12 Questions with CrossFit Coach/Athlete Kyrsten Brockmann

1) Who is Kyrsten Brockmann (where are you from, 

what do you do, a bit about yourself? (hobbies, etc)

I grew up in Milford, Pennsylvania, a cute little town with just one stoplight. I currently live in Tampa, Florida-just a tad different from that quaint town in the mountains haha  

I am a full time CrossFit coach at CrossFit Westchase and I spend most of my time at the gym either coaching, training clients, or working out. Outside of the gym I really enjoy cooking, reading-mostly fiction and educational pieces, and hanging out with my dog, Jackson.

2) How many years have you been training? (Including how you got started, etc)

 
This year was the first year I really learned what Grid was and I think the only way to do that is to play haha until you do, I don't think you can really grasp what it is. But what lead me to Grid was CrossFit. I have been participating in CrossFit for about 3 years but I would only say the last 2(ish) years could be considered "training." The first year or so I had a really tough time making it to the gym working two jobs and having a hefty commute however those struggles make me really value the time I have now. 

CrossFit was not my first sport nor experience training though. I played soccer essentially since I could walk, as both my older brothers played and my parents coached, and I fell in love with it. However, at about 12, I picked up my first field hockey stick and fell in love again haha. In the end, field hockey won and I played through my senior year in college. 

Fun fact: Despite playing during my college years, I didn't venture into a weight room until almost my junior year and even still, didn't attempt any Olympic lifts until the very end of my senior year!

3) Whats been the most challenging/hardest part of your journey so far? and how have you overcome them? (set backs, rejections, injuries, basically anything difficult that you have had to overcome) 

I think my most challenging experience so far hasn't been an injury or a rejection, but really struggling with who I was after graduating from college. Until that point, I had always been an athlete. Regardless of the school I went to or the friends I made/had, I identified as an athlete. When I graduated, I felt stripped of that title.  At that point I was living in New Jersey and the area I was in had no recreational leagues or adult leagues to participate in. I also started a job personal training that did not serve me. My lacking identity and dissatisfaction with my job sent me into what I can now identify as depression, but at the time I just perceived as failure-both professionally and mentally. I taught myself how to Olympic lift but couldn't see myself competing and still felt lost. During that time, I followed a number of CrossFit athletes on social media and had a glimpse into a sport that could fill the void that had formed from a lack of challenge, competition, and comradery, all things I had had in athletics. Being able to challenge myself in new ways with CrossFit and feel like part of a community again gave me hope, pride, and a sense of myself that I had thought was long gone. CrossFit has since brought me amazing friends, endless opportunities, and so much growth.

4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like? (With any particular protocols you rate).  

My training varies day to day but I typically complete a class at CrossFit Westchase (I would much rather do a class than train on my own) 5 days a week and complete some additional skill work and/or lifting 2-3 days a week. Any training completed outside of class is typically 30 mins-1 hour of additional work. Luckily, the programming at Westchase is fantastic and I feel that doing class consistently allows me to improve my fitness across all domains without really having to spend hours in the gym.

My nutrition in the last year or so has focused on hitting macros to eat with more intention. Being on my feet coaching classes, training clients, and working out causes challenges when it comes to eating enough. I am a large athlete and in order to fuel my body properly I need to eat a lot more than I have in the past. Counting macros has allowed me to stay on track but still allows me freedom in what I am eating throughout my days.

5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition? (And How has it changed your focus for the future) 

This year I have really dove into recovery. Nutrition, sleep, cohesive programming, hydration...so many things play big roles in how we feel, function, and perform on a daily basis. An extra half hour of restful sleep, hitting optimal hydration consistently, and consuming colorful fruits and veggies have all been focuses of mine and learning points. The knowledge I've gained has definitely shifted my mindset outside of the gym so what I do at the gym really makes a difference.

6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?  

All things breakfast speak to my soul, especially pancakes! And steak, I could eat steak every day. Is food a love language?? haha

7) Whats one supplement that you could not live without? 

Cerus Flow and LMNT are the only supplements I take daily! Cerus is amazing for cardiovascular performance and overall respiratory health and LMNT keeps me hydrated especially in this Florida heat!

8) If you had to start your Journey from scratch with both your health & physique what would you do differently and why? 

Honestly, I wouldn't change much but I do wish that I could have started CrossFit earlier. It has challenged me both physically and mentally and allows me to fight to better myself daily.

9) Who do you look up to in the fitness industry and why?   

Colleen Fotsch and Bethany Shadburne are two athletes who provide amazing insight into the importance of accessory work and other "behind the scenes" training and recovery. They show a lot more than big lifts, PRs and the "cool" stuff and have both overcome injuries and setbacks but continue to push forward.

I also really appreciate Danielle Brandon. She constantly proves that being yourself far outweighs changing to fit in and people please. Such a badass!

10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be? 

I can't recommend this enough, find what YOU are interested in. If you hate your workouts, doing them consistently is going to suck. Grid is not for everyone. CrossFit is not for everyone. But if something IS for you and you love it, jump into it and don't look back. 

11) What new goals do you have on the horizon? 

My biggest goal is to become more efficient in my gymnastics movements. That is for sure my biggest weakness and I am excited to give it the extra time needed. Look out for me as a body weight specialist next grid season ;) (jk, no chance hahaha)

12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts) 

Instagram is where I am most active. You can find me @kyrsten21 :)