Meet my FXB Instructors: Hook

Hook: a.k.a. Jess N.

I’ll start by saying that I’m writing this post with mixed emotions. I had intended to ‘showcase’ Jess this month, but I didn’t know at the time it would be as a farewell post. Today was the last official day Jess will be instructing at FXB - Columbus (I say ‘official’ because she says she’ll be back from time to time). She’s only moving over to FXB - B-town, but since I never get over there she may as well be moving to Nebraska. In the short time I’ve known Jess, she has become a dear friend. She is an amazing person who makes me smile from my face to my heart to my soul. I will truly miss walking into the gym and seeing Jess standing at the counter in the midst of some animated story. While this may be a farewell from FXB - Columbus, it’s not a farewell from my life! Love you, Jess.

Now that the mushy stuff is out of the way, let’s break down the Hook.

The most obvious reason I’d call Jess Hook is because she delivers one kick-a punch. There is no way I’d want to be the bag in one of her workouts! But that’s not the reason for her nickname.

The first time I had Jess for an instructor, this is what she looked like:

It was the first Freaky Friday I had experienced at FXB, and Jess made a very convincing (and intimidating) pirate. I remember thinking, “Man, she even added a killer tattoo to complete the look!” It wasn’t until I had her as an instructor for a non-Freaky Friday class that I realized the tattoo was all Jess. I knew then and there that she was a true pirate at heart.

But it wasn’t just my first impression or her tattoo that solidified her name. Let’s look at my research about pirates. If you’ve been following along on these posts, you should know where I’ve gone for justification: urbandictionary.com (as always, click on the link at the risk of your innocent sensibilities). According to the top definition:

The Pirate is an oft misunderstood individual who can be seen absolutely pwning everyone around him/her. Well versed in the arts of cheekiness, deceit, extortion(sp), theft, blackmail, smarmery, and crazy acrobatic sword and or knife fighting. The pirate always lands on his feet, and always wins, even when you think not. naturally hates the ninja, as ninjas are overated far too serious for their own good. 

Uh, oh. The Ninja better watch out! They appear to be good friends, but maybe it’s really a ‘keep your enemies closer’ kind of thing . . . I see that look, Brittany!

Anyway, for those who don’t know what ‘pwning’ means (this would be me—I thought maybe it was a typo), here you go:

Pwn is a leetspeak slang term derived from the verb own, as meaning to appropriate or to conquer to gain ownership. The term implies domination or humiliation of a rival, used primarily in the Internet-based video game culture to taunt an opponent who has just been soundly defeated

OK, so let’s pull out all of these ‘facts’:

• Pwning - I don’t think anyone will argue that Jess dominates the mat when she’s in da’ house.
• Cheekiness - Only someone as cheeky as Jess could have her own hashtag: #CuzJess.
• Deceit - There are times when Jess acts as though she’s sorry for making everyone work so hard. #NotBuyingIt
• Extortion - Jess is a master at extorting a Level 10 out of her class!
• Theft - See entire section below
• Blackmail - “Give me a Level 10 or I’ll make you do burpees till you puke!” OK, so she’s never said anything like that. But she could totally pull it off!
• Swarmery - I’ll be honest, I have no idea what this is. But it sounds like something Jess might have.
• Crazy Acrobatic Sword and/or Knife Fighting - I think she saves this for her fans at home.

Above I promised you an entire section on theft. Her ability to steal is the primary reason for naming Jess Hook. So, what does she steal?

Your Breath

A Jess class is far from easy, no matter if it’s kickboxing or bands. She pushes you to work hard, making you fight for every breath in the process.

Your Bands

Jess has a natural way of encouraging people to band up to that next color.

Your Excuses

In addition to instructing, Jess is an amazing coach. She has this ability to practically see into your soul, and in the process she helps you strip away your excuses for why you can’t progress.

Your Scale

If you’re too dependent on the number on the scale, she’ll steal the source of negative information right out from under your feet. Just ask Steven.

Your Friends

Speaking of Steven, she’ll even steal your friends!

