Month: April 2021

From Coach Pete: Christina is easily one of the most valuable assets to the gym. Her ability to effectively encourage and assist others is second to none. In the afternoons, its not unusual to find Christina taking time out of her own workout to lend a hand to someone who may be struggling with a movement. Community is critical to the gym and Christina is the glue that holds us together. Its truly amazing to have such a great person play such an important role in this community. Thank you, for everything that you do Christina!

.

1) What is your why? What gets you out of bed in the morning?

I’m still trying to figure this one out but every day I strive to live my life making whatever positive impact I can in people’s lives- namely by spreading love and kindness. I know I was placed on this planet for some reason but who knows maybe my purpose is simply to love my family, my friends, my community and my planet. A lot can come from that without having a direct, specific or grand intention.

2) What is your most meaningful goal?

I have a goal to start a mentorship program that will help high school students maneuver all that comes with pursuing learning beyond highschool. I had great mentors and people who helped me along my path of being a first generation college student, so I want to pay it forward and continue to help more students achieve more than they think possible. 

3) If you could have lunch with anyone ever, who would it be and why?

Michelle Obama- setting aside her political ties, she is an amazing person. She is not only smart and sophisticated but a strong woman. I admire how she made the best of her situation, despite not wanting to be in the public eye from the beginning. She embraced her position and strived to make an impact of her own while in her role as first lady, and she continues to do so today. 

4) What is your favorite part of training?

Before I found CrossFit I was a runner, so I enjoy the cardio aspect of training. But overall I just really enjoy pushing myself and my body to move. Before the mandatory COVID break I was really struggling mentally when it came to training. I had been coming daily but it was just another thing on my list for the day, another part of the daily routine. This may not sound like a bad thing, but I was lacking the correct mindset when walking into the gym. The break renewed this mindset, and it reminded me that training is so much better when surrounded by people that want to see you get better. 

5) What is your least favorite part of training?

I have always struggled with getting my body to move in the manner that is being explained to me. I’m not really sure how else to explain it and I think it was due to my lack of sports growing up. For instance, when it comes to complex movements like snatches or anything on the rig I really struggle with the body awareness needed for these movements.  

6) What has been your biggest obstacle on your fitness journey?

The mental aspect and fear of lifting heavy has been my biggest obstacle. I have found that if I just lift and focus on my form, rather than the number of pounds, it has allowed me to get past this mental block. It doesn’t always work, some days lifts just feel heavy and I still struggle. When these days hit I try my best not to get hung up on the ‘failures’ and instead focus on how far I have come.

7) What would your ideal day consist of?

I would want to get an early morning start to the day with some good coffee and a solid breakfast. A brisk morning walk with some good music and time to myself to get into a positive mindset. I would then want to enjoy nature by exploring a new hiking trail or go for a long bike ride with my husband. Next would be a lunch filled with some good food and conversation with either a new or old friend. I would then spend the remaining part of my afternoon doing whatever creative project I am currently working on. I would then round out my day with some gym time. Moving my body always gives me the boost of energy needed to get through the rest of the evening. Which would consist of making and eating some yummy dinner and curling up with a good book or my journal.

9) Who is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration is my mom. She is a strong, caring and genuine person despite the hardships she has been through the past few years. She instilled in me a faith in the good of humanity and a strong hard work ethic that has provided me with so much opportunity. If I am half the woman she is in my lifetime, I will be content with who I am.

10) What brought you to Roaster Barbell?

I had done Crossfit for 7 years, by the time my husband and I moved to the area. We were looking for good programming and a gym that would be closer to our new home. When we were looking into our options we met Pete. From the get go we were impressed with him, his knowledge and the first few members we met were so welcoming. We immediately knew it was the place for us.

11) How has the gym influenced your life outside of the gym?

I feel that the gym has developed and strengthened my mental toughness. I have been able to overcome so much through the past year as a result of this. Like many people I have struggled keeping myself in a positive mental place during the pandemic. By no means does this mean I have it all figured out and I never have a bad day. On the contrary! But when these do come up I can move through the hard days with more ease because I am mentally tough. 

12) What advice would you give someone who is on the fence about CrossFit and Roaster Barbell?

There is never a better time to start to get into shape or to challenge your mind and body! The people you surround yourself with are a huge part of getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.  This gym is filled with wonderful people who are authentic and encouraging.

