Athlete of the Month

The Push-Up Man & Woman of 2013!

Danny Stacey

If you missed the CFA Holiday/5th Anniversary Party, you might not have heard about our 2013 Push-Up Man and Push-Up Woman of the Year!

The Push-up Man and Woman of the Year exemplify everything that we love about our athletes, our community, and the human spirit. Not only do these people walk through the doors of CFA day in and day out, and work hard to improve themselves; they go out of their way to lift up everyone around them. They make their friends and families a priority over themselves. They lead and encourage by words, actions, and example. They represent the burning spirit of what makes our little South Austin gym unique and special. We at CrossFit Austin can humbly bestow no greater honor and we give our utmost heartfelt thanks that you both have chosen to make our gym, business, family, and lives a better place!

 

staceym

The Push-Up Woman Of The Year: Stacey MagnesioState your Name and/or Nickname please:
Stacey Mag

Words to live by?
Attitude is everything!

What is your fitness background?
I played everything under the sun growing up- soccer, swimming, basketball, softball, volleyball, tennis, ran track, underwater basket weaving (kidding on the last one). I owe my parents a lot for carting me around from game to game!

How long have you been CrossFitting?
My 5 year anniversary is this January:)

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
The people of course! The community at CFA is amazing! Thank you CFA-ers for making our gym a fun place to work our butts off!

What are your training goals?
Stay healthy, eat good, and look good naked… I mean, work hard. Did I say that out loud? I also will continue to train for competitions and compete for our team in the Open and at Regionals:)

Favorite sport or activity?
CrossFit obviously, but I still play a mean game of pick up soccer at recess everyday;)

Recent adventure you’re planning?
No plans yet, but I do have all summer to play, so if anyone wants to go to the beach…

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I set up my Christmas tree before Thanksgiving this year

Longhorns or Aggies?
Bobcat! Texas State! Eat em’ up cats!

How do you plan to use your new-found fame and honor as Push-Up Man of the Year?
Obviously I am a teacher, so naturally I love to help/teach people. So if anyone needs help with a movement or lift, just ask:) I’m also a pretty good cheerleader, so I will continue to cheer everyone on as they reach new fitness goals this year.

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
Keep working hard and share your awesomeness daily!!!

 

____________________________________________________________________________________

danny

The Push-Up Man Of The Year: Danny Gomez
State your Name and/or Nickname please: 
Danny Gomez
Words to live by?
It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and leave no doubt ~ Mark Twain
As far as fitness is concerned, Miguel Garza once told me to “make sure you get to enjoy the process, fitness is a life long journey”  That really changed my entire outlook on training.

What is your fitness background?

I was an active overweight kid growing up that played any and everything I could.  In High School I primarily played Football, shortly after I realized I wasn’t big enough, strong enough, or athletic enough, but I was awkwardly fearless… so I started playing rugby instead, I played for a few years and then NOTHING.
 
My first day at CFA I had to stop once or twice on the 400m warm up lap because I got a stitch in my side.
How long have you been CrossFitting?
I joined CrossFit Austin in May of 2011

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin? 
Honestly my favorite part of CFA is the members!  Not just my friends, but every single person that walks through those bay doors!  I love that there is such diversity within the community yet we ALL come in each day, bust our asses side by side, and get it done.  It’s a beautiful thing.

What are your training goals?
My goals are pretty simple… Get stronger, faster, and have as much fun as possible doing it.

Favorite sport or activity?
I love being outdoors…Hunting, fishing, whatever!  I also <3 exercise

Recent adventure you’re planning?
No adventures planned in the immediate future, so I will probably spend most of my time in the gym with all of my SouthSide Athletics peeps getting strong and planning our world dominance.
Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I’ve been a competitive Archer since I was 14 years old and have had some success at the State and National level with that.  I also have a thing for cat t-shirts!Longhorns or Aggies?
Both, I love rivalries and competitiveness!

How do you plan to use your new-found fame and honor as Push-Up Man of the Year?
I’m still not sure they even gave this thing to the right guy!?

