Allyssa Buckland
October 2016
About The Athlete
Allyssa was part of our August On-Ramp (Intro) program and has since become a staple in regular classes and all around beast in a number of our strength components. With a background in rugby/football, among other sports, the power and enthusiasm she exuded from day #1 was exceptional; from a coaching perspective, harnessing that power was often the biggest challenge. Now 3-months later, with her level or comfort and control building through her constant work ethic, she is developing into quite the athlete.
We as coaches couldn’t be prouder to acknowledge her efforts inside and outside of CFC this month as she leads the way with class attendance, often 6am/7am, evenings, weekends or whenever she can and as well noting close to 20+ Personal Records (PRs) in October alone, coming primarily from weightlifting.
Keep up the awesome work and congrats Allyssa!
A little more about them…
What got you into Crossfit, how long have you been doing it and what keeps you coming back?
I have to thank Josh for getting me into crossfit. I have to admit, I was definitely hesitant to start mostly because I didn’t really understand what crossfit is and I didn’t think I would be able to keep up. I’m so glad I started though, I have been doing crossfit for 2 months and I’m honestly addicted.
Playing sports, I’ve trained at a number of different gyms and with a lot of different trainers but nothing compares to crossfit and specifically CFC. I fell in love with training again, it’s always been something I’ve done but now it’s something I enjoy. So getting back on topic…
There are 3 major reasons I keep coming back:
- Number one, the community, this is such an incredible group of people, everyone is so positive and encouraging, and it’s just a great place to be! Thank you all so much!
- Two, the results, never have I seen such quick results, even after a month of training I noticed huge changes in my strength and conditioning on the rugby field.
- Lastly but certainly not least, Josh, as much as I love being at the gym, 6am is hard and I’m glad I have someone to drag me out of bed when I need it. I’m really lucky and grateful to have someone so supportive in my life.
What are some of your non-crossfit hobbies or activities?
I play tackle football in the WWCFL. I play rugby and I’ll probably try and recruit all of you at some point! I’m kind of a nerd, I’m finishing up a Bachelors of Science this year and I love to read. I’m really passionate about the work I do, I’m a manager at St. Amant in the supported independent living program. A lot of my free time is spent volunteering at Big Brothers Big Sisters, Open Access Resource Centre, baby cuddling , and teaching life skills classes for people with disabilities.
One sentence to describe CFC from your perspective…
An essential part of my daily routine!
What is your favorite part of CFC?
The people, all of you! Everyone is so positive and supportive. I was so worried that crossfit is all about competing, times and numbers but CFC is so supportive, there are all different levels of fitness and everyone is just trying to better themselves.
Favorite and least favorite movement/workout, and why?
Favorite movements.. anything if it’s a PR. I would probably have to go with back squats and deadlifts
Least favorite.. I hate to admit it, it’s overhead squat or snatch. They’re just two movements I’m not very proficient at, although I feel my technique has significantly improved since training at CFC. I don’t really like to label my least favorite movements, when I see a work out that I know I’m going to really struggle with or I’m considering taking a rest day those are the days I’m definitely at the gym because they’re things I know I need to work on.
Favorite superhero, band/musician or celebrity, and why?
Band – Blink 182
Musician – Eric Church
Celebrity – Don’t really follow celebrities.. political figures maybe – Ghandi & Nelson Mandela
Biggest/proudest/latest accomplishment or PR?
My two biggest accomplishments are PR for my 5km time, and 250lbs back squat lifetime PR, now the goal is 275! I’m also really happy that I’m able to overhead squat, I’ve always had trouble with the movement and to be able to even put weight on the bar is a big accomplishment for me!
What’s your take on our coaching team?
Shane- “Living the dream” is one of my new favorite sayings! You create such a positive atmosphere in the gym. I really appreciate the all the work you’ve done for my technique, by giving me on little thing to work on during each class it has made a huge difference.
Taylor – The programming at CFC is incredible, I’m always really excited when the workouts are posted on Sundays. Thank you for all the work you have done on my technique, I promise I am consciously trying not to rush my lifts!
Michelle- I really appreciate that you always have little cues for everything. You pick up on the little things which end up making a big difference. I also really appreciate your encouragement during workouts!
Jenna – I think I’ve only been in 2 classes you’ve coached but in both we were doing cleans and you really helped with cues on my pull and my technique! Thank you!
Matt – You are so knowledgeable! Thank you answering my never ending questions about training and always having the answer to “this hurts, how do I stretch it?” I’m sure I speak for everyone in saying we wish you were coaching more at CFC but I wish you all the luck in your future!
Jason – Thank you for always making the workouts fun, even if it’s something I really don’t like. You always keep everyone laughing and ensure everyone has a smile on their face. You also always have great strategies to get through tough metcons.
To all the coaches, your dedication to your training is unbelievable and you set an excellent example for everyone in the gym!
Do you have any goals set for the near future – in or outside of CFC?
I’m really goal orientated, I set 5 year goals, 1 year goals, monthly goals, daily goals, I’ll even set goals for a single work out or run… yes, I’m a total weirdo. I have a board in my room with all my long term goals posted.
So these are just a couple..
- Finish Bachelors of Science in Spring 2017
- Make the 2017 Canadian Women’s National Football Team
- To do a strict pull up
- Back squat 275lbs.
- Bench Press 135lbs
Give us a little known fact about yourself…
Coffee is usually an essential part to my warm up, especially in the mornings.
Coaches Comments
Allyssa has been a wonderful addition to the CFC group. She hasn’t been here long but has made a positive impression every class. She has a great sense of commitment and a fantastic work ethic. At the same time she is able to have fun and that’s what CrossFit is all about. She is very personable and encourages others in class. Every chance in the gym is an opportunity for her to put in the work and get better at all around fitness. I also like to joke around a little and she has a great sense of humor. Keep up all the hard work and the results will take care of themselves. – Coach Jason
Allyssa, what a gem! Always smiling, always working to get better and constantly wanting to get more out of herself; which is just about the best quality one can have in my book. When I first met Allyssa I was humbled by the power she exerted, as well as her potential. For the first while, simply calming her nerves, reminding her to breath and focus rather than rush through a movement seemed the biggest challenge; but now things are really coming together and she is truly only scratching the surface of her strength and power. With her level on commitment, love for sport/competition and all around positive energy, I can’t wait to see where it takes her both personally and potentially professionally. – Coach Taylor
I had the pleasure of working with Allysa before she started at CFC, when she trained within out Women’s Football program at the U of M. You could always tell by her movement capabilities and capacity that she was an athlete. I also have gotten to know her a bit and she is an extremely motivated individual, so it was no surprise to me when she started at CFC and was impressing all the coaches with her prowess with the many of the movements. The girl is top notch, works super hard and is a pleasure to coach! Great work Allysa!. – Coach Matt
Allyssa is fairly new to the gym, but has made quite the impact since she first joined. Immediately from her first day you can tell she there was some athleticism about her. A strong athlete, and a real drive to be better, she gives each workout her all. Allyssa is extremely responsive to cues, and listens to every piece of advice any of our coaches have to offer. With a happy demeanour, coach-ability, athleticism, and just being an overall great person to have around the box, Allyssa is the perfect candidate for November’s athlete of the month! Good job Allyssa! – Coach Shane
Sincerely,
The CFC Coaching Team