Athena Perez Preferred Name :
Athena or “Bean” – I’ll answer to either. Age : 40 Where did you grow up? I grew up in several small towns south of Seattle, Washington; Enumclaw, Olympia, & Tumwater. Moved to San Antonio, Texas after high school for college and spent 15 years down there as well. When did you become a member of Mi5 Fitness? March 2017 What do you do when you are not at Mi5? (occupation, hobbies, etc.). There are two separate businesses I operate. One is a small creative digital agency with my business partner Dennis. The other is a Black Belt Six Sigma Business Consultant; mostly working with other digital agencies and small to medium sized businesses. I spend a lot of time doing things around my home. I love cooking (off a recipe – don’t leave in there by myself), movies, anything outside. How did you find out about Mi5? I have a rockstar friend that has been at Mi5 for years. I’d seen him get tagged on social media in various things over the years and always had a curiosity. Through him, I met Kristin when I started looking for a coach, and the rest is history. When/How did you realize CrossFit/Mi5 was the right fit for you? I was scared out of my gourd the first time I came to Mi5. I didn’t feel it would be somewhere I belonged. Everyone looked fit, and I was intimidated because that’s not how I would have described myself. I started coming in for coaching sessions once a week but got talked into attending a boot-camp class by one of the other members. It wasn’t until after that first class that I realized this was the right place for me permanently. The members had 80% to do with that. I felt welcomed and accepted immediately, and for whatever reason, it felt “safe.” On the other hand, it was a realization that the classes were not like anything I had ever attempted. I always worked out by myself when I had gone to other gyms and frankly would bail out at the first sign of being tired – like “Sayonara.” The classes at Mi5 force me to put in my time, finish the workout, and I have so much support! What is your favorite WOD/movement? My favorite movements are probably bench press or dead lifts. What is your least favorite WOD/movement? Thrusters or anything that includes running, burpees, sprints, or having to crawl around on my knees. What would your perfect WOD look like? Lifting. I wouldn’t mind seeing another “Murph” thrown up. What is one thing you have been able to accomplish since starting at Mi5 that you never thought you'd be able to do? I’ll be perfectly honest, just about everything I do at Mi5 in the course of a normal Crossfit WOD or Bootcamp is something I never thought I would be able to do. Seven months ago I walked on two canes, so there’s that. What motivates you to stay fit? Well, we’re getting there how about we say it like that?😊Knocking down goals on my weight loss journey motivates me for sure. Being able to go do things that I never thought possible keep me going. What is something about you that Mi5 members do not yet know? I noticed Birkenstocks were coming back in - I'm pretty excited about that. I have never been inside a Hy-Vee. What advice would you give to someone just getting started at Mi5?
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Coach Jamie Sternke Preferred and Name:
Jamie (NOT Jaime 😜) Age: 31 Where did you grow up? Fairmont, MN When did you become a member of Mi5 Fitness? I joined Mi5 shortly after the loss of my mother in Fall of 2012. What do you do when you are not at Mi5? (occupation, hobbies, etc.): Kids occupy most of my time and I love to experience life with them. I was recently named the best butt wiper of the family. I don’t think I have ever been more proud. How did you find out about Mi5? We live 2 miles from Mi5 and with a significant life event, I wanted to try something new and challenging. When/How did you realize CrossFit/Mi5 was the right fit for you? I was very impressed by the coaches at Mi5, especially Andrew and Chris. After attending a handful of classes, the community and relationships that are at Mi5 are what continued to keep me coming and remain motivated. There is nothing like the members (AKA family) of Mi5! What is your favorite WOD/movement? Of course it is running. What is your least favorite WOD/movement? Rowing... there is nothing enjoyable about rowing. What would your perfect WOD look like? Running, rope climb, kipping pull ups, handstand push ups. What is one thing you have been able to accomplish since starting at Mi5 that you never thought you'd be able to do? Strict pull ups and bar muscle up! What motivates you to stay fit? The members of Mi5 motivate me to attend classes and work hard. I would not set my alarm for the early hours of the morning without the coaches and members motivating me and providing the accountability that I need. What is something about you that Mi5 members do not yet know? Prior to kiddos, my husband and I played disc golf competitively and traveled throughout the U.S. for tournaments. What advice would you give to someone just getting started at Mi5? My advice is to learn how to move and to move well. This is your own unique journey and process — learn as much as you can, ask questions, advocate for yourself, and have fun! Also, introduce yourself to someone new when you have the chance. The community at Mi5 is a characteristic that defines it. The more you get to know everyone, the more support and encouragement you will find. Randy Hanson Preferred Name