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
I joke a lot and rarely take things seriously, but I am truly honored each day to train with all of you!  We’re a community built around the simple principle of Awesomeness… When one of us succeeds, we all succeed.  This award is just as much yours as it is mine!
in Announcements / Athlete of the Month / Coaches' Articles 1,320 comments

November’s Athlete of the Month: Jillian English!

 JE_AOM_2    JE_AOM_1

State your Name and/or Nickname please:

JillianMEnglish <—- that was my aim screen name. Creativity comes naturally.

Words to live by?

Lately I’ve been saying “It ain’t over ’til it’s over…” (famously quoted by St. Louis native, Yogi Berra). It started off as my go-to response to anyone giving me a hard time about the St. Louis Cardinals. But now that baseball season is over, it’s easy to apply to everyday life. It’s about not giving up when things get tough. Things happen that are beyond our control. Things don’t always go as planned. But hey.. it’s not over ’til it’s over. (and it’s over when I say it is!)

What is your fitness background? 

I’ve played sports for as long as I can remember. As a kid I danced, played soccer, volleyball, softball, tennis, golf and swam. In high school I played soccer, volleyball, and was a cheerleader. I began working out (with actual weights, ya know?) on a regular basis my sophomore year of high school. When I went to college I figured that hitting the gym a few times a week was sufficient enough to stay healthy. Unfortunately, lots of partying and lots of eating happened and being athletic was no longer a priority.

How long have you been CrossFitting? 

I started my crossfit journey at the AMLI Southshore bootcamp in June of 2011. I continued bootcamp until it was sadly discontinued in October of 2012. I officially joined the CrossFit Austin family on October 31, 2012.

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?  

What’s not to love about CrossFit Austin? I love that whether I decide to go to the 5:30am class or the 6:30pm class, I’m always greeted with a smile. I love that in every class I go to, everyone is giving 100%. Everyone may not be able to do muscle ups, or pull-ups, or even a regular push up, but every single person in every single class is giving 100% effort. I love that when everyone has finished the workout except for one person everyone sticks around, equipment still out, cheering on that person to finish. We all have other things going on in our lives, but for one hour a day we come together and work our butts off.

What are your training goals?

I’m at the point right now where my goals aren’t tangible goals that I can record. Right now I’m trying to focus on endurance, pace, patience, and confidence. My biggest challenge as of lately has been pacing myself. It’s been a real challenge for me to not go 100% all out at the beginning of a workout. It’s all become a vicious cycle for me. I start off a workout at 100%, burn out half way through, get impatient with myself, and then lose confidence. So if I can just work on finding a good pace that I can work with, everything else will fall into place. Stronger every day, right?

Favorite sport or activity? 

Well since Miley RUINED twerking for me I guess that’s off my list of favorite activities. I love watching the St. Louis Cardinals play and I love dancing. One day I will combine my love of both and dance with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Recent adventure you’re planning? 

I have about 5 trips to St. Louis already lined up, but I guess I need a real vacation, eh?

Tell us something we don’t know about you… 

I’ve had an alter ego named Ferbus since I was in 2nd grade. Now before you go off and tell your friends that I’m crazy just know that EVERYONE CLOSE TO ME has had a conversation with Ferbus. No one really likes Ferbus. She’s not very nice. She has a really short temper and doesn’t know how to pronounce anything correctly. Growing up I always told people I was going to be on SNL and that my “in” was Ferbus.

Longhorns or Aggies?

Come on. I’m an SMU grad. Pony Up!

Jillian you are the original CFA Bootcamper, and going on your 3rd year at CFA. You’ve unofficially worked the biggest variety of CFA coaches give us some of your highlights with the coaches…. 