Aye, we will all miss Hook. But a new treasure awaits her in B-Town. I just hope they know what they are in for . . .

~ Carrie

Meet my FXB Instructors: Boss

Boss: a.k.a. Taylor

Don’t let Taylor’s age fool you. Even though I think she’s our youngest FXB instructor, there is no question in my mind that Taylor is the Boss. Part of it is because of her no BS approach to getting things done. If a Wacky Sock Wednesday photo needs to be taken and there’s only 30 seconds left before class starts, well you best get your crazy socked feet on the mat. We’re there for a reason, and Taylor will make sure we don’t get far off track. But it’s more than that and, as usual, I’ll attempt to defend my theory.

First up are the 7 Personality Traits of a Great Boss, as outlined by salary.com

Honesty

Taylor doesn’t sugarcoat things on the mat. If you need to do more burpees, she will tell you. If you need to kick a little harder, she will tell you. Some might not be able to handle her level honesty, but that’s OK. She can just tell them to toughen up.

Integrity

Taylor definitely walks the walk. She works at the same level on the mat as she pushes everyone else to achieve.

Commanding Presence

Um, yep.

Optimism

She may not always want to admit it, but I can see it in her eyes. She’s an optimist, even if her honesty tries to bring her down from time to time.

Supportive

Taylor was one of my coaches during my 10-week challenge. She was a huge support to me then, and continues to be the same today. I know I’m not the only one that can count on Taylor to be there in a time of need.

Inspirational

Just watching Taylor out on the mat is an inspiration. She pushes hard, even when she might not be feeling all too well.

Sense of humor

Taylor can be on the quiet side, but when you can get her talking the laughs are sure to come. Besides, she has to have a very good sense of humor to put up with many of us at FXB!

Next up for justification is my favorite: urbandictionary.com. According to this legendary site, Boss is a term used to describe something/someone that is “supercool, fly, awesome to the max.” Check, check and check!

Finally, we have RBF. Taylor herself will tell you that she has classic RBF. For those of you not in the know, traditionally RBF stands for Resting Bitch Face. However, in Taylor’s case, that’s not the definition.

RBF actually stands for Resting Boss Face.

Bottom line is that Taylor gets it done—like a Boss. And I, for one, am grateful!

~ Carrie

Clarity, Courage, & Endurance

“Please give me the clarity to see the path in front of me, the courage to take it, and the endurance to stay on it.”

This was the prayer I said back in May of 2013 when I first started my leave from Cummins. I was about to embark on a journey that was new to me—a stay at home mom. I was also trying to once and for all find a solution to my health and fitness issues. I couldn’t clearly see the path in front of me at the time, but I knew it was there. I just had to find it, take it, and then stay the course.

For my career, I saw the path before me but I was scared to take it. I had to take a lot of deep breaths, but I found the courage to write and publish my novels. The endurance for me to stay on this path is connected to my courage to even write. It’s still hard to me to say out loud that I’m a published author without it coming out sounding like a question rather than a statement. But I’m getting there.

For my health and fitness, I didn’t see the path at first. I had planned to tackle it on my own, using the knowledge I had gained from all the previous programs I had been a part of. But then one day my husband called to chat and asked me if I had ever considered doing Farrell’s. The call came at a time when I didn’t know how to move forward. Suddenly, my path had been shown to me and I started my 10-week session the next week. I’ve built up my endurance over the last year for the workouts, and I’ve got that down. Most of the time people have to convince me to take a break. It’s the nutrition part that I’ve got to overcome. I have to address my binge eating disorder. I don’t like how it makes me feel, not just physically but emotionally too.

Now I’ve been given another path. A path that I know will help me because I can feel it in my soul. It took me a while to find the courage to take the path, talking myself out of it every other day. But then finally I did it—I reached out and asked for help. If you’ve been following my blog then you might remember that I have difficulty doing that. Now I have to find the endurance to stay honest and true. I have to continue to let go and stop trying to do this alone. I have to trust those around me and let them help me.

