Emily L. is our Member of the Month! Emily is recently out of UCLA and is currently working with kids to be the next swimming sensations!
Emily loves coming into the gym with her mom, Marina, in the mornings at 6 AM or Saturdays at 7 AM to do the partner workout. She is always in good spirits when she comes in, even when she is still tired from just getting out of bed. Emily always comes in and pushes herself in the workouts and is always working on moving better. She enjoys workouts with running, squats, and lunges and you can tell why when you watch her crush a workout with those movements in it.
We have always loved when Emily came home from college and now we have her forever! Congratulations Emily for a well-deserved Member of the Month!
When did you join Croga?
I joined Croga in June 2022.
What were you doing before for fitness?
I have been running long distance off and on since about 2015. And about three months prior to joining Croga, I got into weightlifting and that was one of the reasons I joined Croga.
What was your first workout? First reaction to your first workout?
I remember my first workout had something to do with Olympic lifting of some kind, maybe Hang Power Cleans. I just remember being really exhausted afterwards because I had been neglecting my cardio for a couple months and I was so winded after my first workout at Croga. But I must have loved it and the people because I’m still here!
What improvements have you seen in the way you look, feel and perform?
I am physically stronger, and I love the feeling of being able to lift or carry weights that I couldn’t before. The other day, I was carrying a heavy bag of candles from the mall to my car, and I told my mom that a year ago I probably could not have carried the bag in a suitcase carry for as long as I just did. I have also noticed that I am much more confident in myself physically and mentally since joining Croga and working out consistently. I love who I am when I have worked out that week.
What days and times do you come to Croga?
I usually come to Croga at 6am on the weekdays and the earliest classes on the weekends. Occasionally, I show up in the afternoon because I didn’t have the will power to wake up at 5:30am that morning. I do not have set days and I just choose whichever workouts I like best and what works with my schedule the best for that week. I tend to show up for 6am Powerlifting each Wednesday.
What’s your favorite WOD?
Anything that involves weighted lunges or weighted back squats. I always feel very strong when I am performing those moves. Although recently, I have come to love box jumps as long as they do not contain burpees.
What’s your least favorite WOD?
Anything to do with wall walks, wall pushups, or generally being upside down. Not my favorite. I lose my good rhythm or groove when I have to go from upside down to right side up. And I think I’m scared of falling on my head.
“The Emily” WOD! What would it be?
Something to do with squats or lunges. I actually really loved that one workout Cody programmed with back squats and running. It was FT: Run 800m, 20 back squats, Run 800m, 20 back squats, Runn 800m. I know that’s an unpopular opinion because our class was small that day, but it combines two things I’m good at, running and back squats.
What’s your favorite post-workout routine?
In the morning, I usually have a Celsius and chat with whoever is in the kitchen while I make myself breakfast. My breakfast is almost always some combination of eggs, a bread carb, and fruit with the occasional breakfast meat like chorizo or sausage. Usually, I chat with my mom who I work out with and then whoever else is in the room. While I eat, I like to play the NY Times Connections because my parents and I play it and compare results at the end of the day.
What’s your biggest fitness goal for this year?
I just wanted to feel stronger, and I think I have achieved that. A more tangible goal was probably to be lifting heavier than I was last summer in 2022. I took some time off from lifting during my last year of university and I came back to Croga in June of 2023 having not touched a weight or seriously worked out since January of 2023. I wanted to bench press and squat heavier than before and I can now squat about 20 lbs. more and bench press about 35 lbs. more than last summer.
What do you love about this type of fitness?
I love the community. Working out by myself at a gym with my headphones in and ignoring world was originally how I planned to be lifting weights, and then cardio would probably be an afterthought. I never saw fitness in my 20s as a place to find community, inspiration, and friends. But, that is what I love most about Croga. The community and the people. I can get a sense of good peer pressure to perform my best and push my limits when others around me are doing the same thing. I tend to come with my mom, Marina, and we help each other to push our limits. And classes are more enjoyable when surrounded by that community that is encouraging, friendly, and makes me want to be better. I could be working up to a new 1 RM back squat at 6am while also getting television show recommendations and encouragement simultaneously. I also love this type of fitness because it encourages me to get out of my comfort zone and type new things. I would never program myself kettle bell swings, box jump overs, the assault bike, or pushups. So, Croga really helps me diversify my workouts because all those movements are good for my physical health and I would not explore them otherwise.
What words of advice do you have for new members or people considering joining Croga?
It can be intimidating to start working out or weightlifting for the first time, especially when it seems like everyone knows what they are doing except for you. However, if you give it some time and lots of literal physical effort, I think most people will find they love moving their body and that the people at Croga are a friendly and supportive community.