Wow. I never thought of it that way. I guess you can say I coached the coaches, yes? The coaches were given their toughest client FIRST. Wes, bless his heart, saw me at my absolute worst. I couldn’t do a full lap around the complex or a push up to save my life. There were times that I would walk into my apartment and just cry because I was so out of shape. Aaron came along and forced me to run. Really long and ridiculous runs. I would complain during every workout. EVERY. WORKOUT. And Aaron would just laugh. By the time Shane came along, I’m pretty sure I had established a foundation of fitness but I was compelled to complain since I had put 2 other coaches through that misery. Shane gifted me with 62 burpees on HIS 31st birthday. By the time Erica started coaching, I had my competitive drive back. I found fitness again. I couldn’t complain anymore because I was too focused on beating every guy in every hill sprint. Erica unfortunately was stuck with the task of chasing my dog when she would take off after runners. Every now and then Tristy or Boone would come fill in, and I made sure not to cut them any slack. I’m pretty sure I told Tristy during planks that I could not lower my butt because it was simply too big. All in all, I think I did a pretty great job training our coaches. You’re welcome, everyone!

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…

I’m honored and honestly a little surprised that I have been chosen as the athlete of the month. An enormous thank you to all of the coaches (old and new) who have been with me throughout my journey. Also a big thank you to all the members of the CFA community. Every day I am inspired by all of the huge accomplishments everyone is making and I’m truly honored to be recognized amongst such incredible talent. CrossFit has changed my life in the best way possible.

 

 

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October’s Athlete of the Month: Jose Gonzalez

State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Jose Gonzalez. No nickname yet, but hopefully I’ll work my way up to one.

Words to live by?
“With great power, comes great responsibility” and ” It is in our darkest moments that we must focus on the light”

What is your fitness background?
Well I never had a fitness background. I was overweight most of my life, and if I was in a sport I was usually the backup or benchwarmer.

How long have you been CrossFitting?
It has been 7 months.

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
It’s the community! The people and coaches are awesome! It’s nice to be a part of a community that’s very supportive and encouraging. The tips I receive to improve my movements are always appreciated, and I feel like I might not have made these improvements without that help.

What are your training goals?
For now I want to try to make it back to 150lbs, but I’m in no rush. I’m OK where I’m at, but it doesn’t hurt to get stronger and lift heavier.

Favorite sport or activity?
Does guitar hero count as a sport? Ha! I like to listen to music, reading comics (yeah, I’m a nerd), or just going out for a run.

Recent adventure you’re planning?
The next big thing I have planned is a trip to Philadelphia after graduation next May, so I can get a tattoo!

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
Well I used to be overweight, I was up to 400lbs. I actually never thought I would loose that weight, and never thought I would be where I’m at now. Luckily I had a friend who gave me awesome diet tips, and a handful of workouts to do, and as time passed I lost up to 200lbs, and I’m still in shock that I did that. I never gave up on what I wanted, and never will.

Longhorns or Aggies?
Neither. I’m not a fan of college football, but if I had to have a team it would be Notre Dame because of the Rudy movie.

Jose, you started coming to CFA shortly after your friend Ed started with us. Tell us what it’s like to CrossFit with your friend and how competitive do y’all get?
It was fun! It had been a while since I hung out with him, and it was cool catching back up with him. Ah men, there was competition between us, and there seemed to be an unspoken agreement of bragging rights on the line, but it might have just been me. He was the guy that I tried to catch up to or do better than. It was helpful because now I have that drive to push myself, and if I ever go to a 530am workout (or if he shows up) I wanna see if I’ve caught up to him, or what I gotta work up to.

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
Never give up. No matter how things may seem, we can all overcome any odds. It’s just gonna take that extra push for us to get there, but it’s possible.

 

jose2jose1
in Athlete of the Month / Coaches' Articles 283 comments

September’s Athlete Of The Month: Linzi Newth!

State your Name and/or Nickname please:

Linzi Newth, no nickname currently

Words to live by?

No matter how flat the pancake, there’s always two sides. – words of wisdom from my great aunt Gaye

What is your fitness background?

I tried almost every sport when I was younger but never stuck with one. I danced/cheered and ran a little bit of track in high school. Just the occasional recreational sport and normal gym stuff after that.

How long have you been CrossFitting?

1 year

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?

