September Athlete Profile: Amanda H
One of the best aspects of being involved in CrossFit is the amazing people you get to meet and, buy if you’re going you job right, visit this site it changes everyone’s lives. We have a great community at CrossFit Oakdale, doctor and we want to highlight YOUR stories. Our first athlete profile is AMANDA HENSELY!
1. What is your athletic background?
My athletic background can be summed up in one word: NONE. I never played sports, I was never an adventurous or athletic child in any way. I was the typical nerdy kid who preferred to be indoors with a book. I hated P.E. in school. I’ve never done a cartwheel or handstand in my life. I had a few brief encounters with the cardio machines at Globo-gyms in my 20’s, and that was about it.
2. What is your training schedule?
During the school year, my goal is to make it to CrossFit 3 times a week. The 4:30 classes fit best with my schedule, so I aim for Monday, Wednesday, and either Friday or Saturday. I wish I could come more often.
3. When did you realize CrossFit was for you?
I realized CrossFit was for me shortly after I started, which still shocks me because I came home totally defeated, sore, and feeling like I was light years away from being able to master any of the movements. But the biggest appeal for me was the constant variation of movements and workouts; I get bored easily, so it being new and different each time I went was a big draw. The other part that hooked me was the sense of community – I was suddenly surrounded by people I wanted to spend time with, even if that meant having to kick my own ass to do so.
4. What was your toughest WOD?
The toughest WOD I can think of (and this was hard!) was the first time I did Murph. I had only been back at CrossFit a few weeks after breaking my arm and I even though I only did half, it was a long, hard struggle. It was the first hero WOD I had ever done, as well as the first WOD that lasted more than 20 minutes. It was mentally and physically tough, but I felt great when it was over!
5. What is your favorite WOD or lift?
I thought this question would be easy, but it’s not! I guess I’ll choose “Grace” because that was the first of the girls that I was able to do RX and the Clean & Jerk is my favorite lift (though I hesitate when I say that because I have been really liking the snatch work lately). I worried and stressed about whether I should attempt Grace RX for a week before I finally did it, and I was able to complete it in much less time than I’d anticipated. It was as much a mental victory and a physical one. Also, “Grace” was one of the very first workouts I ever did. I think I used 35#, did it with a partner, and still struggled my way through it, so being able to complete it RX just over a year later was a fantastic accomplishment for me.
6. How has CrossFit changed your life?
CrossFit has changed my life in so many ways that I never expected. There are the obvious physical changes – I’ve lost some weight and my body shape has changed. I’m way stronger than I ever have been. Old injuries don’t bother me nearly as much as they used to and my endurance and stamina have increased drastically. My perceptions of health and beauty have been changed due to the influence of the people around me.
But the most important changes are the mental and emotional ones. CrossFit has changed the way I approach challenges. Before CrossFit, I would try to avoid situations that I thought would be difficult. But being forced to confront the physical challenges every day at CrossFit that my brain tells me I cannot do, then finding a way to do them, has translated over to all other areas of my life. The skills I’ve learned for coping with the negative self-talk and overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges at CrossFit have increased my confidence level, so I’m much more likely, and sometimes even eager, to take on challenges I previously would’ve shied away from. I’ve had many people from different areas of my life comment on the change in my overall attitude and confidence over the last year and a half and I know that all of it is due to CrossFit.
Amanda – living below parallel.
Workout of the Day
“Grace”
30 Clean and Jerks, 135/95
Strength/Skill
In the remaining time, build to your heaviest possible Clean and Jerk.