Ashton and I met up at Batch Craft Beer & Kolaches down the street from the Manor Road Shop on a Saturday morning in July after class. Were we alone? Of course not! With Ashton, as always, was her delightful Italian Greyhound Zelda. I dug in deep on Ashton’s journey working in theatre and was truly enchanted by some of her insights into fitness as someone who came to working out for the first time, much like myself, as an adult. And Zelda? She faithfully stood sentinel against any grackles haughty enough to draw near to our table!
Coach Chad: I immediately felt at home with you knowing that we share the genealogy of being theatre people, so I think I’m going to use that as my touchpoint for this interview. I wanted to start by asking broadly about your artistry- how did you get into what you do now and what is it that you do?
Ashton Murphy: Should I start with what I do now?
You know what, I’m feeling sentimental- why don’t you talk about what you were doing when you first joined The Shop.
Yeah! I started at Dane’s in 2017 and then stopped for a long time and then came back. Way back when I first met ya’ll I was still a student and just getting into what I do now. I was a theatre and dance major and thought maybe I’d be a director and maybe do some acting on the side; that didn’t work out because I don’t like it. In my last year I got into scenic painting though I had never painted anything before. My sister is a big artist, so I figured she was the artist in the family and I just do tech stuff.
So you were a BA in theatre?
That’s right. There isn’t a BFA program for what I do at U.T.
Right! I actually have a BFA specifically in dramaturgy- that is how BFA crazy they are at the University of Arizona.
I am so not a dramaturgy person- history and everything is not for me. But I really appreciate what dramaturgs do.
Yeah man, we synergize! I wanted to ram that BA/BFA discussion in there so the readers know how theatre geeky this conversation is going to potentially get. Okay, so BA in theatre…
So I discovered that I could paint and like actually do it well in my last year of college.
Do you think it is a genetic trait?
You know, it must be! All of my full siblings are artistic. My parents are not artists at all, so I don’t know where it came from.
They must be carriers of the gene!
Must be- I tried to tell myself I wasn’t an artist and it found me regardless. So yeah, when I graduated I applied to a bunch of different positions and my bosses at UT who I’d been working for in the scene shop were like, “hey, what if we created a job for you so we don’t lose you?”. I was like “Um, yes!” I didn’t have to think about it at all. It was supposed to be a two year thing, but two years happened then Covid happened and they really valued having a person like me who knew how to use computers and transfer stuff online.
So Covid made you more valuable?
*laughing* Yeah! Ironically it did. There was a time I wasn’t working, but when classes started back up and everything was on line it was pretty huge for me. I’m so glad because Covid sucked in so many ways, but that was kind of cool.
It is very flattering to have a job created for you. When we moved back from North Carolina, Dane basically created the position that I’m in for me. We didn’t know what to call it or even exactly what the day to day details would be, but it was a huge moment in my professional life.
Wow, Dane is awesome! So yeah, I actually stopped coming to Dane’s initially because I had gone through a really tough breakup. My ex and I joined The Shop together and I had never been an athletic person, so after the breakup it was just really traumatic to come back.
I remember that! I definitely remember a day you were just crying. But I think I remember you toughing it out and doing the workout anyway!
That sounds right. So I initially came back to the Shop for nutrition help rather than working out. I had struggled with my weight for most of my life and I have Dane’s to thank for progress that I’ve made there. I went to Coach Veronica and told her that it was my goal to get my nutrition under control and then go back to working out. She was like “why wait? Just go to the gym!”.
She’s so delightfully blunt right?
I love her so much- I miss her! She is the reason my eating habits changed over time; she kept me accountable going to the gym because when we’d meet she would be like “hey, I didn’t see you at the gym last week!”. Flash forward a year and (going to the gym) was just a habit.
Do you consider yourself as being an athletic person growing up?
Nope!
That is what I thought- I wasn’t either. As someone who has now found athleticism later in life, can you talk a bit about what that is like?
Absolutely! When I was named Shop Athlete, Laura (Blaser, iconic DBS member and former SAS! herself) came up to me and said “hey Shop Athlete!” and I thought she was making a joke and I didn’t get it. In high school we had sports credits we had to achieve and I was the kid who was like, “If I do the musical can that count? If I do drum line does that count?” And they counted it! Something that clicked for me at Dane’s is my competitive side; I actually am a competitive person. And what clicked for me was when you’re competing with yourself it is a lot easier to win because you’re always getting better. So I’d set a goal and I’d work really hard for it then I would set a new one!
So you took your competitive nature and you channeled it into an appropriate mindset in the gym. Are there other aspects of yourself, your personality or skill set, that serve you well in fitness?