I love the community. Everyone is so supportive and encouraging. No one makes you feel inadequate if you can’t do something, they just try to help you improve. I also love the programming. It seems like the coaches are really invested in us as athletes and put a lot of effort into giving us the best programming possible.

What are your training goals?

I would like to get to a place where I can be competitve locally/regionally.

Favorite sport or activity?

Hiking, I love the outdoors.

Recent adventure you’re planning?

Hawaii in November, Big Bend National Park in January and hopefully a hiking trip to Peru in the spring.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…

I recently founded a nonprofit organization called Gingercare (named after a dog, not my hair color). Its purpose is to adopt adult shelter animals and place them with independent living senior citizens and then help them care for their new pet through weekly visits. All medical care, food, etc will be free and if something happens to the person, the pet comes back to us so we can re-home it. The goal is to give these senior citizens companionship and comfort while removing the financial burden and the worry of what will happen to their beloved pet if they can no longer care for it. It’s super overwhelming right now but I hope to be taking donations and client applications by the first of the year. If anyone has any experience in this field, advice is welcomed.

Longhorns or Aggies?

Come on now…..I know y’all have seen my truck.

Linzi, you have the distinct honor of being the only females in the 6:30 PM Competition Group, give us some insight into surviving all the manliness (or lack there of) each evening!

Manliness? I haven’t noticed any of that hanging around. No seriously, the guys have been incredibly encouraging. They’ve helped me make tremendous strides in the last few months. I’m extremely lucky to have such accepting and supportive friends to work with.

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…

Be kind, you never know what others may be going through. Life is too short not to leave a positive imprint on others.

Linzi

in Athlete of the Month / sticky 280 comments

August’s Athlete of the Month: Greg Pepin!

State your Name and/or Nickname please:

Greg Pepin. A few people call me GP or GPep. Miguel has tried to get Pepino to stick, but luckily that hasn’t caught on.

Words to live by?

Lately I’ve kind of latched onto the saying “if you want to go quickly, go by yourself — if you want to go farther, go in a group.” It’s something I’ve said a few times to my teammates here at CFA and it’s something I really believe in. If people work together toward a collective goal, pretty much anything can be achieved. Other than that, I really just try to do right by people and enjoy myself whenever possible.

What is your fitness background?

I’ve played sports for as long as I can remember. Baseball, golf and basketball were the one’s I really excelled at as a kid. Baseball was my first love and I played all the way through high school (same with golf). It wasn’t until college that I found the weight room, sports had kept me in shape up until then. Like most college kids I knew very little about weightlifting, so the workouts tended to focus on the glamour muscles (lots of curls in those days). Before CrossFit I was lifting weights 3 to 4 times a week and running. This kept me in shape but didn’t really give me an outlet for my competitive drive.

How long have you been CrossFitting?

I started CrossFit almost three years ago when I was still living in Miami. My sister had been doing it for a little while and kept telling me to check it out. I saw the positive impact it was having on her and the kind of shape it was getting her into. I couldn’t let my little sister get stronger than me (side note: pound for pound she probably is stronger than me. She’s kind of a badass when it comes to CrossFit), so I finally checked out a class. I was hooked after the first week. I found CFA shortly after moving to Austin and I’ve been here pretty much every day since.

 What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin? 

The people. When you sign up you think you’re joining a gym. Maybe you’ll lose some weight, who knows you might even uncover that six pack beneath that layer of “insulation” you’ve been hiding it under. What you’re actually doing is joining a community. I’ve been lucky enough to meet some really great people through CFA. People who motivate and inspire me. People who have become family. I’m really grateful that I get to train with people who make such hard work enjoyable.

What are your training goals?

Ultimately the goal is to keep getting better everyday, but I do have three pretty specific training goals at the moment. I’m putting these out there so everyone at CFA can keep me honest.

1.) To increase my snatch to 200+ pounds by my birthday (Oct. 31). I’m currently at 185 and just missed 195 last week. I’m feeling pretty confident about this one.

