Tonya’s Story: Building A Believer

Hi Crossfit,

I hope that everyone can appreciate the bravery it takes for a woman to publish her measurements but I would like to share my journey so far in the hopes of encouraging someone else to stick with it, there are lots of new faces lately.

My first time at Crossfit, I did a tabata workout with Kim, I almost died….I mean I thought I was literally going to have a stroke.  I could hardly walk for a full week afterwards.  It took me a month to get my nerve up, and my husband insisting, before I went back to really try it.  You see, Roland had already been bitten by the bug and was a full-on member of the cult.  He kept after me to come back and try it.  Took away all my excuses and made it possible that he would attend in the morning, and I could attend in the evenings.  Volunteered to take the kids, do the laundry, whatever it took to get me in there (thanks babe)…. That first class, was it ever hard.  I was in tears when I left.  It was brutal.  But I went back the very next day.  And kept going and going.  It didn’t take too long before I could feel it starting to take hold.  The addiction.  The punishment.  The feeling of pushing yourself and challenging yourself like never before.  Feeling strong, confident.  Mentally clear.  If I went a day or two without a class, I felt off-course.

I started measuring myself the first time almost a month into it.  Here are my results so far:

Date:                                    Oct 25/09                                    Nov 5/09                        Jan 8/10

Waist                                    37”                                                36.5”                                    35.5”

Hips                                     41”                                                40                                    39.5”

Bust                                    39”                                                35.5”                                    35”

This of course is nothing compared to my ability and improvement in my squats, weights, and running.  I still have a long way to go.  I have goals set and once I reach those, I will have new goals.  This is a lifestyle that my husband and I have now adopted and are completely committed to.  Crossfit may be the hardest thing you’ve ever done but the rewards to your health and well-being are immeasurable.  The team atmosphere, the support of the trainers, and the encouragement of the members I have been lucky enough to meet have been such a tremendous source of inspiration.  I thank you for getting me back on a path to feeling healthy and strong.  You guys rock!

Tonya Link

FirePower Note: This is from January 2010.  We’ll get Tanya to keep us posted of her progress and update for March. We’re SUPER PROUD of you Tonya!

FirePower CrossFit Foundations Program

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Getting Started: What to do:

1. First, congratulate yourself on you interest in attaining first class of functional fitness.
   Our FirePower family is the most welcoming you’ll find in town. We all work side by side, some fit, some working to get there. No one is left out, no one is left behind!
2. ALL new members must complete out “CROSSFIT FOUNDATIONS” program before joining the regularly scheduled CrossFit classes on the floor. It is vital to learn how to execute the major CrossFit elements/moves properly. The FOUNDATIONS program does just that, kicking your butt straight to your first regular CrossFit class with a group.

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CROSSFIT FOUNDATIONS Program:

• 5 one hour CrossFit personal training sessions (discounted price)
• Remainder of your month of CrossFit Workouts FREE!
• Initial health assessment, goal setting, and nutritional counseling
• A journal to track your workouts and food intake
• Total package value: $440

One Time Cost: $200  + GST

Call or email Kim Turley-Smith to book your sessions today or if you have any further questions: 905-875-4211

Families Who Play Together, Stay Together

The FirePower Family is Strong!!

Family values are at the core of our business…from the Savard family, to the Arnold family, to our FirePower family.  It infiltrates every decision we make about business including class times, who teaches when, and who we attract as members.

You may not realize but the idea of “FirePower” came from George’s and my desire to simply A) have a place to workout together; and B) have an environment our twins (6 months old at the time) could grow up knowing family time, health, and hard work.  FirePower Boxing was born from a hobby we loved and wanted to share with our community using a small 10ft wide room inside a high school, and then grew into the FirePower Training facility and culture you know today.

Families Who Play Together, Stay Together

This has been our business motto from Day 1.  We strongly encourage other families to join us!  Very few sports allow families to sweat it out side by side in a class together, encouraging each other, making fun of each other, getting fit together. Husbands/wives, sisters/brothers, mothers/daughters, fathers/sons, etc.  New to us this year is our Super Kids program, taught by CrossFit parents, and finally allowing young children to play too.  This fall, we’ll be continuing with our after school program again.

