MEMBER FEATURE - Three Generations of Strong Females

Meet Lauren, Megan & Olive. Three generations of females working on their fitness together under one roof. Here is their journey (so far).

MEGAN got into CrossFit because her best friend Melissa started with Val’s bootcamp in the summer of 2016, then came to StrongFit YXE that September.

“We do hard things together so naturally I joined. I was extremely hesitant because I assumed CrossFit was for fit people. I was still very uncomfortable with my body and fitness levels after having Elliot. I went to Bring A Friend, and was very intimidated at first, but just kept going.

I started by coming once a week, and only if Melissa came to that class. So that meant sometimes I wouldn't be there for a month. When I did show up everyone would remember me and was happy to see me. Who knew fit people could be so nice haha! I kid. But when you are a big lady and it's a small space and you have very muscular people around you, it's easy to feel like you don't fit in. But that was in my head. I started in November of 2016 and it wasn't until the following summer that I started going more regularly and I started bring my kids to hang out in the kid cage :)

Once I started coming more regularly I saw great improvement in my overall health. I was sleeping better, my clothes fit better, I was happier, more confident. Then I hurt myself, I remember being so devastated and sad.

Jason helped me so much through this time. He was able to explain what was happening to me and helped me with my physio stuff. I actually had to stop working out/weightlifting completely for a few months. But I was still able to go to the gym and do my own stuff (physio, biking, stretching). Once I was healed up, all the coaches (it didn't seem to matter what coach I had) knew exactly what to do to scale my workout to fit my recovery while still getting me back at it. If it didn't happen this way I know for sure I would have quit. I would have been so discouraged.

Flash forward 5 years and I cannot imagine my life without this gym. Turns out I love weightlifting and I achieved my goal of doing a pull-up this year! Who knew?! This community changed my life forever in the most amazing ways!

My favorite thing about the gym is the community; my gym family. I know that if it weren't for the them, there have been many times I would not have prioritized and made the effort to go. Not only do I have my gym family, but I have my actual family with me as well. Being able to bring my kids to the gym made all the difference in making it a huge part of my life. It was one of the major reasons I was able to increase my class attendance.

Also my mom, Lauren (Grama Ralen), joined shortly after I did. My mom has been active and intense my whole life, she planted those seeds early for me. She has an incredibly high standard of expectations when it comes to fitness and wellness. It's highly entertaining listening to her and Jason discussion things. Hello nerds.”

LAUREN joined the gym in January of 2017.

“I was new to Saskatoon and wanted new workout place. Traditional gyms bored me and didn’t help progress or heal old injuries (a major injury in 2000 took away ability to run). I’d heard of “Cross Fit” and HIIT, but “knew” those wild ideas were beyond my ability.  The very thought of “Cross Fit” terrified me. From Melissa and Megan talking about their gym so much, I decided to check out StrongFit YXE one Saturday. Ended up buying a 10-pack as I didn’t even know it was “cross fit”. LOL

Some of my barriers to get started were past injuries as mentioned. I have neurological fatigue as I’m learning new movement patterns, so for the first year I only had energy for only once/week. I had limited range of motion from scar tissue/faulty movement patterns from old injuries. But I just kept returning. Jason’s welcome-back policy kept the door open. This was probably one of the reasons I love the place so much!

One of the biggest reason I keep coming is the SUPERB coaching! There is a perfect combination of scaling, challenging, encouraging and reining in. Jason has such a broad and deep knowledge base, and all the coaches have the same encouraging approach. Constantly hearing “be technically precise in your movements” or “it’s about building sound fundamentals” makes all the different. I also like that its one place where it’s ‘normal” to want to work out hard. And I can’t forget the community of members. The ‘regulars’ always make a point of introducing themselves and saying “welcome” to newcomers.

My favourite things to work on now is back squats and scapular/thoracic precision (even though at the beginning my first thought was “OMG – I can’t do that!”). I love knowing that I will be challenged physically and mentally to produce my best, and that there is a common attitude that each of us is on the road to improvement; with momentary pauses to celebrate milestones and keep improving.

What some people don’t realize, is how doing CrossFit right can help you overcome injuries. In 2000 I had a 25% tear in my hamstring, 2000-2007 I was physically disabled three times, and 2017-2020 three concussions slowed me down. CrossFit has returned to affected areas to 100% range of motion and 80% strength. Its an absolute joy to move and play at this level. The gym is my playground.

The BEST part - watching my granddaughter Olive and my daughter Megan grow! Their confidence has flourished since starting at the gym.”

OLIVE started the Jr weightlifting program this fall (2021).

She was so nervous to start. One of the major factors of her saying yes was knowing that her mom Megan was working out right beside her. She only wanted to go two days a week because she wasn't too sure if she would like the class or not. By the end of the first week she asked if she could go all 3 days a week. She said she has so much fun every class. Auntie Melissa is always there too. She has so many strong women supporting her, her mom can't think of a better place for her to be!

“I really love Junior weightlifting because I get to laugh and have fun with my friends. I also get to build up my strength and learn new things. I get to go the gym with my mom and my grandma and that makes it more fun!”

Megan (40) works at Tommy Douglas Collegiate (RAP Facilitator) and lives in Saskatoon with her husband Devon and their two kids, Olive (9) and Elliot (and their 2 dogs and 2 cats). Gramma "Ralen" (Lauren) and Grampa Gerry live on the same street, just around the corner. This family with athletic and competitive roots, often head out for runs together in the summer months.