Author: Coach Pete

From Coach Pete: Consistency is by far one of the most important factors to success. From time to time, Roaster Barbell will have attendance challenges to really test the members consistency. Not long ago, we wrapped up our latest attendance challenge and this is where Annmarie first stood out to me. At the time, Annmarie was a brand new athlete in the Roaster Barbell community and she was just beginning to learn the ins and outs of her new gym. Not only did she accept the challenge, she didn’t miss a day. At this point, I knew Annmarie would be able to have tremendous success with our community. Recently, I was asked what kind of athlete best represents Roaster Barbell and Annmarie is exactly that. She works hard, has big goals, and wants what is best for everyone! Im so happy you are here, Annmarie. I look forward to watching your continued success and thank you for trusting me to help you along the way! #teamroasterbarbell

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

My why is to be better than I was yesterday. Consistency is the key to anything in life. I get out of bed because working out is the best way for me to start my day.

2) What is your most meaningful goal?

My most meaningful goal is to leave a legacy, I want to be remembered by my family and others that I made them feel special, and that my character and integrity were admired by those around me. One of my favorite quotes from a pastor friend of mine is “people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

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

If it was someone alive today, then I would have to say David Goggins. I read his book and I am awe-inspired by his work ethic in his fitness journey. I would want to know what makes him tick, and how he has control over his mind and body the way he does, how he overcame such adversity in his life to get where he was able to go. (If you have not read his book, go get it, “Can’t Hurt Me”)

*Not here on earth, would have to be my dad, just to let him know that he taught me so much more than he knew that he did, and that he would be very proud of how my brother and I have grown his business and continued his legacy.

4) What is your favorite part of training?

The different challenges of each wod. Seeing how far I can push myself. Training also increases my self confidence.

5) What is your least favorite part of training?

Not being able to perform a movement. (I am going to work fervently in 2022 to get pull-ups, dubs, and have more confidence in my rope climbs.)

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

Time, I wish I had extra time to put a little more work in each week. I am going to work on that in the new year.

7) What would your ideal day consist of?

Working out, breakfast, beach time, paddleboarding, dinner, sleep. (you did say ideal, lol, this would not be in Cleveland of course)

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

This is a trick question for me, I would have to say that most people don’t know that I have a full back tattoo, and are very surprised when they find out that I do.

9) Who is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration is my daughter Kennedi. She has always inspired me to be the best I can be. She believes in me way more than I believe in myself. The battles she has overcome and to be where she is today in her CrossFit journey is very inspiring to me and others around her.

10) What brought you to Roaster Barbell?

I was in search of a new crossfit gym. I was looking for something a little more challenging, with an awesome community and coach.

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

It helps me to make better choices nutrition wise, I have more self-confidence in my day to day activities and roles. Being strong physically helps in being strong mentally.

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

Definitely give it a try, I was intimidated at first because I knew that Roaster had many elite athletes and I wasn’t sure I would fit in. I was pleasantly surprised to find athletes of all caliber there. Most importantly I can say that the coach believes in his athletes, no matter what level.

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

I would go to southern Italy to see my great aunt and my relatives. It was my last vacation with my dad the year that he passed, and I have wanted to go back there ever since, not to mention authentic Italian food is amazing!

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

Thank you for this opportunity. I am honored to be in the spotlight, first time ever. Thank you for noticing my hard work. I am really enjoying the programming and the community. I am so happy I took that leap that day when Meg invited me. I know I made an awesome decision, just wish I would have started sooner.

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Thank you for taking the time to get to know Annmarie and her journey! If you would like to learn how you could become our next success story, just email Coach Pete at ptaylor@mail.bw.edu and lets begin talking about how Roaster Barbell and help you reach your goals!

The winter pre-sale is now LIVE until Monday December 27th at 10am. Check out the apparel below and either text or email your order to Coach Pete! Thank you for the support!

Email your order: ptaylor@mail.bw.edu

Text Your order: 440-503-6712

#TEAMROASTERBARBELL

Live Leaderboard:

www.breezescoring.com/roastercup2021

Fitness often seems like an insurmountable mountain. No matter how hard you try, you just feel like you are not moving the needle. You want tangible results and you want them sooner than later. You work your ass off but feel discouraged when you don’t feel like your effort is reflected in your results. This isn’t a unique problem, in fact, its pretty common. Maybe you made a series of poor decisions and you feel like you sabotaged all of your hard work.

I want you to change the way you look at your fitness. Imagine you have a big stack of paper. Each sheet represents a workout, a meal, or your recovery. Every moment that adds to your fitness is a sheet. This stack of paper as a whole represents where you are with your fitness. When you have a great workout, you add a sheet to the pile. When you enjoy a well balanced meal and get 8 hours of sleep, you add a sheet of paper.

On the flip side, you take a sheet away when you go out for beers after work. You take a sheet away for missing a workout and you take a sheet away when you eat like crap. Maybe you had to stay up late and finish a project for school, take away a sheet.

The purpose of the paper metaphor is for you to recognize that one bad moment doesn’t undo all of the hard work you have accumulated and one amazing workout isn’t going to grow the stack like crazy. We are the sum of all of the decisions to this point. The goal is to keep stacking paper but realize that the road to your goals isn’t going to be linear. Sometimes you will stumble, its cool, you’re human. The most important decision is the next one. There’s nothing you can do to change the past, but you can change your trajectory with just one decision.

One of the worst ways to track your own progress is to compare your stack of paper to someone else’s stack. The former college athlete that has been stacking paper for 25 years is going to be in a different place than you and thats ok. Keep your eyes on your own stack and keep stacking!