Randy (H) Age 58 ( July 7) Where did you grow up? Winona MN ( class of 76) When did you become a member of Mi5 Fitness? Started in July of 2016 What do you do when you are not at Mi5? I am a Tool & Die Maker . I build metal stamping dies. For a manufacturing com , in Lakeville MN. I also am a High School Football official and I am working on expanding into officiating at the college level. I enjoy some hunting and traveling to Green Bay WI to attend Packer football games. How did you find out about Mi5? Dave (Kegger) McKeag mentioned to my wife that he worked out here and liked the environment (My wife works for Dave). So I thought I would try it out, I am truly glad I did . When/How did you realize CrossFit/Mi5 was the right fit for you? When I started the first month, it was a battle and I was not sure this was for me. I even asked DJ one night if I should even be here, he just smiled and said yes. The support and encouragement by all the trainers( they all really care that you are here) and other members keep me coming back. I am still learning how to be a cross fitter. What is your favorite WOD/movement? I can not say that I have a favorite . What is your least favorite WOD/movement? I do not have a least favorite, although I am not a big fan of running or assault bike, not very good at either one What would your perfect WOD look like? Do not have a perfect WOD yet . Always feel good when I can finish What is one thing you have been able to accomplish since starting at Mi5 that you never thought you'd be able to do? The Olympic lifts where all new to me so that was a challenge especially overhead squats, but I have made progress, I have weight on the bar now, OH, and lets not forget YOGA, never thought I would do that. What motivates you to stay fit? Being able to move as a football official and help to off set father time. And I do enjoy going to the gym What is something about you that Mi5 members do not yet know? Married to my high school sweet heart for 38 years Have three children Jordan 35 Chad 32 Amanda 30. Worked at an ice arena and drove the Zamboni . What advice would you give to someone just getting started at Mi5? MI5 is a good place to be, all of the trainers, coaches, are awesome the environment is very supportive. Stay with it, trust the process . Cres Neuman Preferred Name: Cres (full name is Cresengia)
Age: 29 Where did you grow up? St. Paul (Como Park area) When did you become a member of Mi5 Fitness? I think it was August 2016 What do you do when you are not at Mi5? I am currently in my last semester of school to become a Medical Laboratory Technician and just accepted a job at St. Francis hospital in Shakopee. When I'm not at school/work, my husband and I enjoying getting outdoors, kayaking, biking, camping and going to playgrounds with our son Jack. How did you find out about Mi5? I saw them on groupon and decided to give it a try! When/How did you realize CrossFit/Mi5 was the right fit for you? I think it was after my first boot camp class. Andrew was so welcoming and everyone was super encouraging that it made me feel like i was already a part of the community. I have met so many awesome people at Mi5 and their positive attitudes are contagious! What is your favorite WOD/movement? My favorite movement is probably bench press or sled pushes. What is your least favorite WOD/movement? Currently my least favorite is movement is running or burpees, mostly because they both really challenge my endurance...which i guess is a good thing...but still not my favorite. What would your perfect WOD look like? My perfect WOD would be a combination of heavy lifting and short quick intervals of conditioning. What is one thing you have been able to accomplish since starting at Mi5 that you never thought you'd be able to do? Last month I successfully did a handstand! I used to do them all the time as a kid, but never thought i would be able to again! What motivates you to stay fit? My 2 year old son, Jack. Kids have an endless amount of energy and in order to experience life with them you have to keep up! What is something about you that Mi5 members do not yet know? Every year my husband and I get a group of friends/family together and go on a week long canoe trip to the BWCA or Quetico. What advice would you give to someone just getting started at Mi5? Keep coming back! If you feel like something is outside of your comfort level, just ask a coach and they will ALWAYS find the right movement for your abilities! Brian Yolitz Preferred Name: Brian
Age: 56 Where did you grow up? Wisconsin/Minnesota, call Eau Claire, WI. home. When did you become a member of Mi5 Fitness? Nov/Dec 2012 What do you do when you are not at Mi5? (occupation, hobbies, etc.) I work for the Minnesota State system of state universities and community and technical colleges doing campus planning, facilities design and construction and campus safety and security work. I enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, and shooting sporting clays. How did you find out about Mi5? Drove by and kept seeing the sign on the way to/from work and around the neighborhood. When/How did you realize CrossFit/Mi5 was the right fit for you? Coaches...Andrew and Chris...took time to fix and adjust my movements and point out and encourage incremental progress. The Community...great folks with positive outlooks on challenging and improving themselves is infectious and makes you want to do the same. What is your favorite WOD/movement? Hero WODs when we take time to understand the person and story behind the workout. Favorite movements right now are Clean and Jerk / Front and Overhead Squats What is your least favorite WOD/movement? Any high rep/cycling snatches...and T2B What would your perfect WOD look like? Something with moderately heavy weights...DL, FS, Clean, coupled some aerobic task...hate to say it, but the Assault Bike is an interesting