TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF. WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE OF THE GYM?
I moved to Chicago from Florida after college, and the amazing Ravenswood/Andersonville community (including places like Hardware!) made it my new home. I now live in Irving Park with my partner, Tim, and our dog, Sammy. For work, I am a data nerd in supply chain for a consumer packaged goods manufacturer. The gym helps me balance the ridiculous amount of chocolate and snacks that are part of my day job.
WHAT INITIALLY GOT YOU INTO TRAINING AND WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK?
For most of my adult life, the only atheltic activity where I had any experience was running. Eventually, I just got burned out from it, and I didn’t know how to get started with anything else. I have a close friend at another gym who encouraged me to try functional fitness, which brought me to Hardware. As someone who had basically never touched a barbell or dumbbell, I had a LOT to learn on day 1, but that’s what keeps me coming back. I love that with personal focus and support from the coaches and community at Hardware, you can see yourself achieving new things. And also, “achieving” doesn’t only have to mean nailing a new movement or a higher weight, but just showing up to class on a hard day can be a win.
WHAT ARE YOUR FITNESS GOALS? HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO REACHING THEM?
One big goal is to apply functional fitness to the only sports I play nowadays, which require the utmost athleticism: pickleball and disc golf. But seriously…my main goal is to make steady, consistent progress on the various movements. Specifically, I’d like to break into being able to do HSPU and get to a 3-digit snatch weight (need to put in that OLY time!).
WHAT’S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT OR GOAL YOU’VE REACHED AT HARDWARE THAT MADE YOU THE MOST PROUD?
My first rope climb – it was not something I was willing to try until I was confident enough in my strength that I could do it. So there was both physical and mental stuff bundled into that accomplishment that I’ll remember!
FAVORITE WOD/MOVEMENT?
Annie on the Run – combines my 2 favorite things (double unders and running) while also still crushing me with the sit-ups.
LEAST FAVORITE WOD/MOVEMENT?
This is super specific – getting into an overhead squat during a snatch. I still get very freaked out with having a barbell punched over my head while doing something that technical.
ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE INTERESTED IN TRYING OUT HARDWARE?
One great thing about Hardware is that the coaches know how to cater to everyone from those who are brand new to any kind of strength training (like me) all the way to very experienced athletes. My suggestion is to try out all the specialized classes: Foundations, OLY, gymnastics, open gym, HIIT. You will be welcomed at all of them, learn something new, and may even find a strength you didn’t know you had! 