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!

Ever been to Codependent Coffee & Cocktails  at the base of The Independent?  I don’t have to tell you that I had never been there- I was not cool enough to have ever been there.  Hell, I wasn’t cool enough to even have heard of it!  Fortunately for me, Jimmy Price was cool enough to have been there.  Jimmy Price was cool enough to have been a regular there.  Upon Jimmy’s suggestion, I joined him one Wednesday morning in July for the first listed libation in the business’s name and it was a cool-ass place to exist for an hour or so.  I knew it would be a pleasant conversation because I knew Jimmy was an exceedingly pleasant person in class.  I didn’t know much beyond that about Jimmy, so I was genuinely and yes pleasantly surprised by how fascinating our conversation was.  My guy is a thoughtful and surprising human being.  You’re going to be a more thoughtful and surprising human for having read this interview- I sure as hell was!

Coach Chad:  I know less about you than many athletes when I interview them, so the way that I’m going to frame this interview is to break it into two parts: the first part will probably be shorter and it will be something along the lines of “things I know about Jimmy” and the real fun part will be “things I want to know about Jimmy.

Jimmy Price:  Okay, Awesome!

The first thing I know about Jimmy is that he has a great smile!  What is your toothpaste of choice?

*laughing loudly and deploying that smile right away!* The toothpaste of choice is sensodyne fresh breath- I think.  

Okay, do you go with a standard or electric toothbrush?

I actually have a pretty extensive oral regime.  I have a standard toothbrush to do the brushing with and then I floss and then I use the electric for the gum line.  That is every evening and in the morning, I just do a regular brushing.

See, when I said the first part would probably be shorter, this is what I meant; with more interesting than anticipated answers, we might be here for a minute!  As I recall you started as a punch card member right?

Yes-

Oooh!  My coffee is up, I’m going to go grab it.  You can just speak nothings into the recording device.

*And he does proceed to talk to my phone while I go grab my coffee!* We are waiting for Chad to get back with his cold brew and when he returns the interview will resume on its scheduled pace in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1-

And we’re back!  So you started with a punch card and now you’re a regular member right?

Yes, I am monthly unlimited.

Talk to me a little bit about how you got started and what changed to have you coming more often.

When I moved here in 2018, I dated a woman who used to live in Hyde Park and used to go to that location.  She moved to the Domain and was no longer going, but she told me how much she liked it so I decided to try it.  I started with a punch card because you never know how well it will work with your body and if you will like it.  I was ready to step up my membership right before the pandemic.  In 2021 when people started getting vaccinated I started my membership.

That is a very organic origin story.  What is your regular schedule now- don’t be too specific, I’m not trying to get people stalking you. 

I try to come 3 days a week.  I like to have a day in between, so it is usually Monday, Wednesday, Friday.  

You’ve recommended the Shop to at least one other person from your social world, 

so what is that social world like?  Who do you hang out with?  Who is your crew?

I have two or three different circles.  I have my home boys that I hang out with at bars and restaurants.   They like to smoke cigars and drink- not a lot, but they like to hang out at drinking places, so if I want to just hang out on west 6th, I’ll go meet up with them.  Then I have what I call my Supper Club Crew.   There is this organization called “The Supper Club” that puts on fancy dinners once a month.  What is nice about that is that people get dressed up and it is usually at a nice place; they’re a little more corporate or buttoned up than my other crew.  Then I have people that I’ve known from other cities or people I know through Dane’s that are just a bit more sporadic.

Really cool!  Anyone at the Shop you want to shout out that you’ve hung with?  

I’ll shout out Robert Blaser and his wife Laura (both former SAS! recipients).  I’ll shout out Rich (Henry) who I sometimes see in my neighborhood and I’m sure I’m skipping somebody.

I love those guys!  Okay just a couple more things I know about you.  You happen to have been around several times when our photographer is scheduled for a shoot so we have a decent number of really good Jimmy photos.  Something that comes through other than the smile is that your concentrating hard, non smiling, lifting face is actually a good face! For instance, when I lift I get this weird overbite and I turn all red.  As someone who looks composed and human while lifting, what is going inside your mind?

*laughing* First off, thank you- I’ve never thought about how I look while lifting.  I also wanted to say that the photographer does a really good job of not being obstructive- I never notice her.  *shouts to Anna Reynal who is now also our 2nd yoga coach- come see her at Hyde Park on Thursdays at 6:15pm for restorative yoga!* Typically I’m always really focused on technique; I tell people the first rule of fitness is “don’t get hurt” and the second rule is “don’t forget the first rule.

So just focused on mechanics- that is a very good mindset to have.  Are you a long time lifter?

The way we lift with barbells is more recent for me- I used to do a lot of dumbbells.  My resistance training didn’t really start until maybe 10 years ago- before was all cardio.

Were you an athlete when you were in high school and college?

Yeah I played football.  High School– I did not play in college.

What position?

Strong Safety.  I played a little wide receiver.  My whole family consists of athletes.

Now the last thing I know is the one I am most interested.  I don’t know exactly what your job is, but I wrote down under things I know “probably has a cool job?”.  Based on just little snippets of conversations I’ve heard you say during class.  Can you talk about what you do professionally?

My job is weird because it is something that a lot of people do as a hobby which is that I’m a portfolio manager.  I run my own hedge fund.  I ran a portfolio for a large firm for a decade and in 2022, I launched my own firm.  When you talk to people, they like to trade stocks; that isn’t what I do- I’m a long term investor.  I raise money from high net worth individuals and family offices and I invest that money on their behalf with my internal goal being to double that money every 4-5 years without taking a lot of risks.  So if you ask what I do, I run a hedge fund, but if you double click on that, what I do is a lot of research on industries and companies to understand what makes them tick and their worth then generate that knowledge to generate returns.

That is really cool.  So kind of a finance nerd?

Finance nerd and now entrepreneur.  The entrepreneur part is new; now I can relate to people when they say things like “Ugh I have to deal with payroll” and I need to deal with ADP which is a nightmare.  For 20 years I didn’t have to deal with that stuff.

Are you enjoying being an entrepreneur?

Um, here’s what I’ll say.  I have learned to embrace the nitty gritty.  It isn’t fun, but someone has to do it so I’ve gone through a process of learning to embrace it.

Have you ever had any conversations with Dane about being an entrepreneur?

Of course!  More along the lines of marketing and client engagement- but not from a financial aspect.

I’m always curious about people who choose to start their own business.  I’ve heard Dane talk about being an entrepreneur from time to time since I have a fairly close working working relationship with him as his head goon.

Like The Hand of the King from Game of Thrones?

Exactly!  I like that better than head goon.  I’m very much that.  I’m very fascinated by his relationship with this thing he started 13 years ago- the good and the bad.

I have a new found respect for entrepreneurs.  As the Hand of the King, you’re in that camp as well.  Taking something that doesn’t exist then making it exist and helping it grow is a very different thing.  Versus what 95% of people do which is existing in the corporate world- which is also worthy and virtuous- but taking something from nothing and growing it is a different thing.

 That’s one of the cool things that Dane has said to me recently- that he wants the Shop to exist independent of him.  Sometimes he says dark things like “if anything were to happen to me, I want The Shop to be okay”.  And then I’m like “that’s great dude, take care of yourself please!”  Well that’s cool- I am looking forward to having other conversations with you about that.

Absolutely! 

So that is what you do now which is rad, but when you were growing up, what did little Jimmy want to be?  We’re getting into the “stuff I want to know about” section.