2.) To go to Regionals in 2014 on a team. This one’s going to be tough. There are a lot of really talented athletes at CFA and if we all keep putting in the kind of work we have been recently, the competition for the team is going to be pretty fierce.

3.) To qualify for Regionals as an individual in 2015. This one might be a pipe dream. Regionals 2015 are a long way out, and I still don’t know if it’s enough time to get my fitness to where it would need to be. That being said, this would be a huge achievement for me in this sport and it’s something I keep in the back of my mind when I train.

Favorite sport or activity?

Surfing, though I haven’t had the opportunity to paddle out in quite some time. Texas is not known for its waves.

Recent adventure you’re planning?

Hopefully there will be a vacation in my future. Recently I’ve been looking into renting a place on a beach somewhere with some good surf. Maybe I’ll pull the trigger on that soon. Nothing imminent though.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…

I’ve wanted to be a writer since college. I’m a huge TV and film guy and the hope is to one day write a pilot or screenplay that I like enough to actually try and get it made.

Longhorns or Aggies?

Neither… I love football, but growing up in NH there really wasn’t a decent program near me to follow and I went to a school, Rollins College, that didn’t have a football team. I watch just enough college football to be prepared for the NFL draft.

Greg, it is well known that you are extremely efficient in all facets or your life. Whats the key to an efficient and timely workout at the gym?

Someone has to keep these guys on track, otherwise we would be there all night. One thing I’ve found that helps speed up a workout is to make sure Alex Gold and Alex Janss are not working out near each other (I couldn’t resist… you both know this is true).

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…

You get out of this what you put in. It’s as simple as that. Coming in here day after day and pushing yourself both physically and mentally is not easy. There are days where I just don’t want to do the work. The key is to just stay focused on your goals and why you’re training in the first place. When you start seeing results and hitting those PR’s it’s all worth it. I love what I’m doing here at CFA and I couldn’t do it without everyone’s help. Can’t wait to see all we accomplish together.

gregpeping cfc

in Athlete of the Month / Workout of the Day 280 comments

July Athlete Of The Month: Robert Reyes

State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Robert (sometimes Wes will call me “Double R” since my last name is Reyes) 

Words to live by?
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”  -Michael Jordan

“Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.” -John Maxwell

What is your fitness background?
I grew up playing soccer and baseball as a kiddo and in high school I played JV tennis, golf, and soccer. In college, I played intramural soccer and occasionally would go to the gym. Over the years I let myself get way out of shape. When I moved to Austin I knew I had to change my sedentary lifestyle and that’s when I found CFA.

How long have you been CrossFitting?
It will be exactly one year on July 6.

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin? 
The coaches, community, and, of course, the programming. Over the course of a year, I have seen some amazing changes in my fitness. The most dramatic being that I started at a 40″ waist and in about 8 months I was down to a comfortable 34″ waist and approximately 50lbs lighter, which is where I am currently. In addition to the physical changes, I have more energy and I think I am generally happier! (much happier after a WOD than just before HAHA) I credit my success thus far to FANTASTIC coaches who teach, encourage, and challenge us to complete sometimes daunting WODs and to break personal records, leaving us with a renewed self confidence and an awesome sense of accomplishment! In addition to the coaching staff, the community of friends at CrossFit Austin has been essential to my enthusiasm for showing up day after day. It’s great to work out with friends who motivate you and give you pointers for success along the way! The CFA community has been a huge part of my life both in and out of the box since moving to Austin a year ago. Thank you all for your friendship and positive energy!

What are your training goals?
This will sound pretty typical, but I would like to continue getting stronger, build muscle, and lower my percent body fat. Kipping pull ups, or pull ups in general, are my arch nemesis and I hope to get better at them in time! I very recently joined the South Side Strength program led by Coach Wes in an effort to get stronger, and I really enjoyed my first class! My short term goals are a 300lb Back Squat, 250lb Front Squat, and 230lb Bench Press. A year ago these numbers would have sounded absolutely ridiculous to me, but now I believe they’re within my reach!! We’ll see how it goes. 

