Brenda Chery
Congrats to Brenda Chery on being our March Athlete of the Month!
Name: Brenda Chery
Age: 44
Hometown: I was born in St. Lucia but I moved to Barbados at a very young age. I identify with Barbados as home.
How long have you been CrossFitting? I started in April 2017. I didn’t go much initially because I had some lengthy pre-planned trips; as well as work commitments, which limited me from attending. I made up my mind seriously about it in May 2018 and I think I have been to almost every class since then.
What is your favorite WOD/Exercise? I never thought I’d hear myself say this but I like any workout which predominantly involves weightlifting; I like especially cleans and thrusters. I also look forward to pull-ups and wall ball.
What is your least favorite WOD/Exercise? I wish I could say none; but a WOD with running and burpees challenge me. I don’t love burpees to be honest. I have always struggled with running but I have come a long way with my running thanks to the tips and encouragement from the coaches. I am however committed to getting better at them both!
What are your previous workout/athletic background? I played lawn tennis for a number of years. Great at it! I also played squash and badminton. Growing up I played most racket sports because I am a natural at hand-eye coordination.
What was your first experience at CrossFit Cayman like? A friend told me about CrossFit and prior to starting; I did some research on it. The feedback was encouraging. When I started the foundation sessions I was interested in wanting to learn more. I recall Matt saying that a small fraction of interests stay and I remember thinking I want to be a part of that fraction. Though I was eager, I was apprehensive at the same time; apprehensive because I didn’t have much weightlifting experience and I doubted my abilities a lot.
What results have you seen since CrossFitting? Active aging – that’s my motto. I am fitter of course – when I first started I was barely able to run 100 meters and recently, I actually ran a mile. I have gained a lot more confidence where my abilities are concerned. Strength, muscle and gradual weight loss are also evident.
What do you do to get yourself through a tough workout (mental thoughts, tips and tricks, etc.)? I lift, I run, I jump, I squat, I scream, I breathe and I tell myself “just keep breathing.” Sometimes I tell myself, “if you push just a little harder… think about the results” “You think you’re gonna die, but you won’t die…” Sometimes I just think about other things that have nothing to do with the workout – this helps. Recently I have been listening to music to get me through my runs.
What’s your favorite aspect about working out at CrossFit Cayman? I enjoy the coaching entirely. I think we have the greatest coaches!!! Never mind I sometimes go to bed hearing “come on Brenda, let’s go Brenda” (thank you Amanda and Tarasa. You guys are the best!). I like especially that before we start every WOD we are given and shown great tips and reminders of proper techniques; and safety is always of great paramount. The camaraderie and the environment on a whole are also very supportive and amazing.
What advice do you have for someone thinking about joining CrossFit Cayman? I believe that most of us have some kind of idea of the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle and I believe that everyone at some point in their lives have tried one or several methods, like I did. With CrossFit I feel like I’ve found my niche. I am somewhat of an activist for CrossFit now (**wink**). I would therefore tell anyone thinking of joining CrossFit Cayman that it is hard work which calls for commitment but springs great results. I would also advise them to give it an honest try, to disregard feedback from uninformed sources and walk right in – experience it first hand as it IS all that it is chalked up to be.