-Coach Pete

From Coach Pete: Today’s spotlight is a special one. Abbey has been one of the most consistent athletes through one of the craziest years in history. Not only is today Abbey’s spotlight day, but its also her last day at the gym as life is taking her onto her next journey (which happens to be just a little too far away). Although its always tough to see good people go, I couldn’t be happier for Abbey and her future. Her success in her professional career, and her success in the gym are not surprising considering how smart and talented she is. She has a great heart and we will truly miss her and her energy in class. Thank you, Abbey, for trusting Roaster Barbell and myself with your fitness. You will always be welcome here 🙂

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

My purpose is definitely to be a light in the lives of my family, friends, and students. The people in my life are the most important thing to me, and I want them to feel noticed and appreciated every single day.

2) What is your most meaningful goal? Could be life or fitness or anything.

Even though this is super general (and not as specific as most of my goals are) my most meaningful goal is the same as my “why” – to have a positive effect on the people in my life. There is so much negativity in the world, if I can make one person smile or recognize their worth each day, I consider it a success.

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

I would love to share a meal with my Great-Grandpa Champa. I’m very interested in family history – not just the big events, but the ins-and-outs of everyday life. My grandpa grew up during the depression, trained as a golden gloves boxer, and had so much love for his wife, taking her polka dancing on Tuesday nights. He passed away when I was pretty young, after battling dementia, so I never had the chance to hear about his life experiences or personal values first hand. He seemed like such a quality man though (not to mention he could do double-unders into his 70s!) so I would absolutely love to speak with him now as an adult.

4) What is your favorite part of training?

My favorite part of training is the feeling of both accomplishment and absolute exhaustion at the end of a tough workout. It feels so good to see persistence and consistency pay off, both in myself and the rest of the team, after overcoming such a challenge.

5) What is your least favorite part of training?

My least favorite part of training is when I realize mid-WOD that I’ve scaled something inappropriately. Sometimes it’s difficult to gauge what I’m capable of (or not…) and when the scale is either too easy or too hard I know that I’m not getting the highest quality workout. I like to keep up with the pace of those around me but also challenge myself, and sometimes it’s hard to balance that out!

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

The biggest obstacle on my fitness journey has been learning to overcome challenges involving body image and disordered eating. There are so many conflicting messages about nutrition and how women’s bodies should look, despite what really results in the best overall health (not just physically, but mentally as well…) It has been beyond helpful to see how my performance in the gym is directly linked to my eating habits and giving my body the nourishment it needs. Beyond that, there are so many strong women in our gym that I look up to and am constantly in awe of – they are living proof that women of every size and stature can be incredibly strong and fit.

7) What would your ideal day consist of?

When I was in high school, my martial arts instructor asked me where I would be if I could be anywhere in the world, and I said, “Right here.” I’ve been super intentional about designing a life that I love day in and day out. If I had one ideal day to live, I would wake up early and drink a black coffee while sitting outside watching the sun rise. I would still go to work for the first half of the day, but would cancel normal class and treat my kiddos to a morning of extra recess instead, where I’d join in on their games of 4-square and make-believe. After school, I would still hit the gym (and pray for a WOD with some running but absolutely no sled-pull!) At the end of the day, I would plan a bonfire at my childhood home and invite all of my family and friends to revisit memories from our past and make Reese’s cup s’mores. Later that night, I would lay out in the field with those who are closest to me and we would listen to the crickets and bullfrogs while watching the stars.

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

It’s not a secret that I’ve kept a journal since I was about 12 years old, but those journals add up over time. There are about 20 notebooks completely full of my memories, hopes, and dreams in a storage bin in my parents’ barn. I started the habit as a kid because I was worried that when I got old I would forget all of the details of my life…now I’ve got more than enough cringey entries (that I sometimes wish I could forget!)

9) Who is your biggest inspiration?

I don’t think I can choose one singular person to be my inspiration. Instead, there are qualities that I see in those closest to me who I aspire to be like. My father is beyond disciplined. My mother is full of understanding. My siblings have a creativity and sense of humor that goes beyond all else. My boyfriend has an incredible work ethic as well as sincerity in both his words and actions. I aspire to be like my students, who greet each day with a sense of wonder, adventure, and excitement, and can find laughter and joy in the smallest of things. There are so many amazing people in my life – I can’t choose just one!

10) What brought you to Roaster Barbell?

I was in a pretty low place at the beginning of 2020 and, trying to feel better, made a list of things to look forward to throughout the year. I didn’t have anything super exciting on the list for January and had always wanted to try Crossfit, so I took the plunge and reached out. Best. Decision. Ever.

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

Believe it or not, the gym has actually made me a better teacher! One specific connection that I’ve gained (which is a bit niche) is how scaling a workout is a perfect parallel to differentiating lessons for my kiddos at school. For work of any kind to be motivating, it needs to be challenging but in the realm of possibility, whether that’s at the gym or in math class.

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

Just do it. Schedule your intro lessons, take a deep breath, and give it a try. If you’re brave enough to show up at a random warehouse you’ve never been to before (lol), you’ve got what it takes to make it through your first class. Everyone is very welcoming and supportive here  – it’s not quite as intimidating as it seems!

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Thank you for taking the time to get to know Abbey and her journey! If you would like to learn how you could become our next success story, just email Coach Pete at ptaylor@mail.bw.edu and lets begin talking about how Roaster Barbell and help you reach your goals!

Hey there! If you are looking for the spring swag, you’ve come to the right place. Check out the awesomeness below and simply shoot Coach Pete an email or text with the items you want to rock. Your balance will be added to your June 1st membership payment or you can bring in cash when the order arrives. Thank you for the support!

Email: ptaylor@mail.bw.edu       Text: 440-503-6712

#TEAMROASTERBARBELL

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!

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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

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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!