Both of my parents were in business- like middle level managers-

Where did you grow up Jimmy?

Near Los Angeles- a town called Lynwood which is largely a hispanic working class community just north of Long Beach and Compton.  The name of my firm is Lynwood Price.  I wanted my name on the firm but not just my name and I liked the way it speaks to the scrappy and hard working place I came from.  So both of my parents were in business and so I kind of always knew I wanted to go into business but I didn’t exactly know what that meant.  When I went to college I went into economics because where I went to college that is what you studied if you wanted to go into business.  From there I just found my way into finance.

I want to get some personal stuff in here too-

Oh yeah!  So growing up I was popular in high school and valedictorian of my class as well as a pretty good football player which is a pretty unique combination.  So kind of like today, I had different social circles: I had the nerd circle, I had the athlete circle, I dated a lot of girls; unlike most people, I’d say that when I went to college, my dating life took a big step down.

Because you were hitting the books?

I was in the books and I just wasn’t the big man on campus anymore.

Yeah, I definitely had the experience of peaking way after high school.  Okay, so going back over your whole life- early life to now- pick out three pieces of art (visual, a movie, a book) that have affected you in some way.

Alright, my knee jerk response is Snoop Dog’s first album, Doggystyle, was out when I was in college and any time I had a test I’d put on a couple tracks from that to get pumped up and focused- it just got me game ready.

And Snoop is from Compton right?

Yeah, back then West Coast Rap was a little controversial, but that is what I grew up on.  I grew up around a lot of those guys.  I knew Ice Cube when he was O’Shea Jackson; I didn’t know him directly, but my cousins knew him, so he came to my house once.  I was very much steeped in that culture.  I need to throw a movie in here- I’ve always loved the James Bond movies.  I spent my 20s and 30s traveling the world because I thought that is what you are supposed to do to have culture and it helped a lot.  I’m trying to get a third one-

Two is great!  I was hoping for one.  You can either take this next one as a question about people you are meeting romantically or just about people in general: what trait are you most attracted to in other people?

I would say quirkiness/nerdiness.  I’m attracted to women and people in general who are different and a little clever.  In the dating world, you would say I’m a sapiosexual; it is hard for me to be into someone if I don’t find them intellectually curious.

Curious!  Curiosity would actually be my answer.  I stole this question from one of my favorite interviewers, so I’ve considered it a lot.  I think the worst dates I’ve gone on are the ones where I sit down and right away I’m like, “Oh!  I know exactly what you are.”

Exactly- I don’t date avatars.  They have to be atypical in some way.

Absolutely.  For this next one, you could tie it into the dating world as well- what is your pettiest pet peeve?

Oooh!  I can tell you things that turn me off which my friends think make me crazy.  Small talk.  If someone is all about small talk and super surfacey, it turns me off.  I understand there is always some small talk when you meet someone, but if you never go below level 2, I lose interest.  I find that to be very hard with young people these days; they tend to not go deeper.  When I say young I mean twenties.  I have a weird thing with smells too; I can be attracted to someone and love their energy but if they have, not even a foul odor or anything, but if there is something about their smell I don’t like, I just can’t do it!  Just like I can’t eat food I don’t like the smell of.  But yeah, my friends think I’m crazy.

You see, I think that just speaks to you having a sense of self awareness!  I think everyone has a thing about smells and it is just a matter of if you are aware of what is turning you off or not.  I’m the same way and it isn’t about judging someone.  Someone can smell nice, but if it doesn’t hit my pheromones the right way, it doesn’t work.  Do you have any surprising talents?

When I travel with my buddies, people are surprised that I’m the translator in a Spanish speaking country.  I’m not fluent, but I can get by.  I would say most people would be surprised that I’m funny.  When I’m out socializing, I crack my friends up.  I don’t know, is that a talent?  I don’t play any instruments-

Oh I definitely think it is a talent.  I think it counts as surprising too only because you’re kind of a soft spoken person at the gym.  Most people listening to this would think yeah he’s got a great smile, but don’t really get to hear you cutting up or anything.  We’re like twenty minutes into this interview and I can already tell that you are a person who considers things deeply and that is what you need to make someone laugh- you have to get into where their head is at.

Right!  So at The Shop, I like that people joke around but I also know there is a program to get through.  And by the way Dane says I rush through my strength segments- I don’t rush through my strength segments!  I’m never the first one finished!  I’m always still working as people are putting their stuff away, so I want to always be working in order to get through the workout.  But when I’m social I can be funny- I’m a wordsmith, so it is a humor that hits people almost after the fact.  It echoes later.  So that is my humor, it isn’t slapstick, it is more in the flow of a conversation.

Where does that come from?  Did you get that through influences growing up?

I think that is the way my brain works- I make these third level associations that people don’t see and when I weave it together into a concept or a punchline, there is a detonation.  It isn’t like I’m doing it all the time, but over the course of hanging out for a few hours, there will be 2 or 3 of them.

That is the heart of comedy and improv- listening and taking the things that are already out there and weaving them together in a weird way.

Yes!  And calling back.  That is why it is useful when dating to be around someone clever, so that they can connect the dots with me.  They don’t need to have a PhD, but they have to have an awareness.

Yeah!  Do you have any favorite comedians?

Absolutely.  So Dave Chapelle is probably the GOAT.  Sarah Silverman, I really like her humor.  He’s been canceled, but I used to really like Louis C.K.  People should get another day in court.

He is funny!  

And I’m going to date myself here, but (Jerry) Seinfeld.  So it is people who are a little clever and have some thought behind it.

So not Carrot Top?  

Oh no!

No offense to redheads in general though right?  RIGHT??

Oh… Of course not!

Good!  This one has a different tone to it.  You’re on death row and I invite you to get as creative with both parts of this as you like.  Part one is what crime did you commit?  like did you make someone laugh too hard? and what is your last meal?

Ahhh…  I’m on death row because I was defending someone close to me- like a woman or a child and someone got hurt.

I like that.

And my last meal is probably catered in from my favorite TexMex or Mexican restaurant.

Ooooh and which spot in particular would that be?

I like Grizzelda’s on the east side.  I like ATX Cocina and one of their sister restaurants I went to last night is called Bulevar.  I like places with nice views and good service.  

Do you have a fairly diverse palate?

I do.  I don’t love sushi which I know is very popular with most people, but pretty much everything else I eat.  I will say though that I’m pushing my diet toward being plant based and so I try to limit my animal meals to 2-3 per week

Is that from a health or ethics perspective?

All of the above.  It starts with the environment and the ecosystem; we burn down so many forests and animal livestock emits so much methane into the atmosphere that it makes no sense.  And then the health aspect which is harder to prove, but there are a lot of correlations.

What’s crazy is I remember being in my 7th grade science class and learning what a problem cow farts were for the environment.  As a 7th grade boy, I thought that was endlessly hilarious- like why don’t we just put a plug in there.  But it is just crazy that it has that many decades and it is something that we’ve not gotten any better at dealing with.

Everyone talks about greenhouse gas emissions, but we have to have trees to clear that stuff out.  So we deforest everything for livestock and as an economist, the inefficiency of that is crazy.  We grow all of this corn and soy to feed the animals so we can eat them- why wouldn’t we just eat plants?  It is such an inefficient system.  We could go on and on. Anyway, it is tough for me to be vegetarian or vegan, but what I can do is look at the “portfolio” and can shift it hard to plant and get to like 80% of my diet is plant based.