Here’s a list of SOME of our FirePower Families who play with us:

• Chris & Tracy Hummel
• Scott & Jordan Kerr
• Jeff, Dan, Michelle, Andrea, Alyssa, Alisha Ramlogan
• Carmen, George, Vicky, Alex, Adam Schembri
• Grant & Chris Fowler
• Kim/Randy Smith + 3
• Mellyssa DaSilva, Jason Enriquez, Maria DaSilva
• Doug & Joel Herder
• Brad & Andrea Maguire
• Zena & Steve Reynolds
• Trish, Chris, Connor Lamont
• Jason & Tammy Vallaire
• and more!

Family time is the sole reason FirePower doesn’t currently have Sunday classes. We’ve been protective of our need for recharging our family after a busy week.  Thankfully as our FirePower family grows with volunteers, this will soon change and we can offer Sunday workout times.

Starting in August, look for bi-monthly FirePower Family Days on Sunday afternoons.  Just like Family Day in February, we will have family-friendly WODs, kids CrossFit area while parents workout, BBQ, music, and laughter.  The way a Sunday should be!

Thanks FirePower Family for letting us be part of your family.

Andrea

A Day of Firsts

First great effort from everyone this morning. We are finding our strengths and weaknesses with these workouts! 

Kim – great work with the red band on those ring dips you are 90 percent there!

Jen – Handstand push ups – like Kim you are 90 percent there, great work with the bands, we will have you cooking for the CrossFit Qualifiers.

Arlene – First day doing a full depth squat, now you know how, there is no going back! 

Jon – from Mississauga Fire and CrossFit Element, thanks for coming in and sharing your vast knowledge base and patience, we are happy to have you with us, whenever you can make it. We hope to see Jon around a bit more helping us out. 

On another note, I’d just like to give huge props to Jenny who comes in every morning and grinds away at these workouts.  For the Elizabeth workout she moved 85 pounds in a squat clean 45 times! Two weeks ago when we started doing squat cleans with Jenny, she maxed out at 65 lbs.  Her great technique and strength coupled with her perseverance are an amazing combination and optimizes the CrossFit mentality.  It may have taken her twice as long as some other people with lighter weight, but she challenged herself and got closer to the prescribed weight. I admire that work effort, especially since it is before she has to go start a 13 hour workday.  She lifted more weight and did more work then any other women in the gym today.

Way to go Jenny, you are awesome!

Hopefully every day when you come into FirePower CrossFit you are learning new skills, working on your technique, becoming stronger mentally and physically. This is your gym, we are just the conduit to help you achieve your goals. 

Keep it up!

Jennifer Morris going to Crossfit Games Regional Qualifier

Hey guys, I just wanted to let you all know that Jennifer Morris will be attending the Crossfit Games Regional Qualifier in New Brunswick in two weeks.  She will be in the gym alot more than normal preparing for this event.  When you see her pass on some encouraging words, however she might not here you because she will be in the “zone”…you know, the special place you go when you are deep in the suck!  Anyway, good luck Jen, I know you will make your Firepower family proud!

See you all in the gym!

-Brian

Mike & Tracey Hector Welcome Home The Twins!

Congratulations to FirePower’s fav paramedic Mike Hector on the safe arrival of Connor and Tyler.

Birth was on Mar 19/09 @ 11:12 and 11:14.

In the picture, Left side is Connor( 6.5 lbs), right side is Tyler ( 8.5 lbs) and big brother Owen ( 22months) on the far left.  Daddy with his shabby Habs shirt needs to get with a real team.  Hope you like the Leaf jackets Mike!  There’s more where they came from!!!!!! 

Season Opener – April 4! Emma’s 2009 Season Gets FIREPOWERED!

She’s done the hard work, now it’s her time to shine…

We’re super excited to see FirePower athlete and professional jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson launch her new 2009 season on April 4th.  Emma has put in a solid effort in her first off-season of using CrossFit.  She’s fit and she’s mentally ready.

Keep an eye on her web site for race days and times.  Emma-Jayne Wilson

We’re planning to have a FirePower invasion of Woodbine Race Track in May to cheer Emma on…and maybe win some cash!!.  Watch our site for day(s) and times.

Photo credits:  Michelle Yu and Dave Landry.

