Featured Member - Becky
1. How did you find out about CrossFit and what inspired you to try it out?
“I was looking to join a gym that I could do classes at for a while as I’ve never enjoyed mainstream gyms much. I found there was very little motivation and I would usually just end up using the treadmill and then leave. They can be quite solitary places and without a proper training programme or goals, I found it uninspiring.
I have always been a keen runner but I decided I needed to do some strength and resistance training to support my running and after coming across an advert for CrossFit I thought I’d give it a go as an alternative to your conventional gym. The energy that came across really appealed to me and I liked how social it seemed.”
2. What has your experience of training at CM2 been like so far?
“It’s been great and I’ve got much more out of it than I could have imagined.
I had never even touched a barbell before I joined CM2, it wasn’t the type of training I had thought about doing. As a female there’s always that stigma that lifting makes you bulky, but that is far from true!
It’s fair to say when I first started I found Lifting an empty bar was even a struggle!
Since starting at CM2 I have not only seen physical changes, but more than that I also feel stronger mentally. It feels so empowering and gives me a huge sense of achievement tracking improvements and gradually reaching new goals I never thought you would be able to reach. It’s changed my outlook on exercise. I admit, in the past I’ve used exercise some form of punishment for eating too many cakes (I love a cake), but now I do it to make me feel strong and proud of myself.
This is all thanks to the amazing coaches and all their support. They always take time to give individual advice and guidance while also pushing you to achieve a little bit more than you thought you could. This is something I never got from a commercial gym.”
3. You’re into your running and hiking, what are some of your biggest accomplishments? And what’s the next challenge you’ve got lined up?
“I’ve have done half marathons and full marathons before; I love the buzz crossing that finishing line gives you. I have a couple of halves and one marathon booked already, but this year I finally want to get a triathlon under my belt. I like to set goals to keep me motivated and focused in my training.
Last summer I completed the national three peaks challenge which was probably my favourite event I’ve done to date. Climbing the three mountains through the day and night was such an amazing experience. One day I would love to conquer Kilimanjaro too. One day…”
4. How have you found the social/community side of being a member of CM2?
“I think the best thing about CrossFit is the sense of community. Starting something like CrossFit can seem quite intimidating, but everyone was so friendly and welcoming right from the start. We are all there for the same reasons, sharing the same love of the box. Everyone gets involved, there is no judgment, no divides just a great bunch of people there to cheer you on all the way. The socials are always a great laugh too!”
5. Other than running, what would be some of your favourite movements, or is there a specific workout that you have enjoyed before?
“Cardio comes more naturally to me than lifting, mainly because I’ve trained that way for many more years. I love a MetCon workout though, combing cardio with weighted movements gives a great all-round workout and leaves me feeling stronger as well as exhausted!
The handstand classes are also great. I’ve seen huge improvements from coach Rob’s progression techniques.”
6. What’s your biggest training goal of 2022 and why?
“I really want to improve my gymnastic strength movements. I would love to be able to get toes to bar and some more kipping movements under my belt, we’re getting there slowly.”
7. What other hobbies do you have other than CrossFit?
“I love anything that gets me outside and active, but apart from sport I love to bake. My new year’s goal is to bake something new every week so I might need some taste testers in the box!
I also love to rip up the dance floor!”
8. If you could give any piece of advice to someone thinking about joining CM2, what would it be?
“If like me you’ve never done any lifting before and are feeling apprehensive about it that’s totally understandable, we’ve all been there. The coaches will guide you through everything and take you on the right path from the start to allow you to form great technique. Everyone is on their own journey, but we are all there to support each other.
The versatility you get from each session is what I love. Every day is programmed out with different movements to work on a skill progression. Be patient and work on what you don’t like as much as what you do like, you’ll see much more improvement that way. As with everything you only get out as much as you put in, so be consistent and you will achieve your goals.”
COACHES COMMENTS:
Coach Tom- “Becky is always a joy to coach!! It’s easy to see that she has a good running background and really pushes hard on the more endurance/conditioning based workouts. That being said, Becky still works hard on the strength elements within CrossFit, its great to see her lifting with a lot more confidence and ability, making her a more all round athlete. I look forward to seeing the continued development within Becky and i’m sure she will continue to crush it! Well deserved Becky!!”
Coach Rob- "Becky is a handstand ninja, she's had a really consistent free standing holds for a while now. What I respect about Becky is that even though she's one of the top performers in the gym on this skill she does not rest on her laurels, she has continued to work on her alignment and efficiency in the handstand position and has seen significant improvement over the past year. It's always a pleasure to have Becky in class or catch up with her over a drink at the socials! Keep up the hard work Becky!!"