When people try to eat plant-based, I think the thing they struggle with the most is the protein element.  Do you have any tips or hacks there?

I don’t know the science behind this, but my friend does and I believe him; he has a PhD in marine biology and runs a non profit that is trying to save the ecosystem.  I was in Croatia with him two weeks ago and he broke all of this down for me for the 5th- the protein thing is a ruse.  Animals are made from plants- they eat plants.  There isn’t a lot that you can get from an animal that you can’t get from plants with the exception of B-12 which you can supplement.  The other unfortunate truth is that swapping to seafood isn’t much better- there is something called bio accumulation where we eat large fish and everything they eat in the ocean is in fish; the mercury, toxins, the waste.  I said to him, “gun to your head, you have to eat meat, what would it be?” and chicken was his answer.  I try to eat mostly chicken and turkey.  There is a lot that you can really go down the rabbit hole on.

That dovetails nicely with one of my last questions which I think is going to be a pretty broad one.  You said you spent your 20s and 30s traveling- what are your top three favorite trips?

Oooh!  Okay, number one is when I finished business school, a friend and I went to Buenos Aires- we were 26 or 27.  We rented an apartment and took Spanish classes by day and partied at night.  I was there for 2 weeks and he was there for a month.

Wow.  I’ve been working on my Spanish over the past couple years and, it probably won’t happen now that I have a baby, but I know that I just need to spend a month somewhere and be immersed in the language.

Yes!  It changes the game.  Being in a country, taking three hours of lessons a day, but just speaking it all the time was when I became conversational.  The 2nd one was when a friend and I went to Prague and Berlin.  That was cool because we did things I never would have thought of like a bike tour of Berlin.  You get to know the city in a different way and you get by even just speaking English.  The third one is probably a tie, but I’ll throw out that I did a yoga retreat in Maui.  It was a good group of people and our excursions pushed me out of my comfort zone.  We got up at 3am and went to the top of a mountain to watch the sunrise and then we rode bikes down the mountain- which I would never do today because it sounds so dangerous.  We also went on a boat and went snorkeling and I’m not a very good swimmer.  They gave me a floatie and two girls on the trip were like Jimmy, we got you.  It was just a lot of cool stuff in addition to the yoga and the people.

Of course James Bond has two girls taking care of him right?

*Big laugh*

That’s awesome.  Another thing I wanted to fold back in from earlier in our conversation- you said you study businesses and analyze them.  What stands out to you about Dane’s Body Shop?  If you were researching us, what would you notice?

Good one!  When we look at a business, we look at customer loyalty.  I don’t know your stats, but I’m going to guess that your attrition is lower than the typical gym.  Maybe it is higher on the front end because people don’t know that they like it, but once people have been on for 3-6 months, they’re probably on for 4 years.  In the gym industry, turnover is like 50%.  That is what I would call out- that once someone gets through that higher attrition rate, people are with the gym for a long time because there is community and it works for them.  The other thing I would point out is that I would frame the value proposition as personal trainer experience at regular gym costs.  When I tell people in New York (what he pays), they are like- that would be $500 in New York.  To be able to go to classes and get a scaled workout and coaching for that price essentially doesn’t exist.

That is incredibly perceptive.  I run the majority of our new member tours and to your first point, I follow up with those tours at scheduled times if they don’t sign up right away because circumstances can change and then  also follow up with new members a month or so after they sign up to make sure they’re getting to class and starting to feel comfortable.  I do this specifically because if they are consistent to that point, they really do stay on for a long time.  And on those tours, one of the things I point out is that membership isn’t cheap on its own, but if you compare it to paying for a personal trainer regularly, it is a fraction of the cost.  The two observations you pulled out are both spot on, so yeah you’ve proven your worth to me- I’ll hire you to manage my portfolio!

Personal trainer experience at 1/5 of the cost- that is what I’d say.  I would also highlight that it isn’t Crossfit- people rarely get hurt.  One thing that I might experiment in that first higher attrition timeframe is link people up with a long term member as a  buddy.  It is intimidating at first but having a buddy as a sounding board and to show them where the water cooler is; like “you’re paired up with Jimmy, you can call or text him if you have questions or if you’re in class, he can help you out”. 

That is really cool.  I try to do that when coaching- like encouraging people to pair up that way, but finding a way to systemize that would be really fun.  That is great.  Okay, for my last specific question you can answer this in context of the gym or the world at large- do you have a goal for this coming year and do you have a goal for the next 5 years?  It can be anything.

Ooh!  This coming year I want my company to get into a steady state- that is a professional goal.  A personal goal is to identify a second city that is my home away from home.  Maybe it is Denver in the summer and maybe it is Playa Del Carmen for quarterly visits.  Just somewhere that feels like a second home.  Mountains in the summer and beaches in the winter.

Happy little Austin in the middle!  I bet you have direct flights to both.

For sure!  And in general, I need to figure out if I am going to do the family.  The clock isn’t really running, but if I am doing it, it reframes how I think about people I’m hanging out with and who I meet.  I don’t have a process, I just need to get off the fence.

Yeah, I think anyone who approaches that question lightly is out of their damn mind.  Particularly someone who has the rich life that you have.  It is a game changer.

Did you always know that you wanted to start a family?

My wife did.  We met when we were in our late twenties and we were both sure we wanted to.  Then she went to grad school shortly after, and we moved across the country a couple times.  She stayed resolute the entire time, but as we got into our mid thirties I started to really question it.  So I doubted it myself but am thankful that she never did.  As soon as Hero got here, I was like “duh!” I felt like a dumbass for even having that wavering of conviction.  Well, that is about it for my questions.  I like to leave an open ended conclusion to the interview- are there any closing comments or questions you’d like to leave off with?  As a Shop Athlete Spotlight, your words are now sacred and holy.

*big laughter* Oh wow!

OR lets frame it this way, we have a new member walk into class and I pair them up with you as their buddy.  What do you say to them?

Oh, okay!  I would say that something I like about Dane’s is you can choose your own adventure- you can come once a week, three times a week, or every day.  You can scale up or down as much as you want.  For me, and I’m sure I’m not alone, but over the past two years I have definitely transformed my body.  I’m not bulky and I didn’t want that, but in terms of overall fitness, mobility, muscle mass; I’ve tried a lot of different fitness things over the years and the impact of Dane’s is up here and everything else is down there.  So I hope you, Dane, and the staff celebrate that among yourselves- that for some percentage of the members, it is transformational.  I’m now in a place where I am in maintenance mode- its not like I’m trying to compete for something.  I think that is super cool and I hope that other members are able to engage at whatever level works for them.  

Something I’ve observed about you is that you have a really healthy level of confidence at the gym.  You’re neither lacking in confidence when you lift nor acting over confident.  No ego.

As a former athlete, it is hard not to get competitive, but I’ve just had to learn to play my own match and not scale up when I shouldn’t.  I would leave you with that- I think you provide a personalized service to members: it can be transformational, it can be maintenance, or it can be social.  The community aspect is very cool.  I think it was Beth, not short haired Beth, the other one- 

(Coach) Beth Felker?