Yes… I have a tendency to get fixated on things until I achieve them and I think that helps with fitness. The good thing about obsessing over goals in the gym is that they take a long time to achieve, so I had enough time to build the habit (of working out regularly) by the time I got there.
That is an outstanding perspective. Tell me again what is your position at UT?
It has continued changing- when I first got hired on, I was just a painter. Every year my position has changed to give me new opportunities and new skills. Now my title is “Project Specialist” which is intentionally vague because I do a lot of things: prop fabrication, painting still, technical direction, specialty projects- I also teach. Which is honestly one of the coolest things about my job because you’re supposed to need a masters degree to do that and I do not. They needed someone to fill the role and I was really passionate about it. The same class that inspired me to do what I do is what I teach now!
I want to flip my question about what non-fitness Ashton brings to fitness Ashton and ask if you’ve noticed your fitness practice benefitting your job and your larger life? Is it useful to be fit and strong in what you do?
Absolutely! For one thing I do a lot of moving scenery; taking gigantic items and moving them from one room to another is a big part of my job. Another thing that working out has taught me is just how to take better care of your body; it is really easy to get into bad lifting practices and abusing your body in general when you’re young. Lifting has taught me how to use my body so that it lasts.
Do you find yourself just like sticking your butt out and deadlifting everything?
*Laughing* Yes! It is kind of embarrassing, but it is helpful. Then I can see my students doing it the way I show them. I say that, but then at my desk I’m hunched over like a gremlin- it isn’t perfect.
Of course! Never perfect, just trying to do the best we can.
I also appreciate being a feminine presenting person in my job and being strong. You would think this wouldn’t be an issue in the world we live in now, but (as a woman) people just assume you can’t do anything. We got a package recently and it was paint so it was heavy, but the guy delivering it refused to believe I could lift it or even that I lifted weights! People just make assumptions, so it’s nice to be able to prove them wrong.
I completely agree. There is a moment that happens with newer members- it can be a man or a woman- usually around benchmarks where they see one of our more veteran women doing their warm up sets and they don’t react, but once the woman gets to her working set their eyes bug out a little and you can see them thinking “OMG, she can lift that?!?!?!“
Right!
I think it speaks to the quality of our membership across the board that the woman is never showing off or proving a point and the observer isn’t insecure, they are just impressed.
When I first started at The Shop that was one of the things I loved: that there were all types of bodies and ages. As a non-athletic person going to a gym for the first time, you just expect everyone to be buff large men, but that isn’t how it was! I remember seeing Sarah early on-
Sarah Norkin?
Yeah! I was like that is who I want to be- I want to be able to lift like that.
That’s really cool. And you know Sarah wasn’t “that” when she started- she just worked really hard.
This cool full circle thing happened when someone new came in and saw what I was lifting and said to me, “I want to do that.” It was so sweet! I said I appreciate that, but I was you a year ago!
It is simple but it isn’t easy. Sarah is a fun one to bring up because Dane and I were just talking about the challenges of coaching really advanced people and hers was the name he brought up as being so on point with form that it is hard to give notes on improvement.
*at this moment, Ashton’s adorable little Italian Greyhound Zelda, who had been periodically speaking firm warnings to the encroaching grackles, popped her front legs up onto the table*
Well that is a good transition. Tell me about Zelda- how she came into your life. She is a Shop institution now- has a workout named after her and everything.
I brought her home and she was literally 3lbs and full of chaotic energy, which she still is to be honest-
As she LUNGES at the grackles!
For a while she took up my entire life- it was just a lot. I’m glad I put that time into her because she is really well trained now. When she was finally old enough to come to The Shop, there would be mornings when I would wake up at 5am and just want to stay in bed, but she would want to go so bad because she loves seeing everyone. I couldn’t say no to her, so she is part of the reason I kept going!
You two have your routine at the Shop and she is never a distraction in class. Us being a dog-friendly establishment, is really contingent on dog owners being responsible. Can you give 2-3 etiquette tips for dog owners thinking about bringing their dog to class?
Absolutely! The biggest thing is to teach them “place”. Have a blanket and teach them to be on that blanket. I don’t have to worry about her getting under my barbell if she does that.
It is huge for dog safety!
Exactly! Also have treats with you when you go. Make everything a training experience. Early on, there would be days where I got minimal reps in because the majority was me just training Zelda. But it was worth it because it is a very distracting environment. People at the Shop tend to be very respectful of dogs. My brother told me that when he would bring his dog to work it ruined him because his coworkers taught him bad habits. That doesn’t happen at the Shop though! People would help to reinforce “place” and if she barked when I walked away, they would help to quiet her. Teaching them “shush” is also helpful.