Back in 2013 when I first said my little prayer, I thought I was going to be answered with one path. What I’ve discovered is that what lies before me is a series of paths that interconnect. This is now a constant prayer in my life.

With the start of the new year approaching and goals being established, I’d like to extend this prayer to you. Even if you don’t believe in prayer, let me extend it to you as positive energy.

May you all gain clarity to see the path before you, find the courage to take it, and have the endurance to stay on it.

~ Carrie

Meet my FXB Instructors: The Liger

The Liger: a.k.a. Pete

The first time I had Pete for an instructor was back during my first 10 weeks at FXB. About halfway through the workout I thought, “Man, this guy is funny.” Over this past year I’ve concluded that Pete jokes around while on the mic for two primary reasons:

(1) He’s naturally funny.

(2) He aims to give us the best workout possible. His jokes make us laugh, which makes it harder to hold a resistance band, and therefore we work harder. In addition, laughing burns extra calories.

If you’ve attended one of Pete’s workouts, then you’ve likely heard such cracks as:

“Protect your money-maker!”

“Show off your Superman quads.”

“I just want to hear a gentle rain before the thunderstorm.”

“Are your biscuits burning yet?”

“Bueller . . . Bueller . . .”

But that’s not all. He can get creative in the workouts as well. I was extremely disappointed to have missed his session where he introduced The Easter Egg Hunt. Maybe someday he’ll bring it back.

It should be no surprise that for a while I considered Pete “The Joker.” However, whenever I think of The Joker, I think of this guy:

Well, Pete is no villain so that just wasn’t going to do. I had to come up with something more creative that would be worthy of the all the awesomeness that is Pete. As I’ve gotten to know Pete better, I’ve learned that he’s kind of a Napoleon Dynamite fan. I imagine that he’d be able to apply some of the Napoleon Dynamite quotes to his roles at FXB.

Instructor

He could use this during a kickboxing burn out.

Coach

I think his 10 week students would appreciate this kind of direct approach.

FIT Member

Pete could intimidate his bag partner with this one. Because he probably does have secret ninja skills he learned from the government.

Fun Day Participant

Although for Pete, the tots would be replaced with donuts. But only on Saturday Fun Days.

The shared ability to deliver hysterical one-liners isn’t the only reason I reference Napoleon Dynamite in this post. Enter the Liger.

I know Napoleon Dynamite didn’t invent the liger, but the movie certainly made it more popular. The Liger just seemed a fitting nickname for our Pete. Why, you ask? For one, the liger is bred for magic (at least according to Napoleon Dynamite) and Pete must have some magic skills. How else can he make a 45 minute beating, er workout, seem fun and fast? Magic—that’s how. Also, the liger is a cross between a Lion and a Tiger. I’ll show you how I think this fits Pete with just a few examples.

The Lion

According to the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences, lions are highly territorial. They are known to occupy the same territory for generations. At FXB, Pete has his specific territory. It’s a good thing he arrives early enough to ensure he gets his spot, because I’m not sure I want to see what would happen if someone tries to take his square!

Lions have been a symbol for strength and courage throughout history. Not only is Pete strong, but he makes each and every one of us stronger as well. And his courage can be seen mainly through one of his non-FXB lives where he often steps on the stage to portray a character in one of many plays.

The Tiger

Pete’s Chinese zodiac sign is the Tiger. Coincidence? Me thinks not. The primary characteristics of someone born in the year of the Tiger are: Powerful, Tough, Dynamic, and Mighty. Yep, that sounds about right.

Tigers also maintain control over their territories by constantly patrolling them. Pete’s got that down.

So, Pete is The Liger to me. If you haven’t already, you really should attend one of his magical classes! And when you do, Napoleon Dynamite would only have one thing to say:

The path less traveled

A couple months ago I posted about how I was afraid to take time off my workouts so I could recover from an injury to my foot. I thought it was about time I give you an update to let you know the result of this most recent test to my journey.