Yeah, I think she said “I look at it as recess”.  It sounds like a humble brag when people ask me what I do for fun and I tell them I lift weights, but going to Dane’s is fun for me- I don’t have to force myself to go.

by Jess Chester

Ladies and gentlemen this is a historically significant interview which will, in all likelihood, shape the future of the Shop, the Austin fitness community, and the world as we know it.  Sure Rachel was funny and engaging and just the perfect sprinkle of weird, but the seismic revelation here is that the interview was conducted by someone other than Coach Chad; that’s right sports fans, our beloved yoga coordinator Jess Chester ran point on this one!  After reading this breezy zany joyride, I think you’ll agree with me that Jess has a bright future interviewing future athletes and Rachel Mauch is just a flat out icon.

Coach Jess: OK lets start out with what’re you currently drinking?

Rachel Mauch: Gatorade Zero lime cucumber but I added some extra electrolytes to it which is chocolate. So lime cucumber and chocolate is not a great tasting or looking beverage but good for replenishing my body. Good for the body, bad for the eyes.

Good for the body, bad for the eyes, bad for the taste buds. So I guess we can start off with…you’re in an elevator. You have the whole Dane’s Body Shop clientele in there with you. You have to give a little blurby about yourself, what would your blurby be? Who is Rachel?

Man I could go into so much detail….about my ancestry.com profile (lol) but I am not going to. Um who am I? You know I am still learning who I am, but right now I am somebody who enjoys living in Austin after moving from Chicago even though it’s hot as balls out here (giggle) but I am someone who loves being outside so I think that moving to Austin has been a really good thing for me. All the people here are super kind and active so I feel that vibes with who I am too. I have never been a workhorse really, but now I am starting to really like my job. I am a proud dog owner-

 Yeah you are!

 Everyone knows Otoro. Ryan asked us in class the other day what are some boring facts about ourselves, and mine was I am left handed, and that I have had braces three times. I love to cook, I have a lot of recipe books, but I’m not really a recipe person, I don’t like to follow directions. So usually I’m more of a what’s in the pantry or fridge kind of cook-

 Like a Chopped situation? 

Yes! Everyday is like Chopped in my house. It usually ends with cauliflower and protein. 

OK great! So you moved here from Chicago, how long ago?

We moved here right at the start of COVID, so April 2020. We left Chicago in March of 2020, couldn’t say goodbye to anybody since it was COVID, everyone was afraid of each other. We knew a couple acquaintances, I had only been to Austin once and it was to Dirty 6th st. so I don’t know if that really counts. 

Where did you go? 

Umm I don’t remember but I did get a slice of pizza somewhere. 

Ropollos?

That sounds right. Lost my ID on the street. 

And you decided “I love this place I am going to move here”?

 Exactly!

Then you inserted yourself into the Cherrywood area and into the life of Dane’s Body Shop?

Yes! I really inserted myself! I lived down the alleyway for about a year so I always saw everybody working out and running, the tires looked super intimidating. And finally I gave it a go; I think I met with Chad for my tour and we sat on the turf just two kids shootin’ the sh*t, just talking about random stuff not even about the shop and I thought “I think this could be the place for me”. It seemed like it was more of a go at your own speed, but they’re going to push you to be your best. But the stretching, the yoga, the safety was what drew me in. It was a New Years Resolution-

Oh yessss “find a gym” 

Yes! the ones that don’t stick, but this one did!

You are obviously at the shop pretty consistently, what drives you to come so consistently?

Mostly the community- all the members! I made some of my best friends like Jess!

*blushing*

Obviously the comedy-

Come for the weights, stay for the jokes. 

It’s true! I laugh at every class. Either it’s a coach that is hilarious, all them are hilarious. Or we have class comedians in every class, which Dane loves I’m sure- Shout out Jose Luis (Guerra). In myself I have seen mentally and physically getting stronger. It’s the first time where I have actually seen results in the work that I am putting in so that always helps to continue to drive me there. I also live 60 seconds from the gym. 

The convenience!  So the Shop is great, what about your career? You mentioned you haven’t normally been a workhorse, but now you are, so what do you do?

I don’t know if I would call myself a work horse…

Maybe more like a work Li’l Sebastian then!

When I started going to Dane’s I was at a job where I was remote all the time and was coasting, so I think going to the gym every day was great for my mental health. Then after I left my last job I was unemployed for 8 months just to figure out what is the next thing for me. I was in consulting for a long time, and in consulting you get to a point where you need more. I came across Skygrid, which is not only a start up, but it is funded by Boeing, so it felt like a safe start up. I don’t know if you watch John Oliver but I call Boeing Skygrid’s Business Daddy. 

*LOL* 

I thrive in smaller and more personal communities and this company (and Dane’s) is just that. Unless you wanna sign an NDA I can’t share fully what we do-

 SOOOO secret!! What do you do in the company?

 I am in Corporate Strategy. I just started learning I like external business development and strategic partnerships. So I am trying to lead our strategic partnerships to understand this product that I can’t tell you about 

The super secret laser beam, yes. 

But what I can tell you is that what we are doing is building an air traffic management for air taxis of the future. To prevent sky highway crashes. 

Not only do you enjoy being strategic in aviation, but you also like to use aviation to travel right?

Oooooh look at that transition!!! I do use aviation for travel! You know what’s funny about this? I am actually afraid of flying. I love to travel! 

Tell me about your travel life! What is your favorite or most memorable place you’ve been?

The most recent and memorable one would be the trip that we took to Japan. We were there for almost 3 weeks. We got there the day the borders opened so it wasn’t full of tourists just yet, so it was cool to see Japan not crowded with American tourists. I love trying new food and seeing new cultures and obviously sushi and ramen are some of my favorite foods. I think I thought the trip would be more zen, but I will need to go back for that. We ended up in Tokyo twice. And even Kyoto and Osaka were larger than we thought. 

I went to Costa Rica last February. I have been to Costa Rica a few times-

DID YOU SEE A SLOTH? 

I did see a sloth!

 AWWWWW I love sloths. 

It was really high up in the trees so I didn’t see it face to face 

But you saw one!

I saw one! Costa Rica is super beautiful. We went bird watching (aka Birding) at 4am. I discovered how much I liked birding on that trip. It was very therapeutic. You have to stand still and listen, you can hear the birds and the calls. There is the Merlin Bird ID app that you can use as well.

 I have that app! 

Yeah I have gone a few times in Texas but it’s not as cool. There are no toucans in Texas, only cardinals, I swear. 

OK Japan and Costa Rica. WELL…speaking of Japan…where did your dog’s name come from!!

*Otoro squeaking his toy and barking* HAHA. His name is Otoro, which is a different cut of fatty tuna when you get sushi at a tuna restaurant (LOL). It’s just a cut of the tuna belly, the fattiest part. I love sushi and that’s the name we decided together on! 

Obviously sushi is fricken delicious, does your interest in Japanese culture have an influence on that? 

Yeah I think so! Plus, you won’t run into an Otoro on the street! You may run into a Murphy…or John…and that’s boring. 

I honestly thought his name was El Toro for the longest time. 

Most people do. My parents still call him El Toro. 

Now you know, you heard it here- his name is OTORO not EL TORO.  So you take Otoro around Austin a lot- what are your favorite places to take him? for all the dog walker lovers out there…

Any of the greenbelts. Lady bird lake *Otoro sneezes* (simultaneous) Bless you. He can do 6 miles and he is dead. And in the summer, we have little dog crocs for him. 

Where do you like to get away in Austin? 

I like to go to Lady Bird, the Barton Creek greenbelt, I like to go on super long walks with my podcast in. That is my favorite thing to do right now I think. I like Barton Springs, but not so often. I want to say I like Deep Eddy but I have never been. Obviously the car wash! I am at the Washaroo Car Wash every week because they scammed me into a membership, so you will see me there. Just so you know, they don’t actually wax your car on every visit. I love going to Central Market, or any farmers market. Local produce and goods, then playing Chopped when I get home. In the summer, Alamo Drafthouse has been a great savior. 

