Athlete Story - Kelly Schuetze
I apprehensively walked through the doors of Nasty Habit CrossFit in 2016 with my husband at my side.
I had this perception that CrossFit was for chiseled gods and goddesses that were half my age so I was extremely resistant and so nervous to try it. At the time I was 41, at my heaviest and feeling sluggish with chronic back pain. My profession as a 911 Dispatcher is demanding, stressful and requires me to work all hours of the day. I am a mother, a step mother, a wife and working 2 jobs in excess of 60 hours a week. Life was hectic, my nutrition was not on point and I had no time for myself but I needed a change and more importantly was desperate for some support.
Nasty Habit provided that to me as well as an amazing community of genuinely true, honest and loving people. It helped me realize that I was missing a support system that had absolutely nothing to do with my occupation and everything to do with pushing my limits, believing in my strengths and me even when I didn’t believe in myself, trusting my coaches and communal hard work and accomplishments. It’s not uncommon to witness when a fellow athlete is pushing to complete a work out or a heavy lift and everyone rallies around them and cheers them toward victory or to accept that they have set a target for the next time we see that workout.
The coaches are supportive and take the time to offer suggestions to help modify movements that may be more advanced than my capabilities; can recognize if I need some encouragement to push through the final few minutes of a workout; challenge me to try new skills; convince me to work on my weaknesses to turn them into strengths (or at least make burpees tolerable); adjust my form to make a lift safer and stronger; and most importantly celebrate my accomplishments.
Since joining Nasty Habit CrossFit, I carry myself with more confidence. I have improved my cardiac capacity to the point where I have completed multiple 5ks which is huge because anyone that knows me, knows that I very much dislike running. I have improved my weightlifting technique by joining our Barbell Club and gotten some valuable tips from our amazing lifting coach, Liz, and it shows in my 1 Rep Max numbers.
Waiting for coach to yell “3, 2, 1 GO!!” my life’s stress melts away and it’s only me and that WOD. For that one hour, it’s only me against me, standing beside fellow athletes and under my coach’s watchful eye.
The most surprising side effect by joining Nasty Habit CrossFit, I am now looking at what my body can do and not how I look. I no longer focus on what I thought were my physical flaws but instead being proud of my victories (and my traps)! I have become a better mother, friend, wife and coworker because I now practice healthy self-care. I no longer feel guilty about gifting myself 1 hour a day to refill what I have given everyone else for the other 16 hours of my day.
-Kelly Schuetze
