Tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you do outside the gym?
During the academic year, most of my non-gym time is spent studying mechanical engineering, conducting research (engineering failure analysis for a railroad), and somehow always writing an application for one thing or another. It’s pretty stressful and I honestly don’t know what I would do without the built-in social and physical benefits of Hardware! During the summers, I get to reconnect with the parts of myself that led me to pursue engineering school to begin with. I’m usually remotely collaborating on some big silly engineering-driven art project for Burning Man before heading west to bring it to life in the desert. I get to conduct my research in an inspiringly huge structural engineering lab in Connecticut, where I am also often scheming weekend camping adventures, sporty outdoor activities, and long nights dancing with good friends.
What initially got you into training, and what keeps you coming back?
I fell in love with cycling when I started bike commuting in 2016, and before long it revealed a long-dormant interest in physically playful and athletic endeavors. My upbringing didn’t lend itself to developing confidence in my physical body, and I’ve spent the better part of a decade re-learning the joy of movement. Hardware is probably the pinnacle of that, and I have my good friend and forever-in-my-heart Hardware member Lynn to thank for it. My adolescent self would be in downright disbelief that so many of my favorite activities are movement!
What are your fitness goals? How close are you to reaching them?In the near future?
Get good at strict push-ups! And keep pushing myself to be just a little stronger, faster, and/or more graceful than the last time. Looking to the future, my fitness goal is to be able to move well until I die, which means emphasizing mobility and stability along with strength and conditioning. I’m currently working on resolving chronic neck pain so I can get back to distance cycling. Before chronic pain crept in, my daydreams were mapped in weeks-long remote bikepacking routes, and I’d love to even be able to consider that again.
What’s an accomplishment or goal you’ve reached at Hardware that makes you the most proud?
Doing a full toes-to-bar! I’m also pretty happy with my split jerk, which is one of the movements that seemed impossible when I started.
Favorite WOD/movement?
Olympic weightlifting movements, and any gymnastics class. Gymnastics is challenging, and no one is an expert, which creates an environment where failure is embraced with laughter, joy, and camaraderie. Come play with us!
Least favorite WOD/movement?
Thrusters, thrusters, thrusters, and front squats.
Any advice for someone interested in trying out Hardware?
Discipline beats motivation every time! Just show up; the coaches do all the planning. Trust them when they say that everything can be scaled and there’s no shame in it. Try to have fun with the movements, and if I don’t beat you to it, come say hi when you join