Name: Haley Saxman
Hometown: Katy, Texas
Age: 17
Occupation:
When did you first start doing CrossFit?: January 2021
When did you first start training at CrossFit Katy?: January 2021
What class do you generally attend (morning/afternoon)? It depends when I’m free, but I usually attend the 9:35 or 4:30 class during the summer and the 4:30 class during the school year.
Favorite WOD: Partner/ group WODS or anything with rowing, cleans, snatches, and sometimes TTB.
Least Favorite WOD: Any with deadlifts or thrusters!
Tell us about your sports & fitness background: I have always enjoyed exercising. Growing up, I played a lot of sports and got really into pole vault in 7th grade. I participated in club and school pole vault for a little over 3 years, but recently stopped.
How did you first get exposed to CrossFit? Take us back to your first WOD... what was it, and how did it feel? Kiera and Elisa, my neighbors, started attending classes around November 2020 and they kept trying to get me to go to a class with them. My sister, Amanda, and I finally decided to join them in January 2021. I believe our first WOD had some combination of double-unders (singles for me at the time), alt DB snatches, and running. I remember being very intimidated because everyone was so good, but the coaches and athletes were very welcoming and I had a great time. I thought that the workout was hard since I had never really done anything that intense before, but I had a lot of fun and felt amazing afterwards. As soon as I got home, I asked my parents if I could permanently sign up because I loved it so much.
What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health and fitness since starting CF (before/after)? I’ve never really enjoyed any sport as much as I enjoy CrossFit, so I’ve noticed that I’ve become happier and more motivated to workout. I can definitely tell that I’ve gotten a lot stronger since starting CrossFit, and I just feel better overall both physically and mentally. Prior to crossfit, I did some weight training, but not a lot, so I think that lifting weights has definitely helped me get into better shape as well.
What sort of changes in your life have you experienced since starting CrossFit? I have become more confident, mentally tougher, learned how to push myself more, and taken a greater interest in my health.
Name one goal you have reached since joining CFK and one goal you want to achieve (example: deadlift/squat/press ___ pounds; do a pullup; do a WOD RX’d, etc.): Since joining CrossFit, I have learned how to do handstand push-ups, double-unders, TTB, and kipping pull-ups. I have also gotten a lot better at handstand walks, but I would like to be able to handstand walk farther, learn to do butterfly pull-ups, and compete in a competition. In the future, I hope to eventually do a muscle-up.
Please share with us any favorite CrossFit / CFK moments: I always have fun during class, but it is especially fun and memorable when my neighbors and sister are in town from college and we can all attend a class together. I also enjoy partner or group workouts and I really liked the 12 days of CrossFit workout, which was actually on my birthday this past year! Another memorable WOD was whenever I had to workout with Mike and Chad because it was very challenging and I was sore for several days after…
Any advice for people just getting started? Stick with it and stay consistent! CrossFit can be very intimidating, but it is important to remember that everyone was in your place at some point. There may be days when you want to skip class, but push through those days and continue to go. Even though it can be challenging, the results are very rewarding. Don’t be too hard on yourself, remember to have fun, and scale when needed!
What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit? Outside of Crossfit, I enjoy spending time with my friends, family, and dog. I also like watching T.V. and movies, traveling, wakesurfing, and going to concerts.
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