And the winners are…
Cat Rawers!
This one is very bittersweet as we are so, so proud of Cat’s accomplishments and presence in the gym but also sad to see her go this month.
If you know Cat, you like her. Cat’s energy, positive attitude and quiet desire to constantly get better are infectious in each class she attends. She is always smiling and supportive of not only the members, but the coaches and everyone involved in the gym.
Cat came in as a bit of a first timer and during her tenure here accomplished a lot, which includes being a member of every Level I Club, a deadlift of 240# at a body weight in the 120’s, and recently performing weighted pull-ups after not being able to do any regular pull-ups on her first day. When she first started she was on the “pretty green band”, in her own words.
Cat is a great example of how you don’t need to be obsessive over your attendance in order to see results, as her average frequency is right around twice per week.
She leaves us this month to pursue her personal aspirations in Thailand, so wish her luck next time you see her!
Get to Know Cat
How old are you and where are you from?
I am 26 years young, turning 27 in November. I grew up in Morgan Hill which is about an hour south of San Francisco between San Jose and Gilroy. There are only 3 exits, if you blink you’ll miss it.
What do you do for work?
I’ve had a variety of administrative jobs, but recently I decided to move to Thailand and get my dive master certification. SCUBA diving is a passion of mine that has always been in the back of my mind, and decided I couldn’t do another desk job and was time to make my dream a reality. I am definitely going to miss San Diego and all of the incredible friends I have met here, especially that one guy with the red beard :)
What do you do for fun?
I am a sucker for music. I have had an insatiable love for live music since high school,but when I discovered festivals I was done for. Thus began the slippery slope of spending the majority of my money on live music for the next three years. In 2012, I went to Coachella, Lightning in a Bottle, EDC and Burning Man. I have a full blown addiction. If you ever want to hear some crazy stories about any of the above, I have plenty.
What is your favorite and least favorite exercise?
Squats squats squats squats squats everrryyyyybodddaaaaay! I love ’em. I also enjoy Russian KB swings and box jumps. I’m a cat, after all, gotta stay agile.
What do you most enjoy about the gym?
Hands down, the camaraderie. I was always a solo gym goer before I joined P360. Headphones on, mind my own business, talk to no one, no eye contact. Now I look forward to seeing friends and familiar faces. I enjoy cheering others on and I appreciate when it’s directed towards me, too. It feels so good to be recognized on the board or in a video, or to be picked for Member of the Month! From my very first class last year when I couldn’t push a 35# barbell over my head to now, I have always felt welcomed and encouraged by the members and the coaches. That’s incredibly special and I feel privileged to be a part of that.
What would current Cat say to pre-P360 Cat?
“Working out is so much more than how many calories that stupid elliptical says you ‘burned’. When’s the last time you pushed yourself? Do you know how high you can actually jump? Do you know how much weight you can lift off the ground? Get out of your own way and try new things. You’ll surprise yourself.”
What’s your most proud achievement in the gym?
Cat pictured far right.
This^^
I placed 5th in strength (!) in the P360 Olympics next to those women?! Are you friggin’ kidding me?! I admire each and every one of them in so many unique ways, in and out of the gym. I was so proud to share this moment with them.
What have you learned most since training here?
I can.
What’s an embarrassing fact most people don’t know?
I am still a huge Michael Bolton and Celine Dion fat. I also wore black cowboy boots with everything when I was a kid, including my brightly colored sweat pants. I’m incredibly horrible with math. Do you know how stressful it is for me to add plate weight during my workouts?! I still count on my fingers for Pete’s sake.
What’s a hidden talent most people don’t know?
I can burp like a truck driver. I’m also really, really good at making puns. I would tell my chemistry joke, but the last time I told it there wasn’t any reaction…….
What’s your favorite cheat meal?
It’s a tie between gourmet mac n’ cheese and a Rocky’s burger with a full basket of fries and a beer. And I will demolish an entire bag of chips and salsa if left unsupervised.
What do you wish you could improve upon for yourself in the gym?
I love sprinting but I hate distance running. If I see running a mile is on the website, I automatically dismiss it. I want to change that. I need to learn how to pace, trust that I can do it and remember I don’t have to be the fastest to have a feeling of accomplishment. I have no desire do to marathons, but I want to kick ass at running that mile.
Favorite person with which you’d like to have a drink, and what you are buying them?
I gotta go with Justin Timberlake. I know it’s not the most original but I just want to hang out with him! He’s just so damn charming and talented. I’d buy him a Johnnie Walker Black on the rocks and try and maintain composure while looking at that handsome face of his.
