Over the last 5 years of coaching I have seen quite a few athletes come and go with quite a few of them not lasting 3 months. I had been searching for the reason why and what I did wrong or could do better to keep them in the gym. It hasn’t been until recently I realized it has nothing to do with my coaching or how the gym is run, but it has entirely to do with the athlete’s mindset and their desire to change. One of the athletes I came across to help me better understand this was Steph. She joined the gym in 2018 and attended 1 or 2 group CrossFit classes and then never came back until spring of 2020. Coaching her and watching her grow over the last year made me realize in 2018 she wasn’t ready to build fitness into her daily routine, she wasn’t ready to embrace the suck and allow herself to be embraced by our community. In the last year she has made all three committed clubs, average 4 classes a week since she started and has had to adjust through multiple schedule changes due to work. Below her words give you insight into WHY she keeps showing up and HOW our community has positively impacted her life.
Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living/study?
I am originally from Omaha. I came to Lincoln for college and have been here for about 15 years now. I work for the City of Lincoln as a police officer. In the past couple of years I have started to hike 14’ers which is something I really enjoy. I also like to ride my bike… but not like the Air Assault bike at the gym.
How did you find out about Lincoln Nutrition & Fitness?
When I was in college I remember watching the CrossFit Games for the first time on TV and being sucked in. I remember watching those jacked athletes doing handstand pushups and making it look super easy. So naturally I set my Dr. Pepper and bag of chips aside and attempted it myself. Turns out I did not quite have the skill set. I ended up Googling CrossFit Lincoln years later because I was still fascinated with CrossFit.
What was the biggest obstacle for you to start?
Lack of motivation and overload of intimidation definitely impacted me in the beginning.
How did you overcome that obstacle?
I like free shirts. Luckily, when I came back to the gym it was right as the committed club was kicking off for the holidays. I really wanted to get the shirt as a way to prove to myself that I was capable of sticking to a workout routine. Coming every day helped me to build my confidence in the lifts so that I was not as intimidated or overwhelmed. I also enjoyed building friendships with other members and that made it easier to keep coming back.
Do you remember your first workout?
I first started back in 2018 and only remember what seemed like chaos as there were no assigned squares. I really don’t remember workouts unless they scarred me for life. For example, I remember the morning when we had to bike a certain distance but myself, Anna McVay, and Valerie got stuck on rowers. (And by “stuck” I mean I was like, “Oh darn. All the bikes are taken I guess I’ll row”) However, the rowing was not scaled appropriately and we sat on the rower while the rest of the class completed the first round, second round, third round, and fourth round before we finished our first round row. Sometimes I still lay awake at night thinking about this. Thanks Coach Austin…
Who was your coach, how did they help you push through it?
I have no idea who my first coach was back in 2018. But when I returned I started personal training with Coach Emily. Emily is very knowledgeable, passionate and supportive. She helped me see the bigger picture in my fitness journey. She also helped me scale everything so that I was able to be successful.
Why do you keep coming back to LIncoln Nutrition & Fitness?
The community is amazing. My favorite part of being a part of the gym is looking around and seeing all the other athletes unified in the workout. The community and camaraderie during particularly tough workouts is so powerful. There are those moments for example when one is doing a 1000 step-ups and wanting to quit after maybe the first 200-300 but then they look around the room and see everyone else locked in and determined so it motivates them to continue. There is always someone yelling out some encouragement as well. That atmosphere keeps me going and pushes me. When you finish with the whole group there is a real sense of accomplishment and pride that you held on and completed the workout.
How do you balance health & fitness with a busy schedule?
I struggled with this for many years. Now fitness is a priority. It’s a non-negotiable. I am someone that thrives on routines so I built my workout into my daily routine. I like to go to the gym at the same time every day and don’t allow myself to make excuses for why I should take the day off.
How does CrossFit help you with your job?
Policing can be a very physical job at times and a very sedentary job at other times. It’s a mix between carrying grown adults when they go dead weight on you, sitting at a computer typing reports, foot pursuits with kids that want to race you, cleaning heavy rams and setting pry bars to break down doors, driving for hours on end, and everything in between. CrossFit has definitely made me stronger and faster. Working out has also helped me to function better overall. I am more present, more alert, and more energized.
What is your favorite thing about Lincoln Nutrition & Fitness?
The community. I enjoy seeing the same familiar faces every day. I also enjoy meeting new members that become familiar faces. Lincoln Nutrition & Fitness has such a diverse group of members that are all invested in each other’s success.
From all our coaches, your sassiness, desire to consistently improve and work ethic makes everyone in class better. We are thankful to have you in our community!