No workout is complete without a set of strict pull-ups, at least that is the approach taken by DBS member Liz Campo, our first October Fusion Athlete! We’re continually amazed by Liz’s commitment to her strength and her persistence in the face of a challenge. Congratulations, Liz! Your hard work and positivity is an inspiration to the entire Dane’s Body Shop community!
How did you hear about DBS, and how long have you been a member?
I have been coming since May. I recently moved to Austin, and I was looking for a gym that offered
classes with strength training. I was talking about gyms to a rep from a local fitness magazine at my company’s health fair back in May and DBS came up, so I decided to check it out!
What was your fitness background before joining DBS?
I don’t have much of an athletic background. I started jogging and going to the gym in college without any real plan or direction. I threw some yoga and rock climbing in the mix, but it wasn’t until about a year ago, during my last few months of school, that I got serious about fitness when I joined a Crossfit gym.
How have the classes at DBS changed your view of working out and overall wellness?
I love how all of the trainers at Dane’s put a lot of emphasis on how to [perform workouts] correctly and safely. The coaches explain how the body works functionally during the movements and give some solid advice on keeping good form. I really trust the coaches and learn a lot from the feedback, so I’m less afraid to go hard and grab some heavy weights!
You are a woman who loves to go to Strength class. What is it about the strength classes that you like?
Something about lifting heavy weights is really fun to me, and I find it to be a great stress reliever. I like being able to set a goal and work towards it and strength class is a really good fit for that. Matt’s programming is really creative and effective, so it’s cool to see check back in every few weeks with 1 rep maxes and hit new PR’s!
What is your biggest accomplishment since joining the Shop?
I was excited to get back into my sets of strict pull ups! I was able to do them before taking some time off, and when I got back, I could barely do a couple with a large band. After some practice, I’m back at it!
What fitness goals do you have set in the next month or so?
I have a couple weight goals set for the lifts, like hitting a 100 lb bench or 115 lb clean. The big one I’ve been shooting for is to do a set of 10 strict pull ups! If I can do those by Thanksgiving, I’d be super stoked!!!
If you could invent your own movement what would it be and what would you call it?
Oh man, I feel like everyone has already thought of the craziest things and it always blows my mind! We’ve been doing a lot of relay-type things on Saturday mornings in strength, so maybe my movement would be a group thing with a plank lineup shoulder-to-shoulder and pass down some heavy dumbbells, like a torturous game of hot potato…so I’d probably call it that! (My apologies in advance if this actually gets programmed!)
What in your opinion do you think makes DBS unique compared to other styles of working out or other gyms?
I think the community is really what drew me in and makes me excited to work out. Both the trainers and the other members are really supportive and encouraging. From day one, people were high-fiving me and were really welcoming. I really appreciate that, especially being new to the area. And everyone just has great energy! I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to the Shop after a long day of work if I wasn’t having so much fun! Stay tuned for our next Fusion Athlete for the month of October! To become a member, click here to register for classes!