If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A dolphin! Dolphins are just amazing – playful, social and naturally heroic. They save people from drowning, aren’t afraid to punk sharks, and are one of the most intelligent species on the planet. Plus, swimming that fast has to feel like flying, right?
You have one song to listen to on a desert island for eternity. What is it?
Ironically enough, as a music lover, this is my least favorite question. There are just so many it gives me anxiety! But right now, it’d have to be “Big Jet Plane” Stern Disco Remix, by Angus and Julia Stone. I love the original, but I heard this version while watching the most incredible sunrise at Burning Man last year. It was one of the happiest moments of my life; I’ll never forget it. Every time I hear it I’m transported back to that incredible dawn. Aaaaaand the fact that he’s singing about a jet plane would give me hope that I might actually one day be rescued from said island.
What is your biggest goal for 2013?
I want to stay in touch with my friends and family more. I’ve been horrible with that my entire life and I have never really been able to figure out why. Moving to Thailand in a couple weeks has really put things back into perspective. That’s going to be top of my list: make the call, send the postcard, schedule that Skype date. It sounds corny as hell, but my relationships with the people I love are the most important thing in the world to me. I want to be sure I show and tell them that every chance I can even while I’m away.
Um…but back to fitness stuff – I want that 245# deadlift and 5 pull strict pull-ups.
Thanks so much again, guys! I am so honored to be picked for this :)
Chris Brosig!
Chris and Cat have very similar qualities. What we previously said about Cat, we could repeat for Chris as he is always positive, nice to his fellow members and incredibly receptive to coaching.
Chris brings a great and unique attitude to the gym, in that he is hard working but not obsessive. His PRs have become pretty frequent but he can just as easily dial it down and get some good solid work in for a month and still feel validated and justified.
When Chris started, all of this was relatively new for him and the strides he has made over the past few months have been enormous, highlighted by his recent 295# x 8 sumo deadlift.
Get to Know Chris
How old are you and where are you from?
30, originally from Rockford, IL aka the armpit of America.
What do you do for work?
Project Manager for a bank.
What do you do for fun?
I love reading and learning, so if anyone has a good book or two to suggest, let me know. Besides the gym, I like to keep busy with yoga, surfing, hiking, breaking my foot skateboarding, basketball and managing my fantasy football team to a 3-0 record.
What is your favorite and least favorite exercise?
Favorite = every Olympic lift. Least favorite = double unders. I have white guy rhythm which means I move like a breadstick.
What do you most enjoy about the gym?
The new miniature water cups. Every time I throw back a shot of water it gives me dental exam flashbacks, and who doesn’t love the dentist? On top of that, I have to say the people and the energy at the gym. Everyone is always working to get better, and that’s a huge motivator for me.
What would current Chris say to pre-P360 Chris?
In addition to the obvious you should’ve joined earlier, the thing that comes to mind is to not be so intimidated. Anyone can feel and look foolish doing any exercise for the first time, but the secret is that everyone is so focused on paying attention to themselves that no one remembers that time you ate shit on that box jump.
What is your most proud achievement to date?
Proudest of my determination and persistence to get better at everything, and not having tunnel vision on one lift or another.
What have you most learned since training here?
That the joy is in the process and not the end result. Showing up day in and day out and simply giving whatever you can is extremely rewarding.
Embarrassing fact most people don’t know?
I watch way too much reality television, and I hate myself for it. Shows like House Hunters International, Million Dollar Listings, Pawn Stars, Challenge-Rivals, Catfish, Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, Real Housewives of Wherever. I should stop now, have consumed way too much of my time. Some of that I can blame on ex-girlfriends, but when I look in the mirror I see right through that bullshit excuse.
Hidden talent most people don’t know?
The ability to time my Whole Foods trips to precisely the moment the entire parking lot is full.
Famous person with which you’d most like to have a drink, and what are you buying them?
Bill Murray. Petron on the rocks. Let things get weird.
What do you wish you could improve upon in the gym?
My form is always a work in progress, but it’s so much better than month one.
If you were an animal, what would you be?
Sea turtle. I would just chill out and swim around all day everyday for the next 100 years.
You one one song on a desert island to listen to for eternity, what is it?
Prince’s Little Red Corvette. This will speed up the insanity and allow me to become best friends with a beach volleyball that much sooner.
What is your biggest goal for the rest of 2013?
Besides my new goal of hitting my head on the 9 ft ceiling in the gym, I just want to maintain health and have slow/steady progress in all of my lifts.
Once again, a huge congrats to both Cat and Chris. We’re extremely proud to have them as members.
