Jen's Gym, Old School Fitness

Being the best Crossfit coach I can be and Why!

At some point during the winter of 2006 I decided to get in shape. I was sick of myself.Riding my bike was just not doing what I wanted to do. Faster, longer, hill sprints I just could not get the fitness I was looking for.

At that time I worked in the Nero Rehabilitation department of the Hospital. I'd been working in Nero Rehab for ten years altogether. Working with people who had had strokes or head injury's. Also working with people with spinal cord injuries. One thing kept repeating it's self in my mind. Most of these folks are out of shape, most of them are over weight. Maybe their weight did not cause there issues maybe it did. There lack of fitness was defiantly affecting there rehab. By saying fitness I mean having strength, endurance and the ability to move well. They had no idea what hard work was until they had to move there bodies when there brain was not functioning well or when they did not have a functioning spine. It pained me to watch.

I kept thinking, " If that happened to me I want to be stronger, fitter and more mobile". I want to have muscles that know how to work hard, all of my muscles. We coached people on how to move how to eat and how to get to the bathroom, talk about getting real! In the photo bellow is my first Crossfit Gym.

At that same point in 2006 I decided that I would not only get fit but that I would press others to get fit. I'd never gone to a gym, I just rode my bike played soccer ran around in the woods to stay in shape. I took the leap and joined a gym. I went everyday, to spin and I would play with the weights. I got strange looks when I was in the free weight section. Who knows what I was doing most likely something I saw in a magazine, yikes! Looking back from where I am now after all the people I've coached CF to I realized that when I was in the free weight area I was using the 20lb dumbbells and sometimes the 30lbs dumbells. Today I handed a client two 20lb DB's and she looked at me like I was from another planet. So I guess the looks were because of the heavy DB's I was using. (if it was because I looked like a dork I don't want to know, let me dream!)
I've been watching people and how they move for years. This is not to say I move perfectly. I don't and I'm my biggest critic. Once I found Crossfit which was via Jerry Hill I really latched onto it. It's my passion to keep learning how to move my body when all sorts of different forces are applied. I've dedicated hours and hours to understanding how to cue or touch people so that they can move better during there WOD. When I see someones squat go from scary to functional I get butterflies in my tummy! Understanding how my own body moves helps me deal with others over all. Yet, I've come across people so different that it can't be all I relay on. Asking people where they think they are in space and seeing where they really are has been an eye opener!

I work on my Fran time(scaled)my Cindy rounds and my CFT as much as I can, yet with in reason. I work harder on understanding how to be a Crossfit Coach that can reach and teach a wide swath of people and groups.

I'm not ashamed to reach out to other coaches and ask for advice and insight. If I had Coach Glassmen's Cell number I would call him or coach Rip or coach Burgener and say hey, I have no idea how to deal with this persons issues, any insights?(I'm sure they're happy I don't have there cell numbers! LOL!)
If I don't understand how to teach something I'll find someone better at it and call or email them asking for assistance. Because the main focus is this..We Gotta get these people moving! It will save there life! Whatever there war or battle is we have to get them moving safely functionally, with strength and power!