Featured Athlete: Martha K.

Everyone has heard the saying “hard work pays off”, and Martha is a great example of not only hard work paying off, but consistency over a period of time paying off.  While she wasn’t able to do unassisted pullups for some time, these days you can find Martha linking together kipping pullups within a workout with consistency and high standards.  Another impressing fact about Martha is that she competed in Femme Fit, alongside some of the best females in NorCal, back in 2013 after only having done CrossFit for just over one year!  In the competition, among four other workouts, one of them contained a workout where the girls had to carry a 100lb. sandbag…. the same weight sandbag which is in the 2017 California Regionals coming up next week!  All in all, her easy going personality, and positive attitude, and great work ethic, have made her an absolute joy to have at the Sweat Shop these last several years!   Check out her complete athlete profile below.

Name:  Martha Kimber
Age: 31

Q.  How long have you been doing CrossFit?

About 5 years.

Q.  What were you doing for exercise before CrossFit?

I have played soccer on various rec teams for most of my life. During high school I did soccer, cross country and track, and during college I played on various intramural teams each quarter (ultimate Frisbee, water polo, flag football, softball, soccer).

Q.  How did you begin training at CrossFit Sweat Shop?

Right before joining the Sweat Shop I was playing in a women’s indoor soccer league. Everyone around me kept getting nasty injuries, and I had a nagging ankle issue that kept flaring up. I started feeling like it was only a matter of time before I also got a serious injury.

One day I was poking around on the internet for a nearby gym, looking for a workout that would keep me interested and motivated, and would still have the “team” feel that I yearned for. I hadn’t heard much about CrossFit but I decided to give it a try. After the first few workouts at the Sweat Shop I realized that all of the coaches really know their stuff and place a huge emphasis on training us to perform the movements properly. I felt that with proper technique I was much less likely to get injured than if I kept playing rec soccer. I also loved the fact that although you are doing the movements on your own, you still feel that “team” camaraderie with the other people that are in your class.

Q.  What has been the most significant benefit or change since you’ve been a member of the Sweat Shop?

I just love feeling strong! Over the past couple of years I have had a significant change in mindset where instead of trying to lose weight or look a certain way, I feel far more motivated to work towards overall wellness. These days I am much more focused on eating high quality unprocessed foods, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and just feeling healthier overall.

Q.  What is your favorite exercise or workout?

Rope climbs. It actually took me a long time to get the foot wrap right, but once it clicked I felt like a total badass.

Q.  What is your least favorite exercise or workout?

Thrusters!

Q.  What is your favorite cheat meal/snack?

A cold craft beer on hot afternoon.

Q.  What do you enjoy most about training at CrossFit Sweat Shop?

The people! All of the coaches at the Sweat Shop are great at giving specific guidance to improve form, improve pace, or tackle a difficult skill. I also love my cohorts in the classes, the energy and enthusiasm is always infectious.

Q.  Now that you’ve been doing CrossFit, what’s one thing you could never see yourself doing again? 

Running on the treadmill indoors in a gym. There are so many other interesting and gratifying movements that you can do to get your heart rate up!

Q.  What is your proudest exercise related achievement?

Competing in Femme Fit. This was my first real competition experience and it was tough, but I was also really inspired to see so many talented and strong ladies. It also felt cool to throw around a 100# sandbag!

Q.  What advice would you give someone who is hesitant to try CrossFit?

Sign up for an on-ramp class, or do one-on-one training to get the hang of the basic movements. It may seem a bit intimidating at first, but give it a chance and realize that all the movements are scalable.

Q.  What is your most sought after exercise goal?

Short-term I am working on improving the number of strict pullups I can do unbroken. Long-term I just want to feel healthy and strong, and maintain this outlook for many more years to come.

Q.  What do you enjoy doing outside of CrossFit?

Allen and I love cooking together. It is fun to be a little creative and hone your techniques, and then when you are finished you have something delicious to eat. I love nerding out about fermented foods especially, and trying to make them from scratch. So far we have tackled beer, wine, cheese, all kinds of pickles… The next thing I want to try out is some recipes for our new smoker.

Q.  What is something you have recently purchased for less than $100 (or acquired for free) that you thoroughly enjoy and would recommend to others?

Actually this is pretty inexpensive – Epsom salts. It is super relaxing to take a hot bath after a long day. Bonus points if you remember to add a few drops of essential oil.

Q. Any advice you would give your 18 year old self?

Travel more! Read more!