What is your occupation?
Mom & very part-time project manager for a consulting firm.
How did you hear about CrossFit White Bear?
My friend Andria Price introduced me – she had been to classes for a couple months, raved about it & knew I would love it too (boy, was she right)
What was your first thought when you walked in the door? And now?
My first workout was a park WOD – I didn’t know what to think except that it was totally different than anything I was used to doing. It was very intimidating to see all of the weights, sleds, equipment & the exhausted group who did the first round laying in the grass….. My legs were so sore from all of the overhead walking lunges that I couldn’t go up & down stairs without a death grip on the railing for two days but still I couldn’t wait to go back…. Now I walk in the door (mostly at 6AM, still to my husbands amazement) anxious to see what’s on the white board but mostly excited for a great workout with a remarkable group of people.
The workout Paula is speaking about is the infamous “300 Yard” workout. Not a normal workout for beginners but Paula was determined to do the whole thing. She had to complete in any order: 300 yards of walking lunges with a 25lb plate over head, 300 yard sled pull with 65lbs, and a farmer’s carry with 5olb. kettlebell in each hand! – Jake
How have you seen yourself change – mentally or physically since you joined?
Mentally, I am without a doubt much tougher. Crossfit pushes you to excel in so many different ways & I love how it continues to push my limits & force my to dig deeper than I thought possible. It teaches you to persevere – when I feel like I can’t do another rep or the voice in my head says “you should stop or it’s too hard”, there is always someone there telling you that you can or encouraging you to keep moving. Physically, I am more toned & stronger than I have ever been, more aware of how my diet affects my performance and probably most importantly, I think I am a better role model for my children in the sense that they see the benefits & results of my dedication & passion for crossfit (my 9 year old son says my butt isn’t as saggy as it used to be so I think that’s a good thing:)
Were you active prior to joining CrossFit White Bear? If so, what did you do?
I did a variety of work outs before CrossFit – bouncing from gym to gym, class to class but constantly found myself bored after a period of time always feeling “unsatisfied” and wanting to move on to something different.
We think performance and goal driven fitness is unique. Has the “sport of fitness” changed
the way you think about what being fit is?
Definitely! I thought I was in decent shape before I joined CrossFit, but quickly realized how wrong I was. The constant variation of the classes works your entire body not just certain muscle groups & that is what most other workouts lack. I love the satisfaction & sense of achievement from getting a PR (even if it’s just a pound or two or a few seconds faster) & yet I know that there will always be another level to strive to achieve – that’s what keeps me coming back! You won’t find that in an aerobics or spin class or in any typical gym workout.
So you have a background in gymnastics, what gymnastic based CrossFit
movement would you like to master?
I would love to master ring muscle -ups (or even do just one). Thanks to my gymnastics background, I have the swing & kipping motion down but am not strong enough – yet….some day I will do them!!
Speaking of movements, what is your favorite movement and least favorite movement or WOD?
Kettlebell swings, rope climbs & handstand push-ups are probably my favorites. Least favorites, where to begin…regular push-ups, thrusters & burpees (but thanks to Justin’s burpie challenge maybe I’ll learn to get more efficient at them, I’ll probably never like them but hopefully will get better)
Anything else you would like to add?
I am inspired by every single person (coaches & athletes) at our gym in so many different ways – the commitment, drive, camaraderie, friendly competition, energy, confidence, etc. It all makes going to the gym one of my favorite parts of the day!
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