Natalie Bell

Name: Natalie Bell

Age: 43

Hometown: George Town but, originally, London. 

How long have you been CrossFitting?  Seven months now. I started in October last year. 

What is your favorite WOD/Exercise? I now love anything with a barbell because I really want to improve my technique. When I started, I found the Olympic weightlifting so intimidating but now I love it. I still have so much to learn but I'm really enjoying the little improvements in my form. 

What is your least favorite WOD/Exercise? 

I find wall balls really difficult and feel completely puffed after them. Anything with a wall ball I know is going to be tough, but there's a part of me that looks forward to them because you only get better with practise!

What is your previous workout/athletic background? I've always been pretty active but I've never been especially good at any particular sport. As a teenager, I ice skated and had my first taste of fitness training. I've been through periods where I have been really into yoga or running and had a year or two in Cayman where I took up tennis and really enjoyed it. An injury in 2022 stopped me working out for a while. Before joining CrossFit I was doing some personal training. It was actually my amazing personal trainer, Harriet Mayman who told me she thought I'd love CrossFit (but then Vanessa Foster who got me over the doorstep).

What was your first experience at CrossFit Cayman like?  I was apprehensive about doing classes and not knowing what I was doing but all the coaches took time to explain everything to me and it felt like having personal training in every session. Even now, I am rubbish with remembering the movements. I still sometimes look at the board and don't remember what the name of the exercise means, but I know I'm going to have it all broken down and explained before we start. I find the atmosphere is really friendly and encouraging. 

What results have you seen since CrossFitting? It's been pretty amazing. People keep commenting on my body having changed. I did the five week nutrition challenge and it has really re-set my eating. I've shifted 8-10lb that I had crept on since I turned 40 and I thought might not be possible to shed. Interestingly, I care less now about my weight and more about my performance. A friend told me at the weekend that I look like someone you'd want to have around in an apocalypse, and that was pretty much the best compliment I could wish for. 

There are some things that have been slower progress than I imagined. I really thought I'd be able to do pull-ups by now but I still can't do a single unassisted pull-up. But what has been interesting is how rewarding the incremental changes can be. 

What do you do to get yourself through a tough workout (mental thoughts, tips and tricks, etc.)? Once the beep goes and the workout starts I'm in the zone and don't notice that much else around me. I'm often repeating to myself the queues the coaches have given me or just counting. That's one of the things I love about it because I forget any outside work or personal stress. I think the class environment really helps push you on. It's so much harder working out alone. Occasionally, mainly when doing push ups, I imagine someone has a gun to my head .

What's your favorite aspect about working out at CrossFit Cayman? The community is great and that's a huge part of it, but my favourite part is the quality of the coaching. You never feel like just one person in a big class. The coaches pay attention to every individual and give feedback, form correction and encouragement. I love that process. 

What advice do you have for someone thinking about joining CrossFit Cayman? You won't regret it. Just try. I wish I started sooner.