Member Achievement Spotlight: Jordan Kerr

Commitment and dedication pays off.

Just ask 15 year-old FirePower athlete Jordan Kerr.

Jordan has spent the last 4 years training with Team FirePower, perfecting his lift technique, dramatically increasing his CrossFit conditioning, and developing a champion mentality for on the ice, on the football field & in the boxing ring.

In June 2008, Team FirePower coached Jordan to an impressive first win of his boxing career.  This decisive win was against an opponent with over a 1 ft height advantage!!  His 3 months of CrossFit conditioning and his intensive boxing & sparring training was strongly noticed by the 300 audience members and even the TV commentators.

Since then, Jordan has focused on his CrossFit training and lifting with impressive results.  With his current body weight at 138lbs, here’s a sample of his current Olympic Lifting PB’s:

• Deadlift:  305lbs  (220x his body weight)
• Hang Clean:  195lbs
• Squat: 305lbs

Jordan also participates in FirePower Hockey – an intensive summer hockey program for OHL and NHL athletes.  His fitness level far exceeds the million $ athletes he trains with!  If you happen to catch a glimpse of Jordan training, you’ll see an example of focus, commitment, passion and an awesome attitude!

Check out this video of his 305 squat! mov00926

Defining People…Defining Moments: Jay & Tammy’s Story

Tammy & Jay’s Lifestyle Change.  How putting a little FirePower into your life can make a BIG difference!

Jay and I joined FirePower Training in October and cannot believe how becoming members of FirePower can change you both mentally and physically. I just had our second son 6 months ago and was trying to work off the excess baby weight I put on (80 lbs of it) and over the summer with Jay’s busy schedule he was slowly adding the pounds.

He decided to check out the facilities one day and asked how many classes in a day you could do.  George replied I don’t think that your body will be able to do more than one.  We both decided to try out a week of the beginners class and of course chose to start when Travis was on a Walking Lunges kick. We have never been in so much pain, I think child birth was easier. After that week we were addicted.

In only a few short months I have noticed such a big difference in Jay. In the 16 years that we have been together he has never looked better. We would like to thank Travis, George, Chris and Brian for always being there to guide us and of course, yell at us when we need it. Actually, the real reason was we were having nightmares of Travis yelling at us when we got back for being out of shape in only a week.

It has become a lifestyle change for us,  when we were on vacation we continued to keep up with our workouts everyday, using dumbbells to do kettle swings, workout benches to do box jumps.

We have not changed how we eat, what we have changed is making sure we get to workout at least 5 times a week. It has become such an addiction that we try to find someone to watch both the kids so we can go at the same time or we will do a switch off. Even on days when we are so tired we make it in and we feel awesome after the workout. Each day is a challenge, but each day we get stronger.

I have attached pics of us…Jay at a size 42 and now a 34/36….me at a size 12/14 and now a 5/6.

Tammy

Member’s Success: Nancys Leap of Faith!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to work one on one with Nancy.  I wanted share what happened with all of you in hopes of inspiring similar feats.  Nancy has been with us since day one, and anytime a WOD came along that called for box jumps, Nancy would grab a 12 inch box.  This was not because of her lack of ability, but simply because she feared failing and somehow injuring herself in the process.  Well yesterday like a villainous schoolmaster I was determined she use a 20 inch box.  Those of you that made the workout know it was 50 grueling rounds.  She began jumping cautiously and gradually became more comfortable with the higher jump.  When she was finished, soaked with sweat, and breathing hard, I explained how many box jumps she had completed.  The subsequent grin would have lit up downtown Toronto during the recent blackout!  I then secured her promise to no longer use the 12 inch box.

I’m sharing this story because many of you still use the kettlebell you started with, or are still doing jumping pull ups instead moving to the next level.  Many of you sometimes begin a WOD with a certain weight, then strip off plates when the going gets tough.  Now, I know some(most, okay all) of these workouts are tough, but you need to listen to us when we tell you that you can do more!  When you come in next time, use the next size kettlebell, try pull ups or ring dips with bands.  Tell yourself the you will get stronger and don’t take no for an answer.  If you are stalling in your progress, ask yourself, when  was the last time I changed my weight, box, etc.  When you see Nancy in the gym tell her to keep up the good work!

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