Favorite sport or activity?
CrossFit is my favorite athletic activity. I also enjoy playing golf, soccer, and tennis, but I haven’t had many opportunities to do so lately. 

Recent adventure you’re planning?
Colorado Snow Skiing! I’ve gone on an annual ski trip with my family for the last couple of years and I enjoy each year more than the previous one. It’s pretty cool getting to spend quality time with my family in such a beautiful environment; I hope I can join them again next ski season.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
In addition to English and Spanish, I speak French conversationally. I’ve studied abroad in France and really enjoyed learning the language in high school and college. I don’t use it very often, but it’s fun when I get a chance.

Longhorns or Aggies?
I went to college in New York City so I can’t identify with either team the way others can, but since I live in Austin I feel obligated to support the local team, even if they’re not performing as well as they have in the past.  Go Longhorns!  HAHA 

In addition to being a student, going out of your way to get to know everyone in the gym, and taking an active part in the CFA community, you also currently hold the record for the person who has gotten locked in the gym the most to date. What would you say is the key to not getting locked in the gym? 
First off, I’d like to say that I am honored to receive such recognition for being the CFA-wide record holder in this category! 🙂 Just for the record, I’ve only been locked in twice. What can I say, I can’t get enough of CFA!! The key to not getting locked in the gym is to get out of the shower before the last class of the day ends. In the past, I would try to squeeze in a shower at the end of the last class of the day without letting the staff know. This, of course, did not end well, so I have since modified my routine. Experience is the greatest teacher!

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
CFA’ers, you guys rock!! Thanks to you I have been able to achieve some awesome goals and improve the quality of my life! I am so grateful for your friendship and support, and I hope that I, too, have been a source of positive energy for you guys! I look forward to continue WODing alongside you and keeping the tradition of community encouragement alive for any new CFAers who may join us. 

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou

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in Athlete of the Month / Workout of the Day 273 comments

June Athlete of the Month: Jenny Alaimo

State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Jenny, no nickname for me

Words to live by?
“Treat others as you would want to be treated.”
“I just like to smile, smiling’s my favorite” -Buddy the Elf

What is your fitness background?
Mainly gymnastics, cheer leading, and track. I was in gymnastics when I was rather young which transitioned me into cheer leading when I was 11. I continued cheering thru college at SWT/ Texas State (Go Bobcats!). I only ran track in high school because my brother did, and I always wanted to do what he did 🙂

How long have you been CrossFitting?
A little over 2 yrs now and I love it!

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
Definitely the challenge of the workouts and the comradery among the gym. It’s an awesome feeling to complete a workout that you thought might possibly kill you, work through it, and have friends and strangers cheering you on throughout.

What are your training goals?
I hope to make over 500 lbs for CrossFit total. I know I have the physical capability, I just need to get past my mental barriers!

Favorite sport or activity?
To watch: football, gymnastics, and college cheerleading.
To participate: leisurely outdoor activities such as floating the river or kayaking.

Recent adventure you’re planning?
A trip to Vegas in the fall…..again. I think this will be my 10th bachelorette party in the past 4 yrs.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I had many years of vocal training growing up, one of the many reasons why I’m always singing.

Longhorns or Aggies?
Uhhhhh BOBCATS! But having to choose between the two, Horns all the way m/

In addition to being a life saving nurse and a sweet-a-holic, you also have the most bouncy, energetic and happy box jumps around CFA. What is your secret and do the 15 second dance parties in the middle of class contribute?
Haha well I’m just a happy person in general. I see many sad situations at work so I know things could always be worse, and that my life is pretty darn good.

The dance parties are just a distraction from the torture of the workouts haha; and they aren’t isolated CFA events, they happen at work as well.

