Testimonial Week: Jessica “Shug” Sanchez

I reluctantly went to my first workout at CrossFit Austin in May 2011 after my co-worker nagged me for months to try it out. She had great success with their programming and frequently talked about her workouts. As she described them to me, they sounded very intimidating so for months, I sat in silence wanting to go but coming up with an excuse to wait one more month. I finally realized that it wasn’t the workouts that were holding me back, it was me.

A little apprehensive but determined, I arrived at my first workout not really knowing what to expect. The class before mine was finishing up their WOD which consisted of lifting some heavy weights, running, pull ups, and box jumps. I sat in the car wondering what I had gotten myself into but then I heard someone in the class cheer on another person who was struggling to finish their last run and shortly after, the whole class was joining in. I decided at that moment that while this gym definitely had a lot of brawn, it also had a lot of heart and I wasn’t going to get the results I wanted by sitting on the couch wishing myself fit. The workout that day was hard (for me) but I finished it and never once felt inferior or weak. The coaches gave me great instructions and encouragement that left me leaving with a great sense of accomplishment.

I have now been crossfitting for just over 9 months and CrossFit is the only workout/gym/fitness routine I have ever followed consistently. The great thing about CrossFit is that it can be scaled to any fitness level from beginners to advanced and everyone gets a great workout. All the coaches really care about you and want you to succeed. They give you the tools, training, and encouragement you need to meet your goals.

Since working out at CrossFit Austin, I have lost 35lbs but have gained strength, endurance, flexibility, confidence, and friendships that will last a lifetime.