My Name is Sandrine,I am a mobile Personal Training so I learnt about ARNI through the NRPT (National Register of Personal Trainers); with which I registered through an agency to provide me with clients. I got an e-mail mentioning a training to help stroke survivors to recover after hospital. I got interested straight away even though I don’t have anyone around me who had a stroke, as I am a very sensitive person and I enjoy helping people. I guess I imagine it would happen to me or my friends or family and I want to be helpful and feel useful. I checked the website and read the story of Tom and got very emotional. So I booked to go to the Seminar on the 20th of April 2008.
I was a bit nervous and quiet, I am not sure why as I am usually very chatty! We were a fairly big group of Personal Trainers from different backgrounds and areas; the atmosphere was quite relaxed but also emotional and instructive. There was a talk from a Professor about the brain and 2 stroke survivors attended the seminar and kindly showed us what they learnt from attending classes. Tom also gave a talk and we got practical as we tried the few techniques he showed us such as getting down to the floor and getting up safely and using the unaffected side, walking and turning with balance. I think everyone learnt quite a lot about stroke, surviving one and mainly recovering greatly thanks to ARNI.
I believe most of us will go to the summer Strength Seminar, I definitely will. In the meantime I will start looking for a place to hold the training classes and for stroke survivors in my area. I am also a mobile massage therapist so I hope I can also use my techniques to help the survivors with tension release, stress and better movements.
Sandrine Fournier
2nd ARNI Seminar, Strength, 20th July 2008
As it was a smaller group I felt it was more comfortable and easier to talk to people. Tom showed us different tools and techniques to use to do strengthening and mobility exercises. He explained again how regaining strength is important for every day tasks and an easier life. I took some notes but I think the book will definitely help!!!!! All the trainers had a different training, background and experience and I believe we can all help stroke survivors to improve their way of life.
Sometimes I think I don’t know enough but recently the husband of one of my colleague suddenly passed away from a stroke and I thought it reinforces our job as fitness or else trainer to take care of the people who are still with us and need a little push to get better. I will prepare an article for my local newspapers very soon to pass the message that I am available to train stroke survivors in my area and will ask Tom if he had anyone in North London that I can help.
Good luck to everyone, Sandrine
3rd ARNI Seminar, Strength, 11th January 2009
Sandrine completed a 6hr Intensive Training Day and was awarded the ARNI Trust Tripartite Award. She is ready to take on stroke survivors and train them in the areas of developing functional movement, coping strategies and progressive strength.