We are proud to name Michelle Marak and Rimas Remeza as our Fusion Athletes of the Month for November. We would like to highlight these two athletes because of their dedication to DBS as they pursue their health and fitness goals. Michelle and Rimas have been consistent participants in the fusion classes, attending at least three fusion classes a week. They have both shown a desire to improve their nutrition, which the building block to any fitness program, by participating in our nutrition challenge and logging their workouts and food intake daily. Michelle and Rimas bring a since of community and support to each class they attend. We are so proud to have you both as a part of our DBS community, keep up the hard work!
Let’s get to know more about our Fusion Athletes of the Month:
Michelle Marak:
1) How long have you been working out at DBS and how did you hear about the Shop?
I have been at DBS since December of last year (2011). I had been working out solo at another gym, tired and burned out. Started searching locally owned gyms in the austin area. That’s when I ran across DBS in Fit Magazine. Thought I would give it a shot. Now I’m in love.
2) Tell us a little bit about your fitness background
I have been working out via the typical gym membership since 1994. I worked with a personnel trainer for 8 months. Then I worked out on my own for 8 months, BORING. I needed a challenge, motivation, and new moves 🙂
3) What impact has DBS had on your life since joining?
The biggest impact DBS has had on my life, is my overall health. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure several years ago. I take no medication for high blood pressure, just supplements from my homeopathic doctor. My Doctor said, my blood pressure is text book perfect! Whatever you are doing, it’s working. My overall physical health is great and my stamina has elevated since joining DBS.
The second part is the amazing group of people I have encountered at DBS in the last 9 months. Simply amazing.
4) You drive an hour into town to workout at DBS, that is commitment. What do you feel DBS has to offer that justifies you making this effort and commute?
I take my health and working out very seriously. I justify the effort for my commute to the personal commitment from DBS staff to their clients and over all atmosphere. This is not your typical gym. All the trainers are very encouraging, knowledgeable and caring, and have the upmost care for their clients. The workouts are a challenge and that’s what keeps me coming back for more. (No matter how much I complain LOL)
5) What are your goals for the future as far as fitness? Short term and long term
My main goal is my health. My long term goal is keep getting stronger, leaner, add more muscle tone to my arms and mid section.
My short term goal, pull ups without assistance!
6) What is your favorite and least favorite movement?
My least favorite movement: anything to do with burpees!
My most favorite, anything to do with a hang clean.
7) What do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment since joining DBS?
It took me 10 months to finally accomplish, “Toes to Bar” and I’m pretty happy about it.
8) What are is your vision for DBS in the future?
To continue to challenge me each day, therefore improving my overall health. I would love to also see more yoga classes offered at the 5:30 time slot.
Rimas Remeza
1) How long have you been working out at DBS and how did you hear about the Shop?
I started working out at Dane’s back in June of this year. I live in the neighborhood and work from home, so the proximity was ideal. Initially, I wasn’t too keen on the idea of group classes, but I needed something to reenergize my workouts and the folks on Yelp couldn’t praise you all enough, so I took the plunge and haven’t regretted it for a minute.
2) Tell us a little bit about your fitness background
Since way back in my 20’s, I’ve pretty much always been a member at some gym or other. When I moved to Austin a few years ago I signed up for a multiyear membership at 24 Hour Fitness. After an initial period of sampling the available equipment, I just seemed to gravitate toward pretty much the same old weight lifting routine: bench press, shoulder press, pull-ups, sit-ups and leg press. For a long time, that combined with tennis a few times a week was just enough to keep me feeling healthy. Unfortunately, I got older. My 40’s introduced a nice combination of a reduction in both my metabolism and self-motivation for exercise. Luckily, I found DBS.
3) What impact has DBS had on your life since joining?
Wow, it’s pretty incredible what a difference a few months can make. First off, it took me about a month to adjust my diet to support this new workout routine. Overall, I wound up going gluten-soy-lactose-alcohol-free. And I don’t know how many times I crawled home from the Shop before I realized I needed to re-introduce some more carbs in to my low-carb diet.
Once I got the nutrition worked out, I was able to start working out more frequently and with more intensity. I initially dropped about ten pounds but over the past couple of months I’ve put five or so back on. No worries though — my body fat used to hover around 15% and now it hangs out in the 8-11% range. So, it’s the good kind of weight gain.
All in all, I just feel really healthy again. My joints and ligaments may never quite feel 25 again, but the rest of me feels pretty close. It makes a difference in so many aspects in my daily life. I’m more motivated to do things that I’d always deferred (ex. I finally took lessons to learn how to swim efficiently instead of in a constant state of almost drowning) and I just feel ready to tackle anything life throws at me (knock on wood).
4) You are a DBS TriFusionAlthete, you regularly attend the fusion classes, yoga and strength classes. Tell us a little about your routine and how you work in all three classes during the week?
The fusion classes are excellent for cardiovascular fitness, toning muscle and building stamina. The olympic and power lifting in the strength classes are super for developing muscle. And the yoga classes are great for stretching and lengthening muscles. So, they each seem to play an important role in all around development.
The focus of each of the three classes is different enough that it’s quite possible to enjoy all of them at least a couple of times a week. Ideally, I’ll take four fusion, three strength, and two yoga classes in a week. I alternate days, taking fusion on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and both strength and yoga on Tuesday and Thursday. Then Saturday is just nuts, with fusion followed by strength, 3 breakfast tacos and a nap.
I should probably also note that while the classes do complement each other, there’s definitely some overlap there as well. You need to use some judgement as to when it’s more beneficial to lower the intensity or drop a few pounds off of the bar or even to skip a class (rest is really important too). And because I’m typically a little bit tired going into each session, I tend to take each exercise a bit slower. I pretty much always finish last in the later rounds of fusion, but it’s not so bad at all, everyone is always so positive and encouraging as I drag my butt through that last rep.
5) What are your goals for the future as far as fitness? Short term and long term goals
My long term goal is really just to be healthy — to keep myself in decent shape for as long as it’s my prerogative to do so.
My short term goal is to do a freestanding handstand.
6) What is your favorite and least favorite movement?
Hmm, favorite… I suppose the deadlift, just because it doesn’t seem possible to lift that much weight, but then there you go!
Least… Well, it used to be overhead squat or snatch, or anything where you have squat with a lot of weight over your head. But, Matt’s gone out of his way to really help my technique and shoulder flexibility and now those are not quite as impossible anymore. Of course, then he also recently introduced me to my new least favorite movement: the L-sit (damn hamstrings).
7) What do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment since joining DBS?
While I feel great that I’ve seen gains in strength, endurance and flexibility, I think the biggest change for me has really been one of attitude. In the past I’ve pretty much written off certain type of workouts: I’m not flexible enough to practice yoga, not strong enough for olympic lifts, or not kinetically aware enough for group classes. But DBS changed that attitude. The coaches provide so much motivation and instruction and that seems to manifest into classes full of people with positive energy and healthy outlooks. Now everyday I look forward to what new movements the next class has in store for us.
8) What are is your vision for DBS in the future?
Obviously, I already enjoy classes, so if you all keep at ’em then I’ll be there. I also had a great time in the Beast Program and I’m looking forward to seeing that on the calendar again.
Oh, and keep the special sessions coming too! The foam roller class was a lifesaver!
As Fusion Athletes of the Month, Rimas and Michelle will be creating their own workout for us all to complete. We look forward to seeing what you have in store for us!