challenge...kinda like a moth drawn to a flame...we know how that ends up. What is one thing you have been able to accomplish since starting at Mi5 that you never thought you'd be able to do? I recall not being able to overhead squat an empty bar. Never thought I'd be able to, let alone do more than my body weight. What motivates you to stay fit? I'm interested in seeing what I'm capable of if I carefully push myself...and I want to have fun and be able do and see as much as I can and not be limited by my body or fitness. What is something about you that Mi5 members do not yet know? Lived in Alaska for 3-1/2 years. What advice would you give to someone just getting started at Mi5? - Work on moving first - Stick with it, be consistent and patient...it pays off - Don't compare yourself against anyone else...aspire to be like someone or their attributes, but you're not competing against them...it's really just you against who you used to be - Do what you can do and push that just a bit - Ask questions - Have fun Kurt Schardin Preferred Name: Kurt Age: 46 Where did you grow up? Bloomington When did you become a member of Mi5 Fitness? Two Years Ago What do you do when you are not at Mi5? I’m the Membership Sales Director at the Burnsville YMCA. My hobbies are fishing, working out, watching football. When I have a dog, I love to pheasant hunt. I love working out with my wife and going to restaurant’s with my family How did you find out about Mi5? I always saw the sign when I drove passed it to visit my sister When/How did you realize CrossFit/Mi5 was the right fit for you? I needed a change in my workout and I was getting bored. I needed some different type of motivation and I always like to compete. What is your favorite WOD/movement? Anything with the shoulders, Shoulder Presses, HSP, Short quick movements that allow me to use my height as an advantage. What is your least favorite WOD/movement? Rowing and Running What would your perfect WOD look like? I’m not picky. Just as long as I’m moving What is one thing you have been able to accomplish since starting at Mi5 that you never thought you'd be able to do? I have actually haven’t had a can pop in two months. I was a pop addict and drinking 2-3 Dr. Peppers a day. If I was on a fishing boat, I could easily drink a case. (Which I have done) It was causing my gout to flare up and I was tired of disappointing my wife because she wanted me to quit. Thanks to Kristin and the staff, I think I kicked the habit. Now, I’m addicted to Fit Aid. What motivates you to stay fit? My daughter Lily motivates me to stay fit. My wife Connie and I want to stressed to her the importance of being fit. My wife does a great job leading by example at home and at the gym. I want Lily to believe she can accomplished anything and do anything that a guy can do. I want her to know that Strong is Beautiful. What is something about you that Mi5 members do not yet know? I developed Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ear) six years ago and it never goes away. It causes me a lot of anxiety and stress every day. I never have silence and some days are louder than the others. If I didn’t have Crossfit or Mi5, my blood pressure and my anxiety levels would be through the roof. Sometimes, you might see me cover my ears because I’m checking to see how loud it is. If I had one wish, it would be a day without Sound. Enough of that, now let’s talk about how great I am. What advice would you give to someone just getting started at Mi5? Chris G told me to go slow and take your time. Of course, I didn’t listen and pulled muscles right away. I recommend that everybody get a personal trainer. Kristin got me going and moving in the right direction. I owe her a big thanks for her advice and direction. Due to scheduling conflicts, I now train with DJ who is getting me ready to hopefully compete someday. All the coaches are awesome (except for Andrew. He is a punk :)). Jon Ryan Preferred Name
Jon Age 42…although the grey hair might tell a different story Where did you grow up? Born and raised in Rosemount When did you become a member of Mi5 Fitness? Part-time in 2013, full-time in 2014 What do you do when you are not at Mi5? (occupation, hobbies, etc.) I’m owner in a couple of companies involved in residential construction College football fan, basic couch potato activities, spending time on the pontoon when weather allows, and drinking craft beer Chasing my kids around the house/yard is always fun How did you find out about Mi5? I drive by every day on the way to work, saw the sign on 35 for quite a few months When/How did you realize CrossFit/Mi5 was the right fit for you? I’m a competitive person by nature, and was a competitive distance runner through high school and college. After college I did some club running for about 10 years, but then that got hard to do: not enough time, and I found my body couldn’t handle the long miles any longer. I tried a number of different activities (rowing with a club in St. Paul, typical gym memberships), but nothing stuck. What I found that I really missed was having a coach, and being part of a competitive but supportive group…essentially being on a team. After getting to the point where my body could handle more than 2 workouts a week, and developing some great competitive and supportive relationships with other members, I found that I couldn’t get enough of CrossFit and the staff @ Mi5. What is your favorite WOD/movement? I always like workouts that have a fast tempo, going quickly from movement to movement, lots of tempo changes…a great mix of strength and endurance, technique and agility. What is your least favorite WOD/movement? There are activities that