Customer of the MonthJuly

Erika P. (She/Her/Hers)

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF. WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE OF THE GYM?

In my career I recently transitioned from human rights and environmental justice research and advocacy to tech – I’m now a product manager at an educational technology nonprofit. Part of why I transitioned was in an effort to live more around my work, instead of letting work take center stage. I’m usually finding ways to avoid work  – by reading, writing, doing DIY projects, making music, babying my plants and cat, spending time outdoors, and taking random classes to nurture hobbies I keep accumulating.

WHAT INITIALLY GOT YOU INTO TRAINING AND WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK?

Being active has always been a part of my life – I swam and did Taekwondo growing up, cycled in college, and did long distance running for a bit. I’ve never been an exceptional athlete, and often faced injuries and illness that set me back – but movement brings so many benefits to my life; I love it. I really lucked out with Hardware – I had just moved to Chicago and the neighborhood and was in a rut with my routine. I decided to give it a try, not even knowing it was CrossFit. I was hooked pretty quickly!

It has been gratifying to redefine my relationship with movement as I’ve gotten older. Hardware has become a critical component in supporting my mental health and managing a chronic illness. I’ve also met some wonderful people here that definitely help keep me coming back.

WHAT ARE YOUR FITNESS GOALS? HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO REACHING THEM?

In general, I want to support my health as much as possible and avoid more injuries (I’ve always been injury prone, but so far I’ve had no CrossFit-induced injuries ). Anything else is icing on the cake! I do want to get a muscle up and handstand walks…one day. And I’d like to improve technique and form on a lot of my lifts. So many goals, so little time!

WHAT’S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT OR GOAL YOU’VE REACHED AT HARDWARE THAT MADE YOU THE MOST PROUD?

I got my first ever pull up earlier this year, and that felt awesome!

There are so many things I’ve learned to do at Hardware that I never thought I’d be able to do. I remember first starting and seeing other folks do pull ups and toes-to-bar and thinking, “that’ll never be me”. And now here I am!  It’s incredibly empowering.

FAVORITE WOD/MOVEMENT?­­

Toes to ring, hands down the most fun movement. Deadlifting too, and I also really appreciated the Wendler cycle earlier this year – seeing strength progress so quickly felt great.

LEAST FAVORITE WOD/MOVEMENT?

Burpees, because there is no way to do them and look dignified. Especially when you’re tired.

ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE INTERESTED IN TRYING OUT HARDWARE?

Definitely do it! You won’t regret it. It’s the perfect environment to tackle intimidating movements and workouts, grow your skills, and feel strong as hell. The community and coaches are incredibly welcoming, supportive, and inclusive. And don’t sleep on gymnastics class – you’ll see your skills improve soooo quickly you wouldn’t believe it!

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