The two things I really wanted to do here were to get a little theatre nerdy and to fawn over Zelda. I think we’ve covered that, so lets go ahead and transition to some random questions. First off, any shout outs?
Honestly, everyone in the 6am Strength at Hyde Park. I remember when I was very new coming back I observed so many conversations with Lauren and others and I was like “man, they all seem like such good friends- I’d love to be a part of that, but I’m new”- but then Lauren just brought me in. Zelda loves everybody in that class. Sierra and Whiskey- Zelda loves Whiskey even though I don’t know that he has those feelings for her.
For the next question, I have to shout out new member Phillip Garcia. He’s only been a member for a couple weeks and he’s already been to like 30 classes or something-
WHAT?
Yeah, my guy is raging two a days. But when I gave him his tour he was so sociable and at the end when I asked if he had any questions he said “no” then paused and said “wait, no I do have one. If you could have any super power what would it be?”. I’ve never had anyone pull out a question like that on a tour. So in honor of him, what power would you have? Mine, for instance, would be the ability to speak any language.
That is so you. I love that. I’d love that too, but I think it would be to talk to animals-
You’re taking my answer a step further- that is awesome!
I watched Dr. Doolittle as a kid and was just fascinated wondering if there was any way I might have that power. No luck yet but that would be it. Zelda is so expressive so I can read her but I wish I had that for all animals.
Does Zelda have a voice in your head?
It is so hard to do off the cuff. She does this thing at the end of the night where she goes to my bedroom and barks because she wants to go to bed and apparently I have to go with her. So her voice is like *adopts what I can most accurately describe as a whining Russian aristocratic child’s voice* “Come to bed mother! Why are you so mean to me mother? I’m a good girl!”.
Like if Paris Hilton was Russian?
Yeah! I actually think that is just a good description of her personality. Very princess.
If you were to have an entrance song that played every time you entered a room, what would it be?
Well it would have to be Taylor Swift, we know that. Maybe if I was feeling like a badass it would be …Ready For It? from Reputation.
*do I take a break from transcribing to fire up this jam at this moment? Ya damn skippy I do! Excellent choice Ashton.*
Great choice! As someone in the arts I am guessing you might have a compelling answer to this. You can answer as many parts of this as you want. A movie of your life is being made, who plays you? what genre is it? and who directs it?
I thought of who would play me this morning actually because she kind of looks like me. Elizabeth Olsen who played Wanda-
Yeah, yeah totally! The Scarlet Witch! I can definitely see that.
Taylor Swift has never directed a movie, but she did a short film, so probably her for director. Genre? I feel like I stumble into things, like things go right in my life by complete coincidence, so maybe a comedy? A coming of age comedy?
That’s good! What is your pettiest pet peeve? Bonus points if it is gym related- one of your classmates might catch some strays.
I really hate when the weights don’t go back in the right spot, but I think that is pretty valid.
Right, not petty enough.
Oh! This is not gym related- it is so silly. I’ve had two occasions recently where someone has stayed with me and then very sweetly done my dishes. They loaded the dishwasher wrong. I know that it doesn’t matter and that there is no right way.
That was Koes Bong’s answer for the last interview too! Yes there IS a right way! You are seen. Don’t let them gaslight you, there is a right way to load the fucking dishwasher!
Also- and my mom will love this if she is reading this because she used to get so mad when we would leave trash on tables and I just didn’t get it. But now at work we have trash cans on wheels and when they get moved people don’t bother trying to find them and just leave trash on tables. Just why? Throw it in a trash can!
People, good gawd! Well we’re coming to the end here. I like to leave things open ended to close things out because my favorite part of these interviews is just asking the athlete what their words of wisdom are. In the gym or out of it! Like let’s imagine little Ashton from 2017 is starting at The Shop tomorrow, what do you tell her?
Don’t assume anything. Don’t assume you can’t do it. I think I assumed I couldn’t lift as much and I assumed no one wanted to talk to me and I assumed I’d never get the clean down. Those things are still a work in progress, but particularly when it comes to maxing, the assumption is what kills it. I was thinking about this today because when we maxed our front squat on Wednesday, I got 5lbs over (her previous personal best) and knew I could do 10 more. But when I went to do it, I bailed at the bottom because I assumed I was bad at front squats. So yeah, don’t assume! Don’t assume you won’t be able to do a pull-up and don’t assume people are going to shut you out. People are nice, they’re going to help you!