You are a self proclaimed foodie, if you have 2-3 most memorable restaurant experiences, what are they? 

I like the Peacock Hotel downtown. They have a good Mediterranean menu. In the winter time, Dip Dip Tatsuya is really good and very memorable. Jester King. The pizza! When we first moved here we went there a bunch because it was outdoors. They were thriving during COVID! Bufalina is so good and the pizza is amazing. Those are probably my favorites.

In the spirit of the season and since your birthday is in October, what’s your favorite memory from either your birthday or being spooky/halloween?

I love halloween. My mom always loved halloween decorations. So she would really decorate our place. And she keeps trying to give them to me every year and I don’t want them LOL. But my mom is super creative and would always do themed parties for us. One year, did you ever have one of those American Girl Dolls? 

Yes I did. 

I had Samantha-

 Me too! 

The OG Samantha. And also Molly, the nerdy one who liked books. One year for my birthday, everyone brought over their American Girl Dolls, and it was a sleepover. And my mom sewed everyone’s doll nightgowns that had their names on it. So that was a really great birthday memory.  The other one I have is 5th grade, having the first boy/girl party and playing spin the flashlight on the trampoline. 

Well did you kiss anybody? 

I will never tell. I don’t kiss and tell. You know for halloween women tend to dress in less clothing? 

Yeah. 

I’m not that girl…and I don’t think you are either-

 Absolutely not, I was grapes once in college. 

I was a GORILLA. When I was little I liked to do some Chopped but with costumes, figure out what I can be with what I have, and one year I was a fat grandma. I put a pillow in my nightgown, I had gray hair and glasses. And some older woman answered the door and was offended that I was a fat grandma! So that scarred me.

 In middle school, my best friend to this day and I went trick-or-treating as siamese twin Elvis’. We went to Goodwill and found Elvis masks. Both of us being Elvis is too easy, so we looked for the biggest sweat pants that we could find and each took a pant leg (we were 11), got a giant cardigan and voila!

 I love this so much.

 I am still laughing at the gorilla though. 

I was a gorilla in like 8th grade, kept the costume, and used it again in college. I was a recycled gorilla.

Ok I have lots of this or thats. Roll with it.  Would you rather lose the ability to cry or cry every day for 20 minutes randomly? 

Oh cry everyday. Just let it out baby. 

Would you rather be reincarnated as a sea creature or an airborne creature?

Ooh that’s tough. My first instinct is to go airborne, but I feel like I’ve read articles that we have explored less of the ocean than we have in space so what if there is some cool stuff down there? Nah I am still going airborne.

Would you rather your only mode of transportation be a donkey or a giraffe?

Giraffe. obviously. But wait, would you slide off the whole time? 

I think they have a flat back, no?

 Does it? I feel like they have a slant so you’d have to hold their neck…

They have a horse-like back, they’re not one big triangle? *googles what a giraffe looks like and Rachel was right* 

Oh there isn’t a lot to hold onto there huh, it’s camel-y. I am switching. DONKEY IT IS!

Oh my gosh….Would you rather get your wisdom teeth pulled (again), or have your butt cheeks pierced?

Oh my gosh what?! Wisdom teeth. Who would answer get their butt cheeks pierced?! And would they be pierced together?! Is it two hoop earrings? 

I am picturing a barbell. Or maybe two baby barbells one on each. 

I am picturing gold hoops. Gold hoops only. 

Would you rather be able to control animals or be able to see into the future?

See into the future for sure. I can’t control my own animal as you can see, so I am ok with it. I live life like this every day. *Otoro barks and squeaks toy*

Would you rather be smacked in the face with a fish or farted on?

The fish. Do not fart on me. What kind of fish though are we talking about? Is it a puffer fish or-

a cut of Otoro?! It’s the fattiest part 🙂 OK any last words?! 

Last words, are you killing me or something?

 LOL Anything else you want to add? 

The shop has had a super positive impact on my life in so many ways. Thank you all for everything!

Fernando and I grabbed a chill cup of coffee on a cold January morning down the street from our Manor Road location at Thunderbird Coffee.  As you’ll see, I came into the interview with some high priority questions and Fernando didn’t disappoint in sating my curiosities.  Of course the most entertaining moments in these interviews are the surprises though.  Read on and learn a bit about what makes this perpetually positive and energetic 6:30am standby tick!

I’m very much fascinated by your participation in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, so I wanted to be selfish and start there.  What I wanted to do is kind of sneak in a little bit of your back story into the tale of you and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Absolutely!  I’ve got to step back to when I was like eight years old.  My parents had just got a divorce and my dad got a scholarship to come to U.T.  One thing he told my mom was that “he has to learn how to defend himself”.  So my mom put me in karate- I was already into Bruce Lee and to martial arts.  So in 1984-

You started karate in the 80’s?  So you basically are Daniel San!

Yes!  The sensei would make us run barefoot through the city- I think he’d get sued today.

Oh yeah!

In ’88 there was a big crisis with the dictator (Fernando is from Panama!) and my parents wanted me back in martial arts, so they put me in Taekwondo and I stayed there until I was in my early thirties.  I came here and I was part of the national team and I owned a school for a while with some friends- I was really involved.  I was looking for a hobby- at this point martial arts wasn’t just a hobby- and a friend suggested we go to an MMA fight.  There was this really little guy just beating up on everybody with jiu-jitsu.  I thought “that guy is as skinny as me, but he’s beating even the big dudes!”

So what year are we in now?

2002.  I found a pamphlet for who would eventually become my first (jiu-jitsu) instructor.  I told my dad that I wanted 3 months of jiu-jitsu fees for my birthday and he surprised me by actually giving me that and a uniform.  I ended up back in Austin and started training in 2010 and in 2015 is when I found the team that I train with right now.  It is a very competitive team and so I decided to try competing myself and it triggered the competitive itch that I had from my early days in taekwondo.  So that is like 7 years now- I got my black belt there and that is pretty much the one thing I do every day. I mix that in with classes at The Shop to make sure I have the cardio and the strength- it requires a lot of isometric strength.  That is pretty much it- that and Bruce Lee and old Kung-Fu movies-

So you’re into the old Kung-Fu movies?  That is awesome.  You mentioned The Shop- you initially worked out at the Shop many years ago right?  Tell me about that and what brought you back.

I met Dane at an improv class.  I had just come back from a neck injury and he mentioned that he had a little Shop on Guadalupe and that I should come check it out because there is a lot of yoga and mobility paired with strength.  So the next couple days I was in the class at 5 or 6am- very early- and was like “where do I sign up?!?!?”  I stayed with him for two years and then I ended up helping a guy to build a jiu-jitsu school and the time just wasn’t there.  I was bummed out that I wouldn’t see Dane anymore- we were buddies!  But I always stayed in contact and always wanted to come back.  December of 2020, my wife had just got pregnant and we were very covid-conscious- I wasn’t even doing jiu-jitsu.  My wife actually told me that she had driven by (the Manor Road location) and everyone was training with masks on or outside so I decided I had to go in.  I had a blood test and my cholesterol was high- as if I needed any other sign from the universe. So January 2nd, I was there training on a Saturday; Dane was shocked to see me and asked if he could give me a hug!

