MOTM - Maris!

Maris joined our community in August of 2020, she started in our fundamental classes, and she fit right in. Her positive, hard working attitude stuck out from the very start, always pushing herself and willing to learn new things as well as trusting the process and being patient with all the movements. Maris has certainly progressed very quickly, most recently she started doing butterfly pull-ups. As a coach, I have always liked how she responds to feedback, I gave her a couple tips one day in Open gym, and next thing you know she was stringing them together! Maris also just competed in her first CrossFit Open, representing the Philippines, and I am very excited to see the progress moving forward. Read more below to learn more about Maris!

What is your background in Fitness/sport?

I played quite a few traditional Filipino games growing up in the Philippines like street baseball and a little bit of “sepak takraw” (kick volleyball). Growing up I struggled gaining weight and I'm always skinny and almost tried everything. Fresh from nursing school I moved to Victoria. I was only 85lbs and my first job was a caregiver, I was not Physically fit for the job and could not even lift my patient’s leg, so I got fired after a couple days because I wasn’t physically strong for the job. Since then, I started going to your regular gym hoping to get strong and gain some normal body weight, 5 yrs of regular working out I maintained an ideal body weight, but I was getting bored doing the regular stuff and wanted something new and challenging, so I joined Crossfit.

When did you start CrossFit/At Vic City?

I started attending fundamental classes last August of 2020, it's not even a year but I feel quite proud of myself for achieving and learning a few fun skills every time I attend a class.

Favourite memories in the gym?

Oh man there's quite a few, like when I finally achieved doing a couple strict pull ups a couple months back, another one is when every time coach Andy caught me scaling a workouts and would say “common you can do more than that!’’ incredibly supportive I tell ya! And my most favorite memories so far were doing my very first open crossfit workout last March, it was such an awesome experience doing both the workout and being a judge.

What is your favourite movement?

C&J, pistol squats, Thrusters and pull ups.

Least favourite?

All the stuff that isn’t short girl friendly like wall balls, rowing and the assault bike!!

Favourite WOD or type?

Like coach Tia, I like “Grace” and I enjoy anything with pull ups and air squats like “Barbara” and “Cindy"

What do you enjoy the most about CrossFit?

The supportive coaches and the happy community. Crossfit VicCity coaches are excellent mentors and extremely encouraging, they always believe in their members capabilities which I find it very motivating. I also love how you can easily make friends inside the gym and everyone is incredibly supportive

Most recent achievement that you are proud of?

Stringing my Butterfly pull up in just a wk of practicing and doing 10 unbroken in my backyard.

What goals are you working towards right now?

Spending more time improving my snatch form and improving my rowing technique. And a serious one is finding a BIG COURAGE to turn upside down hahaha!! I really want to get my first HSPU but for some reason standing on my hands gives me a weird anxiety, so yeah I haven’t really put any effort and time trying this skill.

Thanks Maris for being such a positive person in our community, willing to learn and challenge yourself and always cheering others on around you! We are excited to see you succeed in whatever you set your mind to, including your first HSPU! Next time you see Maris in the gym, give her an Air High Five for all her hard work and accomplishment so far!

Coach Tia

TRAINING WEDNESDAY - THURSDAY

WARM UP: 3 rounds

5 slow pole squats with pause at bottom

5 dowel dislocates

5 "knee to wall" per ankle (ankle mobility drill)

10 plate floor to overhead

SKILL: Front Squat 8-6-4-7-5-3

Look back 3 weeks and see if you can add 5-10 lb to SOME of the sets!

A bit different wave load... use your 6 rep weight from the first wave for your 7 rep in the second wave then build from there.

Go E2M to E230 if you need more rest!

WOD:

4 rounds for time of:

Run, 400 m

20 Dumbbell Hang Power Snatches, 50/35 lbs

15 V Sit-ups

switch hands as needed for the hang power snatches!

FG3: scale db to 25-30/40

FG2: scale db to 20/30-35, double crunch sub for v ups

FG1: scale number of rounds, sub crunches for v-uups