CrossFit Kalamazoo FEATURED ATHLETE December 2018

CrossFit Kalamazoo
FEATURED ATHLETE
December 2018

Marie Holler is on deck this month
as our featured CFK Athlete!

CFK Featured Athlete:
Marie Holler
 
Age: 25
 
Occupation: 
Mapping & Data Visualization Specialist
 
Date Started CFK:  August 19, 2017
 
In general, what is your athletic background? I have played hockey since I was 8 years old. I stopped playing competitively when I graduated from MSU in 2015.
 
How did you learn about CrossFit Kalamazoo? My coaches in college sometimes integrated CrossFit workouts into our off-ice practices, and it was always a really good workout. When I moved to Kalamazoo, I Googled CrossFit and ended up here.
 
How has CrossFit Kalamazoo changed your life, lifestyle, and level of fitness? I am so much stronger now that I started CrossFit. I’m also more confident in myself and I feel better and more energized throughout the day.

List short/long term goals you would like to accomplish through CrossFit Kalamazoo:
Pull-ups have always been so impressive to me, so that’s definitely a long-term goal.
 
In the short-term, I’d like to get better at my double unders and learn more about nutrition and how to improve my diet.

What do you like most about CrossFit Kalamazoo? I absolutely love the community. When I moved to Kalamazoo, I didn’t know anyone and found it difficult to make friends. CrossFit has definitely helped with that.
 
What is your favorite CrossFit movement? Deadlifts
 
What is your least favorite CrossFit movement?  Overhead Squats
 
What are you currently doing to try to improve your diet?
I am trying grocery shop more regularly, and learning how to eat healthy food that is still convenient.
 
Favorite movie: Rent

Favorite and/or current book: My favorite book is Infinite "Jest" by David Foster Wallace. It’s long, but worth it. Right now I’m reading "Where the Animals Go" by James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti, which is beautiful.

Favorite music genre/artist: Blue October. In general, I like alternative rock and rap.
 
Achievements you’d like to highlight within your life: In 2016, I earned a master’s degree in Applied Geographic Information Systems from the University of Sheffield. I played hockey for Michigan State University for 4 years.

List a few things we don’t know about you: I lived in England for 5 years, I’m half Indian, and I’ve been a vegetarian for 14 years.

In 10 words or less, what does CF mean to you?  Helping me be better than I was yesterday.

WE ARE JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS!

Learn More!

Foundational Movements of CrossFit!
In the past two newsletters, we introduced you to the nine foundational movements of CrossFit and started with Air Squat>Front Squat>OH Squat & Shoulder Press>Push Press>Push Jerk!  
 
Air Squat>Front Squat>OH Squat
Shoulder Press>Push Press>Push Jerk
Deadlift>Sumo Deadlift High Pull>Medicine Ball Clean
 
The next block of foundational movements to get familiar with are the FloorLifts:  Deadlift>Sumo Deadlift High Pull>Medicine Ball Clean.  We start by picking a heavy object off the floor, to hip level (deadlift).  And then we learn to pick a heavy object off the floor to chest level (the best analogy I heard for the importance of a the Sumo Deadlift is think of how you’d lift a couch to move it: you’d stand legs wide, bend down and lift).  Finally you learn the fundamentals of the clean with medicine ball. This final movement: it seems so simple, but you need to get so much right!
 
The 9 functional movements are considered our building blocks to progess our Athletes to more complex moves.  We go back to review and do them over and over to perfect. And when we think we have perfected these moves, we go back again to focus on improving even more. While these movements are certainly nowhere near as impressive or glamorous as a muscle-up or double unders, they are the core of functional fitness. If you’re serious about getting the most from CrossFit, improving your quality of life, and 10x-ing your performance at sports, then it’s important that we dedicate some serious time to perfecting these movements!
 

Compete with a Cougar/ WOD with a Sugar Daddy 
Congratulations to our 3 teams that participated at the Cougar/Sugar Daddy WOD held at 8th Day Gym in Grand Rapids on 12/1.  This was a grueling competition with many many amazing Athletes!  Amy DeYoung and Matt Olk (Team Menopause and Muscle Ups) placed 14th in the Cougar bracket.  Taylor Grace and Craig Thompson (Team TnT) placed 20th & Samantha Smith and Alan Strong (Team Booty and the Beast) placed 27th in the Sugar Daddy bracket.   Great job CFK Athletes!  We are so proud of you and you all did an astounding job!!!

Amy DeYoung and Matt Olk (Menopause and Muscle Ups)

Taylor Grace and Craig Thompson (TnT)

Samantha Smith and Alan Strong (Booty and the Beast)

Try A Class - 1 on 1 with a Coach!
 
Our "Try A Class" is designed specifically to introduce you to the basics of CrossFit Kalamazoo and will include a short WOD (work out of the day). It's designed to give you an overview of CrossFit Kalamazoo, will give you a feel of our class format and provides a good workout! 
 
Your "Try A Class" can be scheduled with a Coach on:
Monday - Thursday: 5pm, 6pm, 7pm
Friday: 5pm, 6PM
Saturday: 10AM
 
This is a great opportunity to try out a workout at our facility, meet the Coaches, and visit with our CFK community!
 
Each class is 1 hour long. The cost to join this class is $10 (limited to newbies to CrossFit and does not apply to experienced CrossFitters dropping in).  When you sign up for our On-Ramp class, the $10 intro fee will be applied to the cost of the On-Ramp class. 
 
Reservations are required so please call or text 269-251-1677 or send an email to crossfitkalamazoo@gmail.com to reserve a spot.  Since class starts on the hour, please arrive 15 minutes early to check in, complete a waiver and stretch.  You can also register, prepay and complete the waiver on-line.

Sign Up!

This email was created with Wix.‌ Discover More