Anya Chambers

Certificates: CF-L2, CF-Gymnastics, CF-Kids

Started CrossFit: 2010

Favorite Lift: Snatch

Favorite Gymnastics Movement: Toes to Bar

Favorite Benchmark WOD: Grace

How did you get into CrossFit?

• A ten class pass and a lot of convincing.

What are some of the benefits you have seen from doing CrossFit?

• I have new found respect for the human body, its capacity to learn and adapt, its resilience. I have certainly improved in all of my physical capacities since starting CrossFit, most noticeably speed, strength and coordination but I have also seen a tremendous shift in how I see the connection between mind and body. Its one thing to realize that being mentally stressed will have physical consequences, it a whole different ballgame to experience how controlled movement or breathing can change your perception of reality.

What do you love most about CrossFit?

• I love its capacity to empower people and to tangibly improve the lives of individuals and communities. I love how it is a system with strong foundational principles which yet remains open to change and experiment. I also like being able to move really heavy things, doing gymnastics never having done it as a kid and also being able to open my own jars without asking for help.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone starting CrossFit?

• Walk in to the gym with zero expectations and listen to your coaches. Contrary to popular myth Crossfit isn't about finding exciting new ways to make you suffer, its about setting you up with challenges and training you to get through them successfully. Well, ultimately its a matter of perspective. So consider each time you are faced with a workout an opportunity to learn and get better at something. And while you might know more about marketing or management or how you think you're moving that barbell, trust your coaches when it comes to the workout at hand, whether it means going lighter than you think or trying something new. We study, train and teach human movement and its our job to set you up for success and growth.

What are some things you like to do outside of CrossFit?

• As far as physical activities go I love yoga, hiking, cycling, standup paddle boarding and surfing, honestly give me a game and I'll play it. My main job is being mom to my three kids and I am the lyric essays editor for Muse /A Journal. If I get an opportunity to be out on the town I'm a strong supporter of the visual and performing arts scene.

What’s some advice you’d like to give to our members?

• Goals are awesome, they are a great way to keep you motivated and we all know how good it feels to finally hit that PR or achieve a skill that we have been trying to figure out, so please set yourself up with tangible goals and know your numbers. But lets take Emerson's famous quote that "life is a journey, not a destination" and apply it to your fitness journey: every goal that you achieve isn't an endpoint, its just a point along a line which keeps stretching towards a horizon. And when it comes to fitness we move along that line by the force of practice and training, not magic or fortune. Our bodies acquire skills progressively so if you want to get the most out of your training start at learning the basics of good movement, then practice that good form through repetition and then add intensity as you go along whether by speed, load or increasing range of motion. If you stick to that progression, if you are consistent and mindfull and don't forget to have fun in the process, you're on your way and its going to be a good trip.