March Member of the Month
Join us in saying congratulations for all her hard work to Anastasia Okoniewski, March’s Member of the Month! Anastasia joined our gym through a friend’s referral and the athlete we gained is priceless! If you ever worked out with Anastasia you know you’re going to lift heavy and work hard while sarcastically joking. She has led the PR board this year with a total of nineteen!! Anastasia just recently celebrated her one year anniversary with us and we think it’s perfect timing for her to put her Oly clinic tips to the test in this years Opens. We can’t forget to mention her trusty workout partner, Oly. We value his membership and know all the members enjoy his enthusiasm in the morning class. Thank you for your dedication, support, willingness to paint and bringing your furry friend to visit!!!! We can’t wait to see what this year holds for you, more PRs for sure!
Why do you do CrossFit?
I do CrossFit because it has a noticeable impact on my physical and psychological well being. I returned to CrossFit after a few years of training in garage gyms and with friends because I had a tendency to pick and choose programming and wasn’t making strength progress on my own. Within a few weeks, my body was changing, I was sleeping better and making choices in my life that were focused on health. CrossFit is also the best detox from a stressful day at work. I can walk into class, usually a few minutes late, still thinking about my day, but I always leave, exhausted, smiling and thinking about what to make for dinner. That’s a win.
Favorite Move:
The Olympic Lifts. I love learning how to move my body in ways that are not necessarily natural, require focus and practice. The feeling of catching weight at just the right spot or completing a really tough lift is such a rush.
What makes you stay at CrossFit HCC?
I stay at HCC for the people. Matt sets a great example of leadership, respect and hard work for his coaches and athletes. I started at a larger CF location in the past, but did not like feeling invisible in a big class or because I wasn’t lifting the most weight. At HCC, if you miss a few days, your absence is noticed by the coaches and members. Everyone around you is pushing you, helping with form, encouraging you to make it through that last round. it’s really pretty great.
Future Goals:
I have some nerdy specific weights i’d like to hit for lifts which I won’t list here, but overall, my goal is to be able to Rx workouts. So… that means I have to work on pull ups, doubleunders, and handstand pushups. Yay.
Advice for Newbies?
Don’t be afraid to walk in that first or second time. It can feel intimidating to jump in to such a close-knit family, but there is always room for you. The movements and lifts come in time, trust your body and your coaches.
Tell us a fun fact or something you do outside of CrossFit?
Yikes. I am sure there are lots of facts about me people don’t know and I have lots of random hobbies… I can speak sign language. I once kissed a camel. I do the New York Times Sunday Crossword every week. I play in an adult kickball league. If i didn’t spend so much time at the gym, I’d probably take a woodworking class, I really like building things.
Words from Anastasia:
I tell my patients, “to get through it, you gotta go through it.” There are many things in life that are hard, awkward, or uncomfortable. The only way they get easier is to do your best, work as hard as you can, and try again tomorrow.
