It’s time for another JR CrossFit Athlete Spotlight! This time, we talked with Jazz Gonzales about why she decided to start CrossFit, her experience competing at the Girls Gone RX competition last month, and much more. Check out our full interview below.
Tell us about yourself: When did you join JR CrossFit?
My name is actually Carina, pronounced like Sarina, I go by my middle name Jazz which I prefer. I am 26, so actually a lot older then I look haha! I work for an Insurance Company as an auto adjuster, I’m a dog mom to my 6lb baby Maya and before CrossFit my only real friend was my boyfriend. I joined JR in August 2020, after I got really dedicated to working out in February the same year when within a month I lost 15lbs for a weight loss competition with my job before COVID took over. Before CrossFit I was a Camp Gladiator member Monday-Friday and made so much progress into a fitter lifestyle that I gained much needed confidence to get myself to walk into a box without chickening out.
Why did you choose JR CrossFit?
I realized I wanted something more from a workout then what I was getting and I know personally I am not that creative in the gym alone to stay dedicated. I work out better with a group, I think it’s the right amount of peer pressure for somebody who wants to be better. I chose JR honestly through google, never heard of JR so I signed up for the Saturday class to try it out and I was hooked ever since. The Elements course was perfect for me since I had no idea what a snatch, clean or what a kipping pull-up was let alone what the word EMOM or WOD meant.
What’s your favorite thing about it?
My favorite is honestly the people. CrossFit is already intimidating from the work-outs and when joining a box there is a stigma the athletes are not the nicest people. Every day I walk in I am constantly greeted and welcomed into this community and that alone builds confidence. Also the WOD’s, I don’t like to see the WOD before signing up for a class, I like to be surprised or I will sike myself out and overthink my weight being lifted that day or get so nervous I’ll gas myself out during the warm-up.
What kind of progress have you seen since you started?
I used to ONLY feel comfortable in big shirts and now I noticed my confidence back in clothes I wear due to CrossFit, to me having huge arms and legs was embarrassing but now showing them off here and there makes me excited. I have also gotten stronger and it’s amazing, never did I think I would be able to do a kipping pull-up or lift about my own weight on a bar without seriously injuring myself. My mental health has improved as well, there have been days I go to the box and I have had the worst day because work and life got a bit overwhelming, but nobody ever knew because I put that energy and stress into the work-out and made sure when I was done I had to lay on the ground and breath.
How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated through the community and COVID! I used to love being out and about all the time but with the pandemic the box is my out time, it is my sanity and all I want to do is keep lifting and learning.
Last month, you and the JR CrossFit competitors class competed in the Girls Gone RX competition. How did JR Coaching help prepare you for that?
The coaching helped a ton! I would not have been able to have competed if it weren’t for Kae and Jai asking me to be apart of the class, it was exciting to know they saw something in me. I was extremely excited when Haylie asked if I wanted to compete and that my teammates Treasure and Faith were so into it I knew I could not slack off for them.
What are some of your CrossFit and fitness goals going forward?
I just want to keep getting stronger, I have only been apart of CrossFit for four months now and I’m ready to see the improvements that I will make in a year. Cardio is my super power all day but noticing my weight on a bar go up is impeccable.
What advice would you give to someone considering joining JR CrossFit?
My advice would be that your body is capable of a lot more then what you think it is. But when you do get that mental block, it’s normal and this community at this box will always support you and coach you to getting you where you need to be. I chose the first CrossFit box when I looked it up in google and from my first Saturday Community WOD there I knew it was the box for me.