Student Interview - Meet Layli

Meet Layli…  A Poekoelan martial artist, and new Fitness student that devours the workouts. She sees the results and becoming stronger every class keeps her coming back for more.  Layli has been in CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, Tyrone Spencer’s, Intermediate Fitness class for almost 3 months.

How was it as a new student?  Since I came into the program without any weight lifting experience, I was a little nervous about performing well, however my trainer breaks down each exercise and lift so that they are easy to learn.  I also like that we always review “the basics” but also build up our skills.  I never feel like I’m left behind, on the flip side, I’m always feeling reasonably challenged.  

How do you feel after class? It makes me happy! I’m already a pretty happy person, so I’m REALLY smiling at the end of class.  It’s such a great way to release any stress or worry from the day, and I find that after class I’m really energized. 

Do you see results?  I feel the best physically now than I ever have! I had been suffering from chronic lower back pain for the past year and a half and it stopped me from doing a lot of the physical things that made me happy.  I strengthened my core (along with the rest of my body) and now I have NO back pain.  As a result, I’m not only looking stronger, but I’m also feeling better.

What is most important for you to stay motivated in class? My teammates and trainer are so much fun to work out with, so that is a motivating factor.  Also, seeing myself becoming stronger after every class is the ultimate motivator.  

How hard do you push yourself in class? Harder than I ever imagined. 

Has this class affected your life in any other ways?  Since I started working out I’m paying better attention to eating healthy nutrient-rich foods, I’m taking care of my body with massages and stretching, and I’m balancing the hard physical training with more mindful activities like meditation.  If anything, I feel like I’m less prone to injury because of the strength and flexibility I’ve gained with Tyrone.

Does your training with Tyrone transfer to martial arts?  Yes.  I train Poekoelan Tjimindie Tulen and I like to run and hike.  The class has made me faster and stronger.  It has also built my endurance to run farther and train for longer periods of time.  Once a week I go to Tyrone's class followed by a fighting class.  This pushes me past my physical abilities, because at some point I get exhausted.  However, I’ve noticed that something else kicks in at that point and I’m able to float through the rest of fighting class. It has definitely built up my endurance.

Do you think your hard work has been paying off? Absolutely.