So low density lipoprotein brought you back to The Shop?  Incredible.  Do you have any memories of Dane as an improviser?

Oh he has a great deep voice so he could really project and he was very funny- lots of laughing.  He would shy away from controversial topics.  He had this recurring thing he called like “Jimbo’s Tattoo Parlor”.  He was very funny.

Shortly after I started coaching at The Shop, he and one other coach and I all took improv together.  My favorite memory was that any scene with him, the other people in class would turn it into a joke about how handsome he was to the point where the teacher had to stop class one day and point out that everyone was objectifying him and that wasn’t cool.  Dane was just melting with embarrassment.  So talking about your routine- you’re a really regular Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday guy right?

Yeah, that is my regular schedule- Fridays I play by ear depending on how tired I am!

You’re also super regular with Tuesday night yoga right?  

Yeah!

Talk to me a bit about how that works in your larger fitness schedule.

Yoga has been a game changer.  I’ve tried yoga before and it can be a little bit intense with all the other training I do.  I came to a yoga workshop with (Yoga coach) Jess and she was, coincidentally, focusing on shoulders; shoulders are my achilles heel. When you put the Tuesday class on the schedule it was perfect- it doesn’t interfere with baby & wife time or jiu-jitsu classes.  The timing was impeccable and, I was telling Jess, that even though I only go once a week, my shoulder is so much better in terms of pain.  I don’t know what she’s doing but it is working.  Funny anecdote: one class, we were doing savasana and all of a sudden I opened my eyes and Jess was the only one still in the room- I fell asleep!  I was out if it- I was probably drooling!  But she is so sweet- very scientific in her movements.  I love it!  I love jiu-jitsu, but I would rather miss that than yoga.

I’m a little bit jealous because my body definitely needs that class but of course I coach at the same time as both the yoga classes, so I can’t take them!  The other thing Shop related I wanted to hit on was you’ve done what, two of the mini meets right?

I did Brains & Brawn- that was amazing!  I did the Strong Person- *laughing* I was the smallest guy!  And I also did the Push & Pull.  The Brains & Brawn was my favorite because it was so social.  I mean, I love them all- with the Strong Person I didn’t even know if I could lift the things.  The guys I was paired up with were so inspirational.  My wife really likes coming to the meets.  She doesn’t like coming to the jiu-jitsu events because they are so violent, so her coming to the meets she is like “this is so nice!  Nobody is trying to kill each other!”.  I love those events.

It has been fantastic having you both at the events- I’ve only met her a couple times, but she is great.  When did you two get together?

We met the good old-fashioned way, at a bar.

What is that?  What app is “a bar”?

*laughing* It was 2010, the week before Thanksgiving and I figured she was way out of my league.  I did the classic move and stalked her on facebook and saw she had visited Panama two years earlier.  I was like, this is my opportunity, so I reached out and told her I was from Panama and she asked if I wanted to hang out sometime.  She mentioned she was having people over for Thanksgiving and invited me; I told her I’d love to, but my mom was in town.  She said bring your mom!  Her parents were there too.  So the first time we hung out, it was with our parents.

I actually met Becca (the chadwife) the week before Halloween in 2010, so almost the same time!  Another selfish thing I wanted to talk about was you being a dad!  How old is Lucas?

17 months!

Talk about it, what is it like being a Dad?

Parenting is an extreme sport.

Here we go!

People ask me why I workout so much, welp!  Let me show you a picture of this sturdy little guy.  I think I get this from my dad, but I just look at everything that happens with him as being the thing that is supposed to happen.  He wakes up?  Okay, what’re you going to do about it?  He cries?  Ok, let’s see what we can do!  Honestly, it is a whole other chapter- it is really fun.  There are times when he is sick and times where we don’t sleep, but he is just a whole lot of fun.

Fun?  That is good to hear.  Dane’s 4th son was actually born this morning!

Wow!  Mazel tov!  Congratulations Dane!!

Are you going to try to catch up with him?  Are you going to go for 4?

I don’t think we’re going to go for 4, but we are thinking about a 2nd one.  Hopefully a girl.  I was thinking about traditional father/daughter relationships and it got me thinking, “Hmm, I’ve gotta keep working out!”

Right?  So 20 years from now if she brings someone home for Thanksgiving you can just be like-

“I’m into swords!”

*laughing* Oh I think just having the jiu jitsu medals displayed would be enough.  That’s fun.  We’re going to hit up some random questions in a minute, but before that, do you have any dad advice… there might be some new dads out there on the horizon.

Everything the kid does, it is supposed to do.  He can be a pain sometimes and when they get sick it can be shocking, but everything that happens is supposed to happen.

That is a very stoic approach.  

I see some of my buddies back home getting emotional in their responses and that can happen to me, but it helps to just say “that is what he is supposed to do”.

I really like that Fernando.  Alright, these random questions are actually on a similar theme and aren’t completely random: first one, do you have pump up music before you compete?

Oh yeah.  The day of the tournament I don’t, but the days leading up to it- Iron Maiden.  The one that gets me in the mood is “Hallowed Be Thy Name” (yes, dear reader, I took it for a spin and immediately had the urge to jiu-jitsu someone!).  

Were you into metal in the eighties?

Since I was ten years old.  We had MTV in Panama and back then I was into Twisted Sister; when I was ten for my birthday, my mom showed up with a vinyl of the one that goes *singing* “We’re not gonna take it”!  We lived with my grandparents and I listened to it so much that they would get me records of children’s stories so that I would alternate.

That is a cool mom move!  I’m in my late thirties and just now hitting my metal phase.  Can you compare your fighting style to an animal?

Mmmm… I am like a snake.  I’m not that agile with injuries and age, so what I try to do is wrap around my opponents then *makes tense squeezing gesture*

Fernando the constrictor, I like that!  My wife came up with this question- which coach at The Shop would you least like to fight? Who would be the most formidable?

Oh man… I always thought that the nicer and more chill they appear, the scarier they are.  So it is a tie between Selah and Jess.

I can see that!  Selah does breakdancing and stuff, so I’m sure she would have some serious moves.  And Jess, anytime someone has that many tattoos, you know they have a high pain tolerance.

Exactly!  High pain tolerance!

If you were to have all the coaches in one big battle royale, who would be the last one standing?

I think Monica.  I have seen some of the videos of her lifting and- I know you are strong Chad and I know Dane is strong- but I believe the women are much stronger than any of us.  I see her doing pull-ups so smoothly and I’m like oh man!

She’s got some grit too.  She’s a very sweet person, but she’s got a gritty side.  Very good answer.  I think those are most of my questions-

I have one more thing to say!  Best music coach?  You!  Yoga music doesn’t count.  I love all the coaches, but your music is always right on point.

Thank you for that!  I have been called out by members for having the worst music too!

No!!!

Fernando, your opinion is far more important than theirs!  How has this interview been for you?  Has it been what you expected?

Oh, super fun!

Well, I asked you for father advice, so zooming out, you are here for a reason- you set a good example- do you have any advice for the members of the community?

Keep showing up!  A lot of times, particularly with new folks, the technique is so crucial it can be intimidating; particularly the power clean.  But you have such a great staff of coaches.  You are so scientific with the prep work and how you build up before benchmarks.  Just show up and trust that there is a method to the madness.  The other day we did the (Mile Big Mac) and that is a tough one!  I just tell people, if you finish it cool but if you don’t finish that’s fine too.  (The Shop) is such a safe place, such a safe environment.  No need to feel intimidated!

