If you’ve ever thought about getting into CrossFit and talked yourself out of it by saying, “Yeah… but not for someone like me,” this post is for you.

Because here’s the thing: I own a CrossFit gym now. And I had those same thoughts for YEARS!

I didn’t become a gym owner by being naturally athletic, coordinated, or even remotely impressive in gym class.

In fact, my origin story looks a lot different from what you might expect.

I Wasn’t “Built” for This

A lot of gym owners—here in St. Louis and elsewhere—are unreal athletes. The kind you stop and stare at.

I am… not that person.

In high school, I received an actual award for being the least coordinated person my gym teacher had ever coached. Not even kidding. It came with a compliment, though: I tried hard and had a good attitude.

Starting in kindergarten, I was usually the last picked in gym class.

My only foray into organized sports was a brief stint in rec league softball, where the coaches made me do remedial running drills because I ran like a newborn deer learning how to use its legs.

I didn’t learn to ride a bike until I was in my 20s!!

So if you think getting into CrossFit requires some baseline level of athleticism, talent, or grace… I’m living proof that it doesn’t.

Why I Almost Didn’t Try CrossFit

When I first started thinking about getting into CrossFit, it wasn’t because I dreamed of lifting heavy barbells or mastering Olympic lifts.

If I’m being honest, I wanted to lose the last of the weight I gained after my third pregnancy. I wanted to feel “better” in my body, whatever that meant  at the time.

And even knowing that, it still took me months to work up the nerve to try my first class.

Not because the workouts looked scary (they did), but because walking into a gym where I felt like I didn’t belong felt just as bad or even worse than being out of breath.

The Moment it All Changed

I didn’t fall in love with CrossFit because of the workouts.

I fell in love with the community.

People cheered for effort.
Coaches cared that I showed up, not how I compared to other people in the room.
Progress was measured in confidence, not a number on my bathroom scale.

Getting into CrossFit slowly rewired how I saw myself. Every workout, every rep, every small win built something I didn’t even know I was missing: confidence.

Getting Into CrossFit Changed More Than My Fitness

That confidence didn’t stay in the gym.

It made me a better mom.
A better leader.
A more grounded, capable human.

And that’s the part no one talks about enough when they talk about getting into CrossFit. It’s not only about strength, conditioning, or aesthetics. It’s about learning—over and over—that you can do hard things, even when you feel awkward, uncoordinated, or unsure.

Why I Coach the Way I Do

Now, as a coach and gym owner, my favorite part of this work isn’t teaching perfect form or writing clever workouts.

It’s helping people find confidence they didn’t know they were allowed to have.

People who think they’re too old, busy, or out of shape, or “not athletic enough” to do CrossFit.

But here’s the real deal.

You don’t need to change who you are to start.
You start—and who you are begins to change.

And sometimes, that’s where everything else gets better, too.