-private fitness studios throughout the DFW area, and with a handful of loyal clients who stuck with me through my transition of going solo, I got my start! Since the beginning of 2022, Adapt & Thrive has been able to offer private and small group training sessions in the DFW area at the studio, the gym, or in the comfort of clients’ own homes. My focus is on individual needs, which are different for everyone. Those differences mean that a tailored training program is much more critical.

While I always begin with the basics of overall stability and mobility, my experience and education allow me to effectively coach clients through disability maintenance, coordination and balance training, water aerobics, and weight training – including barbell techniques. By focusing on correct form, I’ve been able to help many individuals who live sedentary lifestyles. You would be surprised by how much better a person can feel after something as simple as correcting and strengthening their postural muscles. How we carry our bodies impacts the way we feel overall and I’ve learned that the way to target this effectively is through training muscles with the correct positioning. I put a lot of focus on making sure the correct form is being used at low weights in order to have a smooth progression into the more challenging exercises. This ensures improvements as well as safety.

I’m hoping that 2023 will be the year that I can increase my outreach with Adapt & Thrive to let as many people as possible know that I’m here to help. If you’re looking for a different fitness experience that provides more than just basic weight loss, I encourage you to reach out!

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I would most definitely choose the adaptive fitness industry again if I had to go back. I knew it was perfect for me when I started my initial internships. Being surrounded by people who manage to get up in the morning with smiles on their faces (most days), ready to seize the day despite their challenges, is incredibly inspiring to me. Seeing the impact that’s made through individual improvements gives me a great sense of satisfaction at the end of each day.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

After being given a week’s notice about my acceptance in the program, I moved to the DFW area in January 2020 for my three-month unpaid internship. I did this having no funds or place to live. Thanks to my grandmother and mother’s generosity, I was able to afford two weeks at an Airbnb. I stayed with two of the most excellent guys I’ve ever encountered. The were nice enough to allow me to stay for almost six weeks at a significantly discounted rate.

After that, I bounced around on the couches of the amazing people at the training facility. There was one night in particular when I couldn’t find a place to sleep and as I’m laying in my vehicle trying to decide if I should take that as a sign that I should have listened to all of the people who tried talking me out of leaving home, someone reached out with a place for me.

The very next day I was gifted a week at an extended-stay hotel which allowed me the stability I needed to find a job and get into an apartment. I took that whole experience as a sign that the universe wanted me to succeed and make a difference in this world, instead of letting so many unknowns push me away from chasing my dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.google.com/search?q=adapt+and+thrive+personal+training&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS919US919&hl=en-US&sxsrf=AJOqlzW2XRLqWnGw8XL2tF0TjS1N6gJ6Og%3A1674425673173&ei=SbXNY5yLCs-wqtsPk9i38AU&oq=adapt+and+thrive+persona&gs_lcp=ChNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwEAEYADIFCCEQoAEyBQghEKABMgUIIRCgAToICAAQgAQQsAM6CQgAEAcQHhCwAzoHCAAQsAMQQzoHCAAQHhCwAzoKCAAQHhDxBBCwAzoICAAQhgMQsAM6CwgAEKIEELADEIsDOgUIABCABDoECAAQQzoGCAAQFhAeOgkIABAWEB4Q8QQ6BQgAEIYDOgcIIRCgARAKSgQIQRgBUKQJWJAvYJ02aABwAHgAgAGXAYgBpQiSAQMxLjiYAQCgAQHIARG4AQLAAQE&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/adapt.and.thrive_pt?igshid=NDk5N2NlZjQ=