13) If you could go anywhere in the world for a day where would you go and why?

Sicily- I want to experience the breathtaking vista, rich culture and good food. Ask me again tomorrow and most likely I would have a different answer. I’m definitely the stereotypical wanderlust…

 

From Coach Pete: Watching a member grow as an athlete and a person, overcoming mental and physical hurdles, and becoming more confident and comfortable in the gym is one of the best parts of being a coach. Ashley has done all of this and more on her journey to her best self. The hardest step is always the first but once an athlete can overcome this, the sky is the limit. Roaster Barbell is honored to have been apart of Ashley’s journey. Thank you for choosing Roaster Barbell as your home, Ashley. I look forward to connecting with you and your husband when you are back in town. Thank you for sharing your story with us. #teamroasterbarbell

.

1) What is your why? What gets you out of bed in the morning?

My “why” is to be the best wife I can be to Robbie, and to be the best person I can be for myself and for my family. My mental health really suffered when I was in my 20s because I focused so much on my career, and my physical health suffered for it as well. Now I want to be able to take care of myself so I am able to help take care of others. Also, I really want to be able to move and function well when I am in my 80s or 90s. There are many people in my family that are suffering because they have not taken care of themselves, and I really do not want that for myself or for my future kids, so health and fitness have become a very important part of my life and really are my “why.”

2) What is your most meaningful goal?

A fitness goal I have for myself is to become strong enough to complete one of those Spartan races. A life goal I have is to find a career that allows me to make a difference in a least one person’s life.

3) If you could have lunch with anyone ever, who would it be and why?

If I could have lunch with anyone, it would be with Princess Diana because despite all the struggles she personally went through, she would still show compassion and kindness to people from all over the world. She was able to use her status and fame to make others aware of many issues going on in the world by simply going out and showing kindness to people. I think if there were more people like her in the world, it would definitely be a better place.

4) What is your favorite part of training?

Other than running, my favorite part of training is after putting in months or years of hard work, I am able to do a move or lift a weight I couldn’t do before. I have experienced a lot of “firsts” at Roaster Barbell, and one of my biggest goals was to get a strict pull up, and I am now able to do two in a row. My strength seems to be creeping up on me, and I know it’s because I show up and work hard everyday at the gym. I know I have a long way to go with my strength, but it also feels good to know the work is paying off.

5) What is your least favorite part of training?

My least favorite part of training is working on my weaknesses. I always feel discouraged when I cannot lift heavy or do a move that is programmed at the gym because my body is simply not there yet. I always have to remind myself of where I started and how far I have come.

6) What has been your biggest obstacle on your fitness journey?

My biggest obstacles in my fitness journey are mobility and mentality. I have extremely poor shoulder mobility which makes overhead squats and squat snatches very hard to accomplish. Even though I really want to skip days when those moves are programmed, I still go because working on your weaknesses is just as important as working on your strengths. My mentality is also something I struggle with, and I get very discouraged when I think I have done poorly in a workout. I tend to be extremely hard on myself and become my own worst critic. I cannot do a lot of moves at the gym, and I certainly cannot lift heavy, so I sometimes dwell on my weaknesses too much which gets me down, and I have to remind myself constantly to just get up the next morning, go to the gym, and put the work in.

7) What would your ideal day consist of?

My ideal day would be to start off with a long run in the morning, and then enjoy the day relaxing at the beach with Robbie and my two dogs.

8) What is something that no one knows about you?

Something that no one knows about me is that I actually have my WAG nutrition certification, and I am really considering getting either my L1 certification or a personal training certification. I have really found a passion in fitness that I want to share with others and would possibly like to pursue this as a career.

9) Who is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration would have to be my husband Robbie. He is the most ambitious and persistent person I have ever met, and when he has his mind set on something, nothing is going to stop him from reaching that goal. It took him a full year of convincing me to join a gym, and he never gave up until I finally said okay I will join. He pushes me to be my best self, and he has so much confidence in me which is something that I lack. He is the reason why I joined a gym, and why I have accomplished so much because he is always cheering for me in the corner.

10) What brought you to Roaster Barbell?

Robbie essentially brought me to Roaster Barbell. He followed Roaster Barbell on Instagram and was always impressed with the programming. Robbie even had Pete program for him personally and saw a big difference in his strength within a month, so we both decided we wanted to take our fitness to the next level and joined Roaster Barbell.