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
It feels great to be a part of CrossFit Austin! I was very skeptical about joining at first but a friend told me that I would love this gym in particular, he was right. Everyone knows what it’s like to be the new kid on the block (boy band insertion intentional), and that’s why I feel people were so welcoming when I joined. For years I missed the feeling of being a part of a team and CFA has filled that void for me. I mostly attend the women’s class (shout out to the ladies!) so I don’t get to see very many members. However, if you ever see me don’t be afraid to say hello. I’m usually the one dancing in the corner

jenny2

jenny

in Athlete of the Month / Workout of the Day 314 comments

May Athlete of the: Dixie Beal

State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Dixie Beal

Words to live by?
Find what you love and keep doing it.

What is your fitness background?
When I was a teenager, in the ‘60’s, I worked and competed in rodeos. When we were home, it was only 30 minutes to the beach, so I learned to love surfing. In the Army I began playing volleyball, and started learning the importance of practicing to improve whatever it is you do. Prior to then, I thought that the skills people had, in whatever their endeavors, were all natural or God-given. I ended up playing tournament volleyball for several years. I have practiced yoga my entire adult life with some Tai Chi and Tukong Moosul. For the last few years, until CrossFit, it has been mostly horseshoes and bicycling lazily.

How long have you been CrossFitting?
Ten months

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
The first thing that comes to mind are the people. Whether coach or athlete, I have never heard anything but positive, encouraging support for everyone in there. When the sweat is pouring and your heart is soaring, it’s nice to look across the room and see someone in the same pain and know that you are not the only one crazy enough to be doing this.

What are your training goals?
So far, I have just been just coming to class wanting to lose weight and feel strong. Now that I do, I want to get stronger, faster, and have more endurance.

Favorite sport or activity?
Surfing, volleyball, biking.

Recent adventure you’re planning?
Driving a U-haul to Montana in June and doing some serious hiking and sight-seeing. Looking for hot springs and cold beer.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I bought my first guitar when I was 48 and wrote my first song at 49. Now I have about 40 of them, and would love to spend all my time playing music and writing songs. Currently I am building the windows for my house.

Longhorns or Aggies?
I was raised in a family of Aggies, but I went to UT and Sean graduated from there. I really don’t care much, except how it affects the people around me. Until Thanksgiving, and then I am a Longhorn.

In addition to being a a beast in the gym, 2 of your sons show up and kill workouts regularly also. What is it like to make CrossFit Austin a Family Affair?
Getting to workout with my sons is one of the greatest pleasures I get to enjoy. We try to coordinate a Saturday WOD followed by some family hanging out. How great is that?

 Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
After a lifetime of hedonistic indulgences, I had never heard of CrossFit, and was facing an unhealthy aging process. This whole thing started as a way to have fun and get healthy. Now it is turning into an experiment on not limiting the things my body can do as I get older. Big thanks to all the fine folks at CrossFit, my girlfriend for suggesting I start CrossFit, and my family for encouraging and supporting me.

 Dixie ERock

in Athlete of the Month / Workout of the Day 252 comments

April Athlete of the Month: Josie “Ear Muffs” Wilson

State your Name and/or Nickname please:  
My name is Josie, but I do have several nicknames that have followed me throughout the years; JoJo, Jo, Wanda and JD.

Words to live by?  
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me

What is your fitness background?
I wouldn’t really say I have a “fitness background”. Growing up I used to BMX bike race and play softball. I’ve been a member of several gyms throughout the years, gone to Boot Camp classes and practiced yoga. Until CrossFit I wouldn’t say anything has “stuck” the way this programming has. It truly is addicting and the results are amazing.

How long have you been CrossFitting?  
I joined CrossFit in August 2011, so 4 months shy of 2 years 🙂

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
My favorite part of CrossFit is the unity amongst fellow CrossFitters. I can legitimately say that I have established life-long friends from joining CrossFit Austin and established a new way of thinking when it comes to health and nutrition.

What are your training goals?
Overall better health and performance improvement are always the most important goals to me.

Favorite sport or activity?
My favorite sport is football!!!

Recent adventure you’re planning?
I’m going to Chicago to check out the windy city with my mom and sister in 3 weeks! 

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I saved my sister from drowning in a pool when I was about 5 years old and she was 4.

Longhorns or Aggies?
Neither, Go DAWGS!!!