That is great to hear, because that is the most important thing for us.  Okay man, we’ll wrap up the recording portion so I can ask you the real deep dark secrets!

Leslie and I chose an extremely exotic location for our interview- the Hyde Park Shop!  Give us a break- she’s a busy gal (as you will soon learn) and this is what we were able to fit into both of our schedules.  Leslie was slowly sipping some delicious green tea and I was unable to drink anything owing to the fact that my jaw was on the floor upon learning just how much fitness and wellness in general this woman packs into her life.  Take a deep breath and enjoy my friends!

Leslie Hall: Do you mind if I periodically pour tea throughout the interview?  I brought back-up *pulls out thermos in addition to her coffee mug

Coach Chad: Absolutely, that is a clutch move.  What are you drinking?

This is ceremonial-grade matcha tea that I make every morning.  I can’t drink coffee anymore, but I think it has a lot of caffeine in it, but also other antioxidants and stuff.

Yeah!  I used to run the Whole Body department at a Whole Foods in Chicago, so I’m well versed in green teas and green tea supplements-

Right!  Did you know you’re the reason I take digestive enzymes?

That is awesome!  I only take them if we’re going to eat something way out of our diet like pizza, but I notice a big difference if I don’t take them.

I definitely notice a difference.  I take them now with every meal.

Cool!  I have some juicy questions that the other coaches wanted me to ask you, but the first thing I wanted to do is get a little back story on you.  Tell me and the readers the nickel version of Leslie.

Alright!  I’m originally from New Hampshire.  I grew up there, hated the cold, graduated from college and then moved to Honolulu for three years.

Oh!  Did you have a job out there?

Yep, I worked at the University of Hawaii doing social and behavioral research.  I also worked as a sexual violence educator at a non profit.  I did that and I was missing my family and then I moved to DC to go to grad school.  I lived there for 11 years and got into tech and that is where I met (her husband) Graham- we worked together.  Right after we got married we moved to Austin in 2015.  

What did you get your masters in?

Sociology.  Yeah, we lived here for a year and were following Eater articles to try and find the best coffee shop in Austin in order to figure out where we wanted to live.  We went to Quacks because it was in one of the articles.  We didn’t even know what Hyde Park was but we bought a house there and we discovered Dane’s because we were just walking around the neighborhood.

Nice!  And you’re still in Hyde Park?

Yep, same house!

That is a nice table setting for the first question from a coach I wanted to throw your way.  It comes from Autumn- and you’ve been doing some personal training work with her right?

Yes!  So, Autumn is amazing.  On New Year’s Eve 2020 I went to swim practice -I’m on the UT masters swim team- and we had this awesome 2 hour practice.  I sat down for a cup of tea and didn’t stand up again straight for 4 months because I hurt my back really badly. It was all because my core was really weak- I had no idea.  (Autumn) fundamentally changed the way I think about exercise and the ability to control my core so I could still come to Dane’s.  She changed my life.  So I see her now once a month so I don’t have to go to PT.  I highly recommend anyone having issues engaging their core going to Autumn.

She’s kind of a master at it.

I also always have a goal.  Currently it is doing a push up, doing a pull up and doing a handstand. She gives me ways to work on those. 

That’s cool, you’re impressed with her and she is impressed with you.  Specifically, she mentioned that she is impressed that you have causes you are enthusiastic about and that you actually do something about it- you take action.  She wanted to know how you would advise others to do the same, but before you do that I want you to give some examples of causes you’ve been in to

Sure.  I am a big believer in equal rights for everyone no matter what.  I was really involved in some nonprofits in DC and wanted to figure out how to do that here.  It probably isn’t surprising for anyone who knows me that my beliefs don’t exactly align with that of the Texas legislature.  When SB8 and some of the other anti-trans bills came down I really wanted to do something to combat it.  I put a feeler out on instagram for groups that I could work with and got some good suggestions that I could research more.  So now I’m doing things like letter writing, phone banking, postcard writing; I joined Texas Blue Action and went to their advocacy day.  I also just learned what “dropping a card” is-

Ummhm, I just learned that too.  Can you talk a bit about what that is?

When a bill goes into the committee to see if it is going to come up for a full vote or not, they have people come in and testify.  As part of testifying, you can just say you agree or disagree.  So dropping a card is just a way of formally saying you agree or not with that bill.  My next goal is to actually testify in front of a committee.  

So what is your best piece of advice for someone who wants to get involved more?

I would say just to put out in your network what sort of organizations might align with your values.  Just ask around.  Organizations usually just have more ways to get involved.  Or you can reach out to me!  I’m happy to help.

That is wonderful!  Turning things inward a little bit, one of Blair’s questions was- you’re doing a meditation challenge?

*Laughing* Yes!  I’m not working for a couple months and I’m taking it as kind of a mindfulness journey.  My doctor told me I need to lower my stress and so I’m trying to figure that out.  I found a meditation coach- I’m doing a form of transcendental meditation where you meditate for 20 minutes.  So yeah, I’m doing it for a month, so let me know then if I seem calmer!

The Beatles were into transcendental meditation right?

Yes!  I just learned that they were the ones that brought transcendental meditation to the states.

Yeah, they went on that retreat to India in like ’67 or 68′.  Are you finding it difficult?

No!  The way my coach described it is that it is lazy person’s meditation.  I’ve always tried to meditate with different apps and nothing ever stuck because I can’t clear my mind.  In transcendental meditation, you don’t have to empty your mind, you just focus on your mantra and when your mind wanders you just acknowledge it and return to your mantra. So far my Whoop monitoring shows that my stress levels when I’m meditating are the same as when I’m sleeping.

Oh… Wow!  That is very cool.  That is the quiet part of your life and another one of Blair’s questions was how much physical activity you take on per day.  I’m assuming that has something to do with the fact that you’re known to take two classes in a day?

Yes!  I’m recovering from foot surgery, but when I’m not doing that a good week would look like: Fusion 6 mornings a week, Strength 3 evenings a week, swim practice twice a week, Peloton three times a week, and I just started adding yoga three times a week.

I have been seeing you showing up for yoga!  Plug for 6:15pm Thursday yoga at Hyde Park with Anna!

I was there last night- it was excellent!  I figured The Shop has these yoga classes with incredible coaches, why am I not taking advantage?

Very cool.  Yoga is kind of its own thing- I was curious if you could talk a little bit about the difference between Strength and Fusion class.

Oh my gosh, yes!  For me personally, being part of the 5am crew, Fusion is just as much social as it is a workout and a way to feel great as I start the day.  Being done with a hard workout with really fun wonderful people before the sun comes up every day just makes you feel good about yourself.  It is faster though and there is more cardio- I don’t always take the time the way I do in Strength.  I just started Strength last summer whereas I’ve been doing Fusion for I don’t know how long.  When I started doing Strength I started paying attention to the actual percentages and taking the time to not rush.  In March of last year I was deadlifting 55lbs and in November I hit 230lbs.  I feel stronger.  Some days it is hard to do two a days though.

Hard in terms of finding the time or finding the motivation?

Both!  But that crew at 5:30pm Manor Strength is so fun.  It is like I have this whole new group of friends.

Anyone you want to shout out there?  I’m not going to ask you to shout out the 5am people because I’ve interviewed you nut jobs before and you’re just going to call out everyone in that freaking class.  

