blog

Jen Martin – July Member of the Month !

Congratulations to Jen Martin for being CFR’s July Member of the Month! She is a loyal member of the 8:45am class! Jen is a wife, a mom, a Ph.D., and an expert in the psychological and physiological issues surrounding deception and malintent! Every piece of the prior sentence is 100% true. She’s got stories that’ll make your head spin!

Jen Martin - July Member of the Month

1)      What are your hobbies/interest/talents outside of CrossFit?

My boys have kept me busy for almost two decades, but this time next year Dan and I will be empty nesters. I am trying to figure out what my new hobbies/interests/talents might be. I enjoy traveling, reading, and spending time with friends. I have recently started playing golf. And I do a crossword puzzle every day.

2)      Share with us one thing that most people do NOT know about you?

Unfortunately for the 8:45 group therapy class there is not much people do NOT know about me. It will probably surprise no one that I have never mowed a lawn.

3)      How long have you been with us at CFR?

I believe about six years.

4)      Take us back to your first week here. How did you feel? Remember the workout?

I felt like there was nowhere to hide. In my experience of dance classes and group exercise, when you start someplace new you go to the back row until you figure things out. That doesn’t really work at CFR. I felt overwhelmed with all the equipment. Just getting the clips on and off was a challenge. The workout was some combination of double unders and box jumps. I learned a new word that would become near and dear to my heart: SCALED.

5)      What moment/achievement are you most proud of at CFR?

Participating in the Open this year. It was very challenging for me and way out of my comfort zone. I had nightmares about the workouts (I really did – the 8:45 group therapy class knows all about them). But each week I did more than I thought I could.

6)      Design your perfect workout?

Strength:
Weighted plank!

Metcon:
10 min AMRAP (I like it when we all finish together.)
10 push press
10 dips – matador bars facing in!
10 cal row

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Matador dip bars have angled handles, and facing in causes your shoulders to rotate internally. This results in slouched posture and chronically hunched shoulders, dubbed “Douchebag Shoulder Position” by Dr. Kelly Starrett. Long-term, this can result in poor shoulder mobility and chronic pain. Since many of us have poor posture as is, it may seem easier to do dips facing in. Unfortunately, this reinforces bad habits and becomes a self-perpetuating cycle of poor mobility. TL;DR version: DO YOUR DIPS FACING OUT. YOUR SHOULDERS WILL THANK YOU!

7)      What is your least favorite movement?

Any movement that requires a weighted squat below parallel to the ball of shame. And running.

8)      Summarize your lifestyle in 5 words or less.

Courage!

9)      Have you experienced any changes in your lifestyle now that you have been a CrossFit athlete?

In the past I had trouble with low back pain and now, because I am stronger, I am pain free. This has allowed me to have a more active lifestyle. In addition, my negotiation skills are drastically improved.

10)   What advice do you have for anyone who is thinking about joining or who has recently joined?

Many people join and within a few months are stringing together double unders, getting toes to bar, and hitting crazy PRs. That has not been my journey and that is ok. Listen to the coaches and be coachable. Admire the other athletes but focus on your own goals. Most days I hang out at the bottom of the white board…but on weighted plank day I’ll see you at the top!

POPULAR POSTS

Schedule your
free intro

Talk with a coach about your goals, get the plan to achieve them.

fill out this form to get started >>

Take the first step towards getting the results that you want!