In addition to winning the Accountability portion of our COA Challenge every year, you were also awarded the “Ear Muffs” award for 2012. Can you give us a little insight as to how you managed to secure this prestigious award?
Hey, you forgot that my team also won the 2011 Turkey Challenge. HA! I don’t know if I would consider the “ear muffs” award prestigious, but it is my favorite award to date. If you have been around me in the gym, you know that I’m a “tell-it-like-it-is” type of person and cuss like sailor. As far as the challenges go; If you put the work in the gym, follow a healthy dietary plan, manage stress triggers and get enough sleep; the sky is the limit! Thanks to CFA I have learned how to do all of these things and I’m truly grateful for it.

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
I was genuinely shocked when I received this email. For a second I thought it was an April Fool’s joke 🙂 It is such an honor to be chosen to be the Athlete of the Month. Thank you all for your continuous support and encouragement.

josie

in Athlete of the Month / Workout of the Day 24 comments

March Athlete of the Month: Bradley Anderson

State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Bradley Anderson “Dookie”.  My nephew gave me that name a long time ago and you know what…. I am just goofy enough to embrace it and carry it on for almost ten years now!

Words to live by?
Nothing worth having in life is easy or free.
Success comes when people act together, failure tends to happen alone.
Treat others the way you would want to be treated.

What is your fitness background?
In high school I was an offensive tackle for fours year and I did wrestling for two years. Since then I have had a personal goal of staying in shape since I spent the first 17 years of my life as a little chubby kid to a tall 255lb offensive linemen. I have done everything from working out on my own, running, P90x etc. I feel like I have tried all the fads on my own and had some success but a lot of failures.

How long have you been CrossFitting?
I have been at CFA since July 2012, before that I had dropped in on a few classes but nothing consistently.

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
Is there one? Call me crazy but my favorite part might be the feeling of my heart about to explode out of my chest multiple times a week! I also get pumped to see people setting PR’s all the time, it motivates me to try harder every time. It is so hard to pick one thing! I think the most important thing to realize when working hard is to remember that you are always improving somewhere, it may not always be where or when you wanted it to happen but we all improve!

What are your training goals?
Goals….. I can never decide because there are so many. I would like to be able to do 50 unbroken pullups, 100 unbroken double unders, complete a muscle up soon, and the list goes on and on!

Favorite sport or activity?
My favorite sport to watch is Football and I would love to still be playing! I love the summers in Texas to play sand volleyball! Sweat sweat sweat!

Recent adventure you’re planning?
I am going to Portland, Oregon to see my best friend who recently moved there. We are going to do some Hiking, check out some local spots and just catch up! Everything is an adventure with your best friends! In this world where we get wrapped up in our own lives and forget to relax I cannot explain how much I will enjoy this time!

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I used to dabble in landscape photography a few years back and have quite a few very nice cameras I take when I go hiking and LOVED planning trips for multiple day hikes to get away from people. I love to get away from all the hustle and bustle of life.

Longhorns or Aggies?
I went to A&M and grew up in Austin so I love both teams and just enjoy the competition!

You have been the front runner in the 2013 COA Challenge since Week One.  Can you tell us what your strategy was to hold on to that top position going into the final week of testing?
Work hard everyday and continue to practice on my weaknesses even though they frustrate me. I do not believe that anyone can progress without help from others, so I asked advice from coaches and fellow crossfitters at the gym to help me improve. Sometimes I took their advice and followed it and sometimes I passed on it, but I always like to hear ideas on how to improve. I appreciate everyone that helped me along the way and cannot express how much it helped me stay motivated!

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
I hope everyone comes to CrossFit Austin for their very own goals and let people know what they are so we can challenge you and help you get to those goals. I love that everyone here wants everyone to accomplish their goals no matter how big or small they are. We are all here for each other when we succeed and when we fail, no one judges you for what you can or can’t do. I have found that everyone I have met here motivates me in one way or another and I couldn’t find that anywhere else that I have been so far.

bradley

in Athlete of the Month / Workout of the Day 347 comments