Member Since: September 22, 2020
“Denise is a member that shows up with a smile, is always willing to work hard, and consistently finds ways to prioritize her health and wellness at CrossFit Torque. Adapting her fitness with movements and modifications that work best for her, Denise proves again and again that CrossFit Torque, and the community that comes along with it, is a special place for her and for everyone within its walls.” -Coach Sara
Meet Denise! Hi, I am Denise. I live in Norfolk. I have 2 beautiful grown daughters, a 2 year old grandson, a black lab, Emmie and a cat named Pokey. I had previously lived in Mendon for 24 years where I was married to my college sweetheart and we raised our daughters. Unfortunately, in 2017 my husband passed away, very suddenly and unexpectedly. He was 54 years old. Needless to say, I was completely devastated and in shock.
Both my husband and I were very health conscious, probably me more so than him. But we worked out together doing CrossFit, running, golfing, skiing, kayaking and I, of course, made sure we ate healthy. Even making things like, chocolate pudding from avocados, lol. He didn’t particularly care for it. He never really did like my cooking or taste in food, lol. After his death, I had no desire to do any of these physical activities that I had once enjoyed or even make anything healthy. So I didn’t!
In 2019, I moved to Norfolk, and as my grief started to lift and I was coming out of the fog that I had been in for the last couple of years, I actually started to miss all those things that I used to once love to do. One being CrossFit.
Why did I join Torque? It was as I was driving along Rt 1 that I noticed the Torque CrossFit sign and thought, hmmm I wonder if I would still be able to do CrossFit. The gym I had belong to in the past was very intense and very competitive. The coaches didn’t alter the workout based on your capabilities and a lot of members seemed to get injured. So I was very hesitant about joining another CrossFit gym but I really did love that type of high intensity workout. So I checked out Torque online. They had lots of great reviews so I figured I’d give a go and can honestly say that I have not been disappointed.
What keeps me coming back? Torque is by far the best gym that I have ever belonged to. Everyone is friendly, supportive and encouraging. I love the camaraderie! I also love the coaches. They are knowledgeable and work with you based on your level of fitness. They guide you and give the proper instructions/techniques for each movement so you are able to perform the various workouts safely so as to not injure yourself.
Some of my accomplishments: So I’ve always wanted to be able do a double under. After joining Torque I was actually able to do my first evah, double under!! But I still haven’t mastered the art of consistently do a double under and am still focused on challenging myself and making it a goal to perform double unders in a workout. I also joined the Couch to 5k a couple of years ago after not running for years. I trained and followed Chris Ciampa’s running plan and to my surprise, I actually came in first, woohoo!!! This challenge also helped get me back into running a bit more and back on track with my fitness.
Some of my challenges: Over the last 2 years, I have had some physical challenges, one when I suffered partial tears in my MCL in both knees while skiing. I did some personal training with Sara for my knees and now with my shoulder (just old age related, lol) I can not praise Sara enough. She has been instrumental in helping me rehab my injuries and improve/strengthen the necessary muscle groups so as to avoid injuries going forward. She is extremely knowledgeable, knows exactly what muscle groups to focus on and strengthen.
My favorite movement: I can’t say I have one favorite movement. But I do like a challenge so I’m always looking to improve and do better.
Advice for anyone that is hesitant to start CrossFit: Just do it. With anything in life, if you’re looking to improve/change then you’re going to need to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.
What would be my ideal superpower? Well, it sucks having to deal with sickness or injuries so I think I would like to have the ability to heal not only myself but others as well.
