More Than Just Fitness

For Time:
10 Deadlifts 205/135
20 Wall Balls 20/14
30 Burpees
40 Abmat Situps
50 Double Unders
40 Abmat Situps
30 Burpees
20 Wall Balls 20/14
10 Deadlifts 205/135

I’ve been personally training Emma Hollis for the past couple months. She has been making great improvements on her form in the Olympic lifts and it’s been a pleasure to work with her. Here is what Emma has to say about how working hard at CFES has helped her with life outside of the gym.

I was always told that I would never be a true athlete. I was born with asthma, and doctors said that I would have to live with 70% available oxygen my whole life. Even though I took part in rec sports like swimming and soccer for several years, it was a struggle to keep up, which was discouraging. I worked with my pulmonologist to test several different medicines and found one without awful side effects. I still was at about 75% in terms of the maximum amount of oxygen I could take in.

I started coming to CFES when I was a sophomore in high school after trying crew, which caused me to have asthma attacks every day during practice. The only part of crew I enjoyed was cross training, so I thought I might like CrossFit. CFES has truly changed my life. It’s helped me with endurance, strength and I feel much more confident in my physical abilities. Recently I learned from my doctor that I’ve reached 97% oxygen intake, almost normal.  I do still use medication for asthma, but I attribute most of the improvement to my training at East Sac.

Not only have I gained better endurance, but CFES has helped me grow as a person. I’ve learned I have to put in the time and work if I want to reach the goals I set for myself. When I talk to people about being a teenager in CrossFit, they always tell me that they wish that they had started when they were my age.  Being a part of such a strenuous program is extremely beneficial for me and it has helped my self-confidence grow. It has boosted my acceptance of myself. I now realize that I don’t always have to be the best at everything. I don’t get down on myself if I’m not the strongest, or the most fit.  I know that there will always be someone who is stronger or faster than me, and I can use that person as a role model for myself.

Every time I attend a workout, I look forward to it, and I’ve never said that about any sport that I have previously been a part of.  I look forward to seeing my coaches, and all of my friends. Working out with people who have the same passion as I do, makes it 10 times more fun. I was overjoyed when I found out that my oxygen intake jumped up 23% just in the last 10 months.  Having struggled my whole life with physical activity, being able to say that I have normal lung function is pretty incredible.  Thank you to CFES for the endless amount of support.  I am now proud that to call my self a true athlete.

-Emma Hollis

Thank you for sharing Emma! We love seeing you kicking butt here at CFES!