*laughing* No, I’ll say the entire 5:30pm crew too- I don’t want to single anyone out.  I will say the person who got me into it was Marie (Hwang).  We used to work together and we still wanted to see one another, so she told me to start coming to Strength.  I started coming once a week, but the people were so great and I felt myself getting stronger, so it stuck.  It is fun being able to pick shit up!

It is!  When I first started pushing my weights, the first cool thing was when I realized I was deadlifting an NFL offensive lineman-

Yes!

I just deadlifted Nate Newton!  Do you have any similar comparisons?

I don’t, but now I’ll need to!  Like can I deadlift my husband?

Right?  You two don’t really work out together ever- is that just because he isn’t a 5am kind of guy?

He’s not a 5am person and whereas half of me being here is social, he is just really focused on his workout so he is more of a solitary person.  

I think that is very much a testosterone thing.  I’m a super social person, but when I’m at the gym with my wife I have a strict “no touching me” policy… that she violates pretty often.  That’s okay though.  So you love both the 5am class and the 5:30pm class, but aside from one being Fusion and the other being Strength, is there another difference between those communities?

It feels like 5am is a little more type A.  Super focused and on to the next thing.  Then 5:30pm is a little more relaxed- it is just a nice way to end the day.

That tracks.  So far this interview has been this tour of healthful decisions you make in your life- fitness, meditation, more fitness- what do you do for fun?  What indulgences?

Umm… I come to Dane’s for fun.  When you come somewhere for two hours a day, it is a good chunk of your day.  If you’ve been in Hyde Park, you’ve seen me walking my three dogs-

Yes!  Their names are?

Brandy Alexander (like the cocktail), Bubba Newton, and Benny G.

Brandy is the only one that comes around here right?

Brandy is the only one that comes here because she is the only I’m not afraid of peeing on the turf.  The boy dogs, I don’t trust them so they stay at home-

Public service announcement- please don’t let your dogs pee on the turf, people do sit ups there for crying out loud!  Now Brandy is deaf right?

Yeah, they are all boxers.  Interesting fact, most white boxers are deaf.  

I had no idea.  Now I know that Graham is a big concert person, are you?

Yeah, we both are.  I really wasn’t until I met him, but then he is really good at finding music I would like.  He worked at an independent record store up in New York for a long time.

That tracks because even though he isn’t a super chatty person he is a good person to have a conversation with because he knows cool shit.

Oh yes!  And he is the best person to add to your trivia team.

Do you have a favorite concert you’ve been to recently?

For my birthday we went to Margo Price.  That was really fun.  We go to the movies a lot- we’re going to see Dazed and Confused next weekend at Alamo.

Alright, Alright, Alright!

Yes!  I’m trying to read more books-

Anything currently?

Actually, right now I’m reading Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Dazed and Confused.

That’s fun!  You’ll be primed for the film.  Well, we have a particularly robust random question section with most of the coach sourced questions there.  Another one from Autumn- you always have fun hair, do you have a favorite hair coloring scheme 

you’ve received?

I have the world’s best colorist and I usually give her an inspirational photo.  The last one I gave her was a nineties magic eye poster.  I think my favorite was when I gave  her a photo of an opal.

I think I can picture what that one was- pretty recent right?

Yes!  It was different colors in the light.  I think my next one might be the Northern Lights.

Oooo Aurora Hairialis!  

*laughing* Yes!

Magic Eye posters- were you ever able to see the image?

Oh yes, you really have to focus.

Yeah, I could never get it and I was so frustrated.  To this day the idea of them makes my blood pressure rise.  Okay, Stormie wanted to know if you know exactly how many shoes you own?

*big laughter* Stormie and I like to talk about Nikes.  I keep suggesting Nikes for her to wear on her wedding day and I really love the ones she picked.  I don’t know how many I have, but I am figuring out how to store them which probably means I have too many.  

I’m not a shoe guy at all, I don’t understand where the love of them comes from.

I think it is because you can wear a pretty basic outfit with a pop of color on a really cool pair of kicks.  Now that I’ve had ankle/foot surgery, I’ve had to get rid of my heels, so I’m going really in on sneakers that make statements.  

Lauren wanted to hear about your time as a Jazzercise instructor?

*Roaring laughter* It wasn’t technically Jazzercise, it was just aerobics.  In college and after college, I was a certified aerobics instructor.  I taught step aerobics at UNH- big classes of 50 people or so- I loved it so much that I considered not getting a job with my major and instead going to club med to become an aerobics instructor.

What a different path that would have been.

I loved it and have wondered if there would ever be a world in which we’d have step aerobics at Dane’s.

If that world comes, I think we know who our first interview will be!  Lauren also wanted to know about churning?  I have no clue what she is talking about here.

Uhhh….  *mildly blushing* I don’t know if we should talk about that one…

*Laughing* Okay, I’ll hit you up on that once we’re off the record!  Now one from yours truly- you strike me as maybe a karaoke person-

Um…. I’m only good at karaoke when I’m pretty drunk.

Do you have a favorite song you’ve done?

“Bust a Move” by Young MC.  I look at who is in the room and then google the most popular karaoke song so they can sing louder than me because my voice is horrible.  I have a terrible voice.  It is so bad that I have a clear memory of being in 3rd grade belting it out and Ms. Courtney went line by line to figure out who was making the noise and told me to be quiet.

That is traumatizing!  Maybe your meditation will help you to heal that wound.  It kind of makes me want to ask you to sing right now-

No!!!  You can ask Graham, it isn’t pretty- Ms. Courtney was right.

That brings me to my next question: do you have a secret talent?

I’m really good at optimizing things- organizing and finding the most efficient path.  

My wife and I recently moved into a house and are still nesting and such, so my follow up question there would be do you have anything around the house that you are particularly proud of optimizing?

Yes!  Our backyard.  When we first moved in, it was a giant mud puddle.  My dream is to turn our backyard into a luxury hotel situation.  We’ve got our pool and firepit and the goal is to make it feel like every day is a vacation so when you actually go on vacation, you go on an adventure.

Do you have a surprising pet peeve?

Um… I hate it when people jog in place at stop lights.  I don’t know why.

That is a good one!

Yeah, no clue.  It is just like, “What are you doing?  Just stand still.”

That is so funny, I’m trying to figure out if I’m a run at stop lights person.  I think maybe in my twenties I was but now I just take it as divine intervention that I should rest for a second.  That is exactly the kind of answer that I’m looking for when I ask this question.

It is so judgemental and stupid.

It is!  That is why it is perfect.  Well that is most of the questions I have.  Do you have any words of wisdom you’d like to conclude with?  You’ve given a lot of wisdom already, so you could go a whole other direction and just leave me with fighting words.

*laughing* Rather than words of wisdom, I’ll just say thank you to the Dane’s Community.  I’m sure you’ve had people talk about this, but being able to come here during the pandemic saved me.  I was in my house all day long, working crazy hours at HEB trying to figure out how to get people groceries and being able to first work out at home on Zoom and then to have a place to workout outside saved my sanity.  Those outdoor workouts in the park?  We’d been coming to The Shop for a couple years already, but that is what really made me think how special this community is.  

It cuts both ways.  I would hear about the emotional toll the pandemic was taking on people and I kept thinking that I felt okay.  I realized it was because I have this job where it is my job to spend time around people like you.  So thank you for showing up during those tough times.

My pleasure!

Well Leslie, this has been great.  This is for Brandy, this is for Bubba, this is for-

Benny!

And for Graham.

All of us on Avenue F!  

Avenue F folks- go find her and learn about “churning”!