To briefly recap what happened: at the beginning of August I had spent about 3 days painting my home office (barefoot). My foot was sore after that, and then later in the week I ended up hurting it at the end of a kickboxing session. I kept going to my workouts on a restricted plan, but then hurt it again about a month later. I was forced to take time off of not only workouts, but off most activities that required me to be on my feet a lot. I was scared that the time off would set me back.

I took a full week and a half off my workouts, as well as most activities at home. I then went back to my workouts but just for the resistance training days. After a week of that, I eased back into kickboxing.

I’ve been hesitant to write this post because I don’t want to jinx anything—because that’s how my life rolls. So I won’t tell you how my foot is doing, but I’ll let you come to that conclusion on your own based on my cryptic message here.

Instead, I’ll focus on how I survived this break mentally/emotionally.

When my injury occurred, I was disappointed that it happened so close to the one year mark for me. I wanted to finish out the year strong and log more than the 299 workouts I was able to do. I was on pace to have only missed 3 workouts total in that one year. However, now I see that it was the best time for me to sit out. One of the things I was afraid of was that the time off would give me the excuse to start skipping more days for various reasons. You know those reasons:

• My writing is finally in the groove and I don’t want to stop
• I’m too tired
• I have laundry to do
• It’s too hot
• My eye is twitching
• I have to go to the store
• I have cramps
• Fall TV started and there are only so many hours in a day
• I forgot to charge my Fitbit

The list could go on and on and on . . . But with my rolling over into a new year, I wanted to get back in because I knew I was starting fresh again. It’s motivating to see how many I can log this year. Thankfully, I’m no longer afraid of excuses keeping me off the mat. At least for the next year.

My other fear was that I would suffer a setback. In this case, what I learned is that I need FXB. It’s actually hard for me to type that. I feel like I should be able to sustain my healthy lifestyle on my own. I mean, what if we move? What if the Jedi Master (Erik) and Lindsay move and close up Columbus FXB? What if some day I sustain a larger injury that takes me out completely?

I’ve always been a very independent person. I’ll admit that part of it is because I’m kind of a control freak. I’m working on it, but I suppose it’s good that I’m my own boss now. Because of this desire to control things, I’ve learned to do most things on my own. But for some reason my health and fitness is one area of my life that I can’t seem to maintain control over without help from others.

I know what some of you might be thinking. You’d tell me that I am controlling it. That I was the one who made the decision to sign up for FXB. That I’m the one who made it a point to push myself to 299 workouts in one year, even on the days when I didn’t want to.

I get all that, I do. I even believe it. But the thing is, when that’s not an option I’m still not doing so good. I had these great plans to still workout while I was at home. I have bands. I have free weights. I have a Bowflex machine. Even with all of that, I only worked out a total of 1.5 times in that week and a half that I was off. My nutrition wasn’t great. Then again, it’s not great when I’m going to FXB on a regular basis either. It’s still my struggle point. I’m making progress, but I’ve accepted that it will take me time to get where I want to be.

I’ve been thinking about it, and I figure I can approach this realization in one of two ways.

1) Be disappointed in myself.

This is the most natural path for me. The path is nice and paved. It might be dark and depressing, but I know where it goes. I’ve been down that path so many times before. I could beat myself up for not being strong enough to do this on my own. For being too dependent on a program to achieve my success.

2) Accept that in this journey I will always need help.

This path is less familiar for me, and I haven’t traveled down it often. I live to help others. It’s one of the reasons I write. I get a huge surge of gratitude when someone tells me how much my writing has helped them. I had always felt that the one thing missing in my life was helping others. Now I get to and I’m so blessed. Yet, I don’t like to accept help. I don’t know why. I’ve not analyzed that side of me yet, but I’m sure that some day I will. As a result, I’m not familiar with accepting the fact that in some things I will always need the help of someone else. For me, it’s my health and fitness journey. My monster challenges me when I’m alone (physically or emotionally) and so I suppose my answer is that I can never be alone on this journey. And I have to find a way to be OK with that.

In case you’re wondering, I’m picking the second path. I’m just so thankful to have found a family that is willing to stick by me through the good and the bad.

~ Carrie