11) How has the gym influenced your life outside of the gym?

The gym has really given me confidence in myself and that I can accomplish the goals I set out to do. I have no background in lifting weights or strength training, so when I joined the gym, this was very intimidating to me, but now that I have built up some strength, my self-esteem has really improved. I also suffer from anxiety, and I really think the gym has helped me to take control of that part of myself as well. I sleep better, eat better, and just genuinely feel better as a whole.

12) What advice would you give someone who is on the fence about CrossFit and Roaster Barbell?

My advice to someone on the fence about CrossFit and Roaster Barbell would be to just do it and join. Roaster Barbell has such a great community of people who will always root for you, cheer you on, and suffer with you through an extremely difficult workout. I was extremely nervous and intimidated when I started here, but everyone starts somewhere, and as long as you show up and put in the work, you will see yourself change for the better and get to know some great people who push you to better yourself.

13) If you could go anywhere in the world for a day where would you go and why?

If I could go anywhere in the world for a day, I would go to basically any city in Italy. I love art and history, and to be able to explore either Venice or Florence for a day would be a dream come true.

14) Is there anything else you would like to add?

I am very thankful to be a part of the Roaster Barbell community. My husband and I have seen so many positive changes to our strength and endurance, and we love being a part of a great community of people who push you to be the best. The programming Roaster Barbell has provided to its community is the best out there, and you get nothing but the best there.

You just joined a CrossFit gym and you couldn’t be more nervous and excited all at the same time. There are new movements, new words, even new equipment and gear you’ve never seen or heard of before. So what now? How should you navigate this new environment to get the most out of your experience? I asked social media for their input and below is a list of the responses that experienced CrossFitters want you to know as you get started. Everyone was a beginner at some point. I want to do my best to help you through your beginner phase. Enjoy!

1 – “Commit to at least 3 months to see lasting changes.”

2 – “Form > Weight. Be patient and give every workout your all.”

3 – “Don’t compare yourself to others.”

4 – “Get uncomfortable.”

5 – “Master the basic movements.”

6 – “Improve your mobility.”

7 – “Its you against you.”

8 – “Scale. Even experienced athletes scale.”

9 – “Listen to you body in training.”

10 – “Find a sustainable pace.”

11 – “Always start light with a PVC pipe.”

12 – “Enjoy the process. Thats where the fun is!”

13 – “You don’t have to be fit to start.”

14 – “Focus on technique and the weight will come.”

15 – “Listen to your coach.”

16 – “Its a marathon not a sprint.”

17 – “Have fun and leave your ego at the door.”

18 – “Its ok to scale.”

19 – “Have a growth mindset.”

20 – “Relax, you’ll get there!”

21 – “S T R E T C H”

22 – “Enjoy the ride and don’t rush.”

23 – “Its best not to compare, no one is you.”

24 – “Work hard and have fun.”

25 – “Stay within your abilities.”

26 – “Its worth the frustration learning new things.”

27 – “Keep showing up.”

28 – “Learn the lingo and terminology.”

29 – “Scale, scale, scale, scale.”

30 – “Keep showing up and don’t be afraid to scale.”

31 – “Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing.”

32 – Don’t compare your Chapter 1 to someone else’s Chapter 10″

33 – “Be patient!”

34 – “Always be learning.”

35 – “Learn how to navigate the gym safely when people are lifting.”

36 – “Form, technique, and efficiency over everything else.”

37 – “Warm-up shoulders properly!”

38 – “Buy your own jump rope and size it appropriately.”

39 – “Its your journey, no one else’s.”

40 – “Be consistent, keep showing up.”

41 – “Listen.”

42 – “Use gymnastics grips, not gloves.”

43 – “Scaling isn’t bad.”

44 – “We all had a day 1, you’ll be fine!”

45 – “Strength takes longer than you think.”

46 – “Your hands and wrists will acclimate to the movements eventually.”

47 – “Community will get you through it.”

48 – “Don’t cherry-pick workouts.”

49 – “Be coachable and willing to accept criticism.”

50 – “Burpees will always suck.”

Now, its time to get to work! If you would like to learn more about what we do at Roaster Barbell, simply send Coach Pete an email at ptaylor@mail.bw.edu or a text at 440-503-6712 and lets get you started!