are more challenging than others, and sometimes you get the gym, look @ the board and tell yourself “that’s gonna suck”, but I can’t say that I really have a least favorite. Some movements are still more of a challenge for me than others (double unders, some of the Olympic lifts, etc), but I really enjoy every workout. However, given recent events, I might have to say 30” box jumps is my least favorite movement. What would your perfect WOD look like? Probably a lot like “Murph”, maybe throw a couple of rope climbs in there for good measure What is one thing you have been able to accomplish since starting at Mi5 that you never thought you'd be able to do? The Olympic lifts were the thing that scared me the most. They’re heavy on technique, and in many cases you’re throwing the weight either at, above or near your head at a high velocity. The coaches did a great job breaking down the lifts, and the continued reinforcement of the proper lifting technique is great. What motivates you to stay fit? When my twin sons were about a year old, I used to pick them both up at the same time, and carry them upstairs at night to read them stories before bedtime. I remember sitting on the couch having to catch my breath one night before I could start reading the books…time to get in shape! That, and by the time my last kid is out of the house I’ll be 60, I want to make sure that I have a great quality of life when they’re growing up, and when they’ve moved out of the house I figure even with my self-driving car and robotic personal assistant that I’ll need to be in great shape to accomplish all that I want to accomplish over the next 50+ years. What is something about you that Mi5 members do not yet know? 1 word: KARAOKE What advice would you give to someone just getting started at Mi5? Stick with it, you’ll get stronger and recover faster from the workouts as time goes. Soon you’ll get to the point where your day seems incomplete if you don’t get to the gym. Rick Gonzales Preferred Name: Rick
Age: 65, next month Where did you grow up? In between Baltimore and Washington, DC, a little town called Laurel. When did you become a member of Mi5 Fitness? September 2013, over 3 years ago. What do you do when you are not at Mi5? (occupation, hobbies, etc.) I work as an Information Technology consultant. My other hobbies (besides Crossfit!) are downhill skiing, yoga, and cooking. My wife and I are touring major league ball parks and have visited 20 so far. How did you find out about Mi5? I was at Lifetime Fitness and members I respected and worked out with were moving to Mi5. I had to find out why they were changing. When/How did you realize CrossFit/Mi5 was the right fit for you? In the first week I realized how much I enjoyed the varied movement, the challenge, and just what a great community of trainers and members were there. I don't say "I have to work out" I say "I'm going to Crossfit". A whole different attitude. What is your favorite WOD/movement? Cindy! (5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 air squats). My p.r. is 16 rounds in 20 minutes. What is your least favorite WOD/movement? Besides Burpees? I find reverse bear crawls tough. I can't get coordinated (yet). What would your perfect WOD look like? Deadlifts, pullups, bench press, bridges on stability balls, box jumps, power cleans. What is one thing you have been able to accomplish since starting at Mi5 that you never thought you'd be able to do? Handstand holds and handstand pushups. The biggest barrier was mental (being inverted) and the trainers worked with me to get over it. What motivates you to stay fit? I feel so much better and I want to maintain a very active lifestyle, no matter my age. What is something about you that Mi5 members do not yet know? I worked for years with a professional hitting coach in Maryland and was a hitting coach for various teams in Lakeville. I can see 1 swing from a player and break down the good and bad. What advice would you give to someone just getting started at Mi5? You can't change history; you start where you are and all that matters is what you do going forward. Trust the process and the trainers. Celebrate your victories and enjoy the community and the journey. 
Jen Mackey Age: 34
Where did you grow up? Waseca, MN When did you become a member of Mi5 Fitness? Started Aug 2014 with a 10 punch pass and got hooked. Full member November 2014 What do you do when you are not at Mi5? Travel, sporting events, cooking, being outside. How did you find out about Mi5? Always saw it when driving on 35. I had just moved to Lakeville and didn't know many people. I had heard of CrossFit and the community feeling sounded nice. When/How did you realize CrossFit/Mi5 was the right fit for you? When it felt like home and I really looked forward to being there. What is your favorite WOD/movement? Rope climb What is your least favorite WOD/movement? Anything with a barbell lol!! What would your perfect WOD look like? AMRAP: 2 handstand pushups, rope climb, 10 burpees, 5 toes to bar What is one thing you have been able to accomplish since starting at Mi5 that you never thought you'd be able to do? A pullup! What motivates you to stay fit? When you notice clothes fit right, you feel healthier and have more energy. What is something about you that Mi5 members do not yet know? I'm a CPA. What advice would you give to someone just getting started at Mi5? Stick with it. I wasn't able to close the car door without wincing for a week after my first class. It gets better! And the coaches, staff and members